Looking to add a little science to your holiday traditions?

This holiday season, you can do a festive science experiment with your family using something you already have around the house: poinsettias. These classic Christmas plants aren’t just decorative—they can help you create homemade pH test strips.

Here’s How It Works:

1. Gather Supplies: A poinsettia, boiling water, coffee filters (or thick paper towels), and common household liquids like vinegar, baking soda water, or lemon juice for testing.
2. Make Your pH Strips: Boil a handful of poinsettia petals in water until you see the red pigment release. Soak strips of paper in the liquid and let them dry.
3. Test Household Liquids: Dip your homemade pH strips into acidic (vinegar, lemon juice) or basic (baking soda water, dish soap) solutions.
   • Red or pink = Acidic
   • Greenish-blue = Basic

Poinsettia petals contain anthocyanins, which are natural pigments that change color depending on the pH of a solution. These pigments are pH-sensitive and work similarly to other natural pH indicators like red cabbage juice. This experiment is simple, fun, and sneakily educational—perfect for kids and grown-ups who want to learn a bit about chemistry over the holidays.

Why Does pH Matter?

Poinsettias give us a festive way to explore the science of pH, which plays a crucial role when it comes to cleaning, especially in specialized environments like vivariums and animal care facilities. Just like your homemade poinsettia pH strips can reveal whether a household cleaner is acidic or basic—and whether it’s better suited for hard water spots or the mess Santa’s Little Helper made—the pH balance of cage wash detergents determines how effective they’ll be at tackling specific soils.

1. Acidic Detergents: Think vinegar or citric acid based cleaners. These acidic cleaners are perfect for inorganic soils like mineral buildup or urine scale. Examples would be our Acidulate Line of cage wash cleaners, specifically formulated to chelate and remove mineral deposits in vivariums.
2. Alkaline Detergents: These shine when it comes to organic soils like feces, fats, and oils—the sticky, stubborn messes. When it comes to greasy or fatty soils, our Enviro-Kleen line can penetrate and loosen these soils, helping you avoid scrubbing and time-consuming pre-cleaning.

Depending on your animal species—rodents, dogs, or large animals—your detergent’s pH needs to align with the types and amounts of soils you encounter. Our experienced Biosafety Account Managers are also here to help evaluate every aspect of your cage wash program, taking a closer look at your animal species, water hardness, soils types and more. That’s how we ensure you’re using the right chemistry for the job.

If you’re ready to evaluate your current cage wash chemistries and optimize your cleaning processes, reach out to us today. Fill out the form or give us a call at 800.424.2436 to get started.