
Ever wonder if your favorite flavor of e-liquid expires if left unused for a long time? Even though there is little evidence that e-juices do expire, it has been suggested that some of the ingredients can go bad if left unused for an extended period of time. E-liquid manufacturing companies, as well as vape shops, have now started to include an expiration date so that users are aware of the timeframe before the liquid goes bad. So how long does an e-liquid bottle after unsealing it before it goes bad?
The ingredients such as propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin are usually best for up to 2 years when in storage. If left unused for a longer period of time, they start to separate from one another inside the bottle. Another e-liquid ingredient that can expire is the nicotine. The e-liquids that don’t contain nicotine tend to last longer than the ones that contain nicotine. If left unused, nicotine will start to go bad after about a year – which can affect the e-liquid taste when vaping. Thus it is usually recommended to finish up the vape juice within two years from its manufacturing date if stored in the right way.
There are a few ways to know if your e-liquid has expired. As the ingredients have a finite amount of time before they go bad, e-liquid bottles should be finished before any of the following changes start to appear:
- The color of the e-liquid starts to change. This can happen due to nicotine oxidation as its effect on a larger scale can affect the liquid.
- Usually e-liquids should be shaken before using them. If the liquids aren’t as thick as they used to be even after shaking, it is time to part ways with that particular bottle of e-liquid.
- Another way to know if the bottle of e-liquid has gone bad is if it starts to smell funny. If it smells corrupt or it doesn’t smell like it used to, it is best to probably not use the e-liquid.
- The taste of e-liquid is also important to know if the juice has expired. When vaping expired e-liquids, the vaping experience may seem different as the liquids do not taste as they should.
- You may also experience a lack of vapor if you vape expired e-liquids. Also, the flavor may seem odd as it usually tends to fade quicker if left unused for more than 2 years.
There are two major reasons for vape e-liquids to expire. As aforementioned, one of the reasons the juices expire is due to nicotine oxidation whereas the other reason is flavor degradation. If kept in direct sunlight or warmer places, the nicotine starts to oxidize which can leave the e-liquid in an unusable state. Another reason for oxidation is if the bottle is left open for a longer period of time. Oxidation affects the flavor of the liquid and leaves a harsher throat hit when vaping.
Similarly, a change in flavor is usually the result of flavor degradation. If left idle for about 2 years or more, the flavors will start to degrade because of its ingredients. Such e-liquids when vaped usually carries a chemical taste. However, since every flavor is different from the other, even though it is usually assumed that the e-liquids can expire after 2 years, some flavors can also last as long as 5 years when stored properly in a cold place.