pH & Litmus Test Papers

pH and litmus paper are chemically treated test strips that change colour on contact with a liquid, giving an instant read on acidity or alkalinity without any meter or calibration. Litmus paper gives a simple acid or base result, while universal pH indicator paper shows a graded colour change you match against a chart for an approximate pH value.

SmartLabs stocks litmus paper and pH test strips in South Africa across booklets, bottled strips, and continuous roll dispensers with a built-in colour chart, suited to schools, laboratories, and field testing. Whether you need a quick acid-base check for a classroom demonstration or repeated pH readings on water and soil samples, this range covers fast, low-cost indicator testing for any bench or field kit.

Dipping a universal pH indicator strip into a beaker of liquid

What is pH and litmus paper?

pH and litmus paper are chemically treated test strips that change colour on contact with a liquid, giving an instant visual read on acidity or alkalinity. Litmus paper gives a simple acid or base result, turning red or blue, while universal pH indicator paper shows a graded colour change you match against a chart to read an approximate pH value.

SmartLabs stocks litmus paper booklets and universal pH test strips in South Africa, including bottled strips and continuous roll dispensers with a built-in colour chart. No power, calibration, or meter is needed, making these papers the fastest way to get a quick acid-base reading in a classroom, lab, or field setting.

Common uses of pH and litmus paper in the lab

An instant colour change gives a fast, calibration-free acid-base reading anywhere.

  • Student testing acid with blue litmus paper in a classroom

    Classroom acid-base demonstrations

    Litmus paper's simple red or blue colour change makes it an easy, low-cost way to introduce acids and bases in a school science lesson.

  • Comparing a pH test strip against a printed colour reference chart

    Approximate pH measurement

    Universal pH paper gives a graded colour change you read against a chart, useful whenever an exact meter reading is not required.

  • Testing pond water quality outdoors with a pH test strip

    Field and water testing

    Compact, portable, and needing no power source, pH paper is an easy way to check pond, soil, or water sample readings out in the field.

  • Roll dispenser of pH indicator paper with a built-in colour chart

    Built-in colour reference

    Roll dispensers with a printed colour chart on the housing make repeated testing quick and self-contained, with no separate reference sheet needed.

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