How Do I Read These PH Strips?

[DriftingCrow]

I bought these pH strips on Amazon, but I can't figure out how to read them. I thought it would be simple, just dip the strip in, wait for it to dry a little and then match the boxes up with the ones on the container. However, there's four boxes on the strips, and all of them give a different reading. So, my reading is anywhere between 5 and 12.  That's a huge difference.

The comments on Amazon aren't too helpful on figuring out which box to read, and on-line when I google it, all the strips shown only have two boxes.

[sandrauk]

you read all four boxes together the top one is for ph 0-4 the second is for ph 5-9 third ph 10-12.
It's to make it more accurate

[DriftingCrow]

you read all four boxes together the top one is for ph 0-4 the second is for ph 5-9 third ph 10-12.
It's to make it more accurate

Then what's the 4th box for?

[musicofthenight]

So, my reading is anywhere between 5 and 12.

The four boxes each have a different pH-indicator chemical and have to be matched with the corresponding scale.  So, if you dip one in water, the colors should be orange/olive/yellow/red-orange.  Call those boxes 1-4 in that order.  Between pH 5 and 8, box 2 will change the most (orange-olive-purple), and between pH 8 and 12 box 3 will change yellow to red.

Is that how you're reading it?

[sandrauk]

Then what's the 4th box for?

er.... ph13-14

[DriftingCrow]

 Alright I was trying to get all the boxes to match one of the rows on the container.

All the yellows look the same.

(I am trying to test my homemade shampoos. The pH is supposed to be no higher than 7).