Confidence in Every Injection: My Go To Mixture for the Standard Case

When you’re working in any embalming facility, you don’t have time to wonder if your chemicals are going to work. They have to work. Every case deserves consistency, and every family deserves confidence in the final result. I believe confidence is one of the most important character traits an embalmer can possess because confidence comes from preparation, experience, and using products you trust.

Over the years, I have found myself returning to the same arterial mixture time and time again for the average case. It is simple, effective, predictable, and produces the kind of results I want for both short term services and extended holding periods.

One of the greatest benefits of understanding embalming chemistry is that you’re no longer simply following a recipe. You understand why each chemical is being used, what role it plays, and what your final arterial solution will actually accomplish.

My Standard Three Gallon Mixture

I begin by filling my Frigid Embalming Machine with two gallons of water.

The very first product I add is:

16 oz Water Clot Guard

Water Clot Guard serves as both a pH balancer and anticoagulant. I like allowing it to circulate in the machine for at least five minutes before adding the remaining chemicals. Giving the water time to condition helps create an optimal pH, allowing the rest of the arterial solution to perform at its highest potential.

After allowing the Water Clot Guard to circulate, I add:

• 8 oz Plasma Flo or Free Flo
• 16 oz 36 Plus
• 32 oz Tissue Guard 32
• 16 oz Eotone (27 Index)
• 8 oz Leak Guard

Finally, I add enough water to bring the total solution to three gallons.

Product Breakdown

Final Formaldehyde Percentage

Using the Embalm Calc App, this formulation produces a final formaldehyde concentration of 5.17%.

For me, 5.17% has become my minimum arterial solution for nearly every standard case. With today’s healthcare environment, we’re increasingly encountering cases involving prolonged hospitalization, several days between death and embalming, extensive medication therapy, dehydration, and elevated nitrogenous waste within the tissues. These factors often require a stronger, well balanced arterial solution to achieve consistent preservation.

That being said, this is simply my personal preference developed through years of embalming in any prep room / embalming facility. Every embalmer should begin with a thorough pre embalming analysis and adjust their solution according to the individual needs of each case. There is no universal mixture that works for every decedent. Experience, observation, and sound embalming judgment will always be your greatest tools.

Why Each Product Has Earned Its Place

Water Clot Guard

Everything begins with the water. Water Clot Guard conditions the water, balances pH, and improves anticoagulation before the arterial chemicals are even introduced. I truly believe this simple step allows every chemical that follows to perform more effectively.

Plasma Flo or Free Flo

Excellent preservation starts with excellent distribution. Plasma Flo or Free Flo improves vascular flow by helping reduce resistance within the vascular system, allowing arterial solution to reach more tissue. Better distribution leads to better preservation.

36 Plus

36 Plus serves as the primary preservative within this mixture. It provides dependable fixation while maintaining excellent penetration and consistently produces the level of preservation I expect.

Tissue Guard 32

Tissue Guard 32 has become one of my favorite arterial chemicals. Increasing it to 32 ounces provides additional humectant support while maintaining dependable preservation. Its built in dye also provides excellent visual feedback during injection, allowing me to monitor distribution throughout the embalming process. Families appreciate natural presentation, and this product consistently helps me achieve that goal.

Eotone

Eotone’s 27 index complements the mixture beautifully by contributing additional preservation while helping develop natural color. It works exceptionally well alongside Tissue Guard 32 and 36 Plus to produce firm yet lifelike tissue.

Leak Guard

Leak Guard deserves more attention than it often receives. Its glutaraldehyde content provides excellent sanitizing characteristics while also helping control leakage in difficult cases. It is one of those products that quietly contributes to the success of nearly every embalming.

Why This Mixture Performs So Well for Long Term Holds

One of the biggest misconceptions in embalming is that stronger always means better. In reality, success comes from balance.

This formulation provides enough preservative strength to confidently handle long term holding periods while still promoting moisture retention, excellent vascular distribution, natural color, and cosmetically pleasing tissue. Each chemical has a specific purpose, and together they create an arterial solution that consistently delivers dependable results.

Confidence Comes From Preparation

This mixture continues to earn my confidence because it consistently delivers the results I expect.

Every embalmer will eventually develop their own preferred formulation, and that’s exactly how it should be. A successful arterial solution is built upon proper case analysis, an understanding of chemistry, and confidence in the products you’re using.

For me, this mixture has become the standard against which I compare everything else. It has proven itself time and time again in a any preparation rooms, and that’s why it continues to be my first choice for the majority of the cases I embalm.

At the end of the day, confidence doesn’t come from guessing. It comes from understanding your chemistry, trusting your preparation, and knowing that when you begin your injection, your solution is ready to perform. When that confidence is paired with sound embalming judgment and quality chemicals, you’re giving every family your very best.

You can find all of these excellent products by visiting www.frigidfluid.com. And as always, stay cool, stay confident, stay consistent, and #EmbalmBetter.