I use a spray bottle. Fill 'er up, and mist the equipment down. That way the bucket is only used to refill the bottle. It last a long time that way. I found some wine PH test strips that I must have picked up fifteen years ago, long before I started using StarSan. They measure 2.8 to 4.4. I test the bucket contents from time to time, and it always registers near 3.2. Now that I think about it, I've never misted a test strip. But I don't reuse the stuff, so I see no reason why it would deteriorate.