How do you sanitize?

[eden]

What proceedures do you follow before setting up your work station? Is actual sterilization really possible? I spray all surfaces & anything I may touch or that my tools may touch...soak instruments with, or in a disifectant, sanitize hands ( as well as forearms ...and under nails )& wear fresh gloves , pull hair back - wear fresh/clean clothes or smock ...I'm extrememly diligent on this issue as I know how important it is ...yet every once in a while - some how something gets a bug. Not often ...but I just don't know how it happens - recently(perhaps 3 weeks) ago I made a small 64 oz batch of a formula that I'm 'reformulating' ... just yesterday I looked inside the conatiner & it seems to have a yellowish film forming on a portion of the surface ...it almost looks like it could be a bit of oil surfacing but I really don't think so ... I can't really say it smells off, yet - I need to give it more time - I have some of this lotion in a bottle I have been using & it looks fine. I haven't bottled any of this for sale fortunately - so I'll sit on it for now - but how does this happen? If my proceedure was sanitary - and I know it was ...and of course I sanitized my storage container ...where could the contaiminent come from & why wouldn't the preservative take care of it before it even gets a hold? This makes me feel so amateur & frustrated. Of course maybe it really is oil coming to the surface & my formula just needs tweaking ...

Several years ago I had a tub of cream spoil - I had a sample stowed away from a small batch I had made for a particular client - I contacted them as soon as I made this discovery, so I could replace it - they said there was no problem, that theirs was fine ...so why, in my own personal container, did I get spoilage ...if I introduced a contaminent into my own tub of cream, why would it take hold after it was preserved? ( and the clients' containers were fine according to them)
...makes me want to quit sometimes! arg! :x

 

[Bigmoose]

Hello, I am a homebrew beer maker for many years. I have to sanitize everything when brewing beer. I used a few different products and after awhile I started asking which one is the best? The answer I got back most often is a product called Five Star. I have been using it for years and knock on wood, have never lost a batch due to sanitation. I have been using this with my lotions now and again knock on wood, have not had a problem yet. I am alot like you that when I use this product I likly go overboard. Better safe than sorry is the way I feel.

Bruce