The Diff-Quik stain consists of a fixative agent (methanol, blue), solution I (eosinophilic, orange) and solution II (basophilic, blue). Generally, slides are dipped sequentially into each solution 6 times (or left for 10-15 seconds in each solution), followed by a water rinse and drying. Some specimens, e.g. lymph node aspirates, may be under-stained with this standard technique. Such samples should be dipped more or left longer in the last stain (blue, solution II).
