Cleaning Sand for Fristch Mill Sample Cups

Some soils are difficult to clean from the pots in the Fritsch mill, because they stick to the sides and create a thin layer or edge that can't be removed with water. To solve this, cleaning sand can be used. It consists out of sand with no organic matter, low iron content and pH neutral. 

How to Use Cleaning Sand

Fill the sample cups with enough cleaning sand to cover the 10 balls. Run the mill for 3 minutes. The sand will remove residual soil particles and keep the cups clean.

Use cleaning sand at least once per day. When working with very sticky soils, this process can be repeated more frequently. 

Sourcing Cleaning Sand

Cleaning sand can be obtained through AgroCares or purchased independently. Suitable options include coarse masonry sand (silversand or washed sand) from a DIY store.

Before use:

• Dry the sand completely
• Store it in a sealed plastic container to keep it dry

Do not use beach sand, as it contains high level of shell fragments that can affect soil pH measurements.