Currently, formaldehyde self-test kits on the market are selling very well. These test kits claim that they can measure whether the formaldehyde in the home exceeds the standard in just a few minutes. Experts explain that the data from these formaldehyde self-test kits is not reliable, as they can only determine whether there is formaldehyde in the air but cannot accurately reflect the concentration of formaldehyde. Experts suggest that it is best to find a reliable testing institution to test the formaldehyde content before moving into newly decorated houses. Professional organizations generally use spectrophotometry to take samples on-site, allowing the formaldehyde in the air to react with the compounds in the solvent, and then take the container back to the laboratory for analysis, which is the way to obtain accurate and reliable data.

1 Semi-quantitative, not precise, does the formaldehyde self-test kit still have practical significance?

Since it is not precise, does the formaldehyde self-test kit still have practical significance?

The result is: it is very meaningful. At least the following two situations can select formaldehyde self-test kits.

Firstly, when we are not sure whether the indoor formaldehyde exceeds the standard and whether the situation is severe, formaldehyde self-test kits can tell us whether there is an excess or whether the situation is severe.

Secondly, when we are in a hurry to move into a new house and reliable standard testing is not available, or we are unwilling to entrust standard testing due to high costs, formaldehyde self-test kits are a quick, time-saving, and cost-effective testing method. Formaldehyde self-test kits are often also called ‘decoration formaldehyde rapid test kits’, which is for this reason.

Formaldehyde self-test kits can be used to accurately measure whether indoor formaldehyde exceeds the standard; if it does, they can also be used to determine the severity of the excess.

For example, formaldehyde self-test kits can be used to accurately measure whether the formaldehyde in new houses or newly decorated houses exceeds the standard; if it does not exceed the standard, it is slightly yellow; if it exceeds the standard, it may be severe, such as below 0.2; or very severe, such as above 0.6; or close to the middle of 0.2 to 0.6.

If you view formaldehyde self-test kits in this way, they are indeed a very convenient, quick, and cost-effective method, especially for those who want to test indoor formaldehyde.

There is no need to worry about the accuracy of formaldehyde self-test kits. If you want to know whether the formaldehyde in decoration is 0.2mg, 0.3mg, or 0.35mg, formaldehyde self-test kits cannot tell you with such precision.

When precise formaldehyde detection is required, only entrusting professional testing institutions for standard qualitative analysis is available.