We have heard many of our customers ask, “How long can I store my vape juice?” Well, if you’re also curious to know, we’ve decided to answer this question and show you how to safely use your e-liquid.
We understand that nobody wants to vape bad e-juice. Apart from the poor vaping experience, you would get, you never know what you’re getting into your body after the expiration of the e-liquid.
That’s why we chose to start by discussing whether e-liquids expire or not.
Does e-liquid expire?
There is very little evidence to show that e-liquid products actually expire or go bad. But the truth is that every consumable has an expiry date. Only that the duration may differ among different products. Besides, each consumable is made of ingredients that have a given shelf life.
Little wonder some e-liquid manufacturers have started adding best by dates or expiration to their products.
However, just like with food products, the vape expiration date is only an estimation of the time that the contents of a container or bottle are no longer guaranteed to have the same quality it has when the e-liquid was purchased.
Typically, most liquids have a shelf-life ranging between one and two years from the date of manufacture. This is a function of the constituents- in particular, nicotine, PG, and VG.
These three components largely make up every e-liquid and they have an established shelf life of about two years, providing they are stored in proper conditions.
You shouldn’t expose the e-liquid to direct sunlight, air, or heat. Otherwise, the nicotine, PG, and VG content begin to break down faster, and this affects its shelf-life.
The moment your e-liquid starts tasting a bit off, you should know it has gone stale. Although this can be misleading sometimes as each flavor is unique on its own.
Some juices can lose flavor in two years, but some others can last up to five. However, when any of the components start to break down, it tends to spoil the whole barrel.
Always remember that the expiry date is nothing but estimations, and it is upon you to detect whether your e-liquid is still good or not.
Simple ways to know your e-liquid is expired
Usually, there are some signs you can check for to determine if your e-liquid is still good or not. These signs include:
Separation
When your e-liquid is expired, the denser elements tend to move towards the bottom of the bottle. This is evident when you leave the bottle idle for some time, and shaking it mixes the whole components up again. But note that even after shaking, the components of the e-liquid do not mix even.
Smell
One quick way to detect if your e-liquid has expired is to take a quick whiff of your e-liquid. Most times, you’ll notice a change in the smell, but note that not all juices change their smell significantly.
Just like the gallon of milk in your fridge, an odd look or funky smell could mean that your e-liquid has passed its prime.
Poor storage
You may start noticing signs like loss of flavor, discoloration, loss in nicotine, and a loss of vapour if you store your e-liquid poorly. The e-liquid becomes bad before its sell-by date.
How to extend the life of your e-liquid
You need to first understand that prolonging storage does not cause e-liquid to expire. If anything, it would only enhance the flavor of the e-liquid through a process called “e-liquid steeping.”
This process of steeping involves allowing your vape juice to remain idle for several weeks for maturing of the flavor. However, you have to do this right under the right conditions we stated earlier. This helps to prevent your e-juice from going bad.
So far, the best way to store e-liquids is to keep the bottles in a cool, dark place. You should avoid exposing them to direct sunlight to prevent the juice from heating up. Sunlight could accelerate a breakdown of the components, which causes degradation of the e-liquid quality.
Apart from sunlight, you should avoid hot areas when moving around with your e-liquid bottles. For example, leaving your e-liquid in your car could cause degradation.
The action of heat could lead to signs like colour change. Your e-liquid may assume a yellow hue that becomes darker with time.
The best way to store any e-liquid you’re not using is to keep them in dark-colored bottles inside a cabinet. Instead of the kitchen cabinet, a private cabinet will work just fine. And ensure you seal the bottles tightly to avoid exposure to air.
Final Remark
Hopefully, this article has given you enough details about how long you can store e-liquids. If you have a concern about your e-liquid expiring, the good thing is that the content of the liquid is still safe to use, but won’t give you as much hit as you want.
So here is what you need to do: If you notice a drastic change in flavour, you can decide to throw it out or buy a fresh bottle.