Does vape juice expire? That’s a very good question that every vape user should be concerned about. Yes, e-liquids all have a point in their lifespan when they are no longer fit for consumption. So, how long is vape juice good for and how do you know that it’s time to discard for a fresh one? The shelf life of vape juices vary from brand to brand. Typically, they are expected to last about two years when stored in proper conditions. However, some vape juices contain chemicals that will make them expire faster or last longer. This article will take you through all the features of a good vape juice and the signs that it has begun to expire.
Which will make my vape juice last longer: PG or VG?
The content of your vape juice goes a long way in determining how long it is good for. Propylene glycol (PG) is a great choice because it has natural anti-viral and anti-bacterial qualities. A combination of these properties is fantastic for preventing spoilage over a short period. This means that you can store your vape juice for longer when it contains propylene glycol. However, vegetable glycerin (VG) in vape juice has a different effect. Users have to pay more attention to how they store their vape juice that contains this ingredient as they are more vulnerable to the growth of bacteria when kept for a while. Still, the storage of your vape juice, whether VG or PG-containing matters, as they both contain nicotine that is susceptible to heat and sunlight.
Best methods for storing your vape juice
To prolong the lifespan of your vape juice, your storage method is important. Here are some important tips to make your vape juice good for a very long time.
- When storing your vape juice, be sure to avoid direct sunlight as this can cause the ingredients within the mixture to separate. The direct result of this is degradation of your vape juice that makes it unhealthy for consumption.
- The best storage for your vape juice also involves tightly sealing the e-liquid bottle to prevent the entrance of air and bacteria. If these are able to get into the mixture, the result will be spoilage as it will become unfit for use
- Heat is an enemy of vape juice. It can lead to spoilage even before the expiration date of your e-liquid. Therefore, it’s best to store your vape juices at room temperature. This also means never leaving your vape juice in a hot car as this will contribute to faster spoilage.
Overall, the secret to making your vape juice last longer is to store them away from heat and light. Also exposing your e-liquid to air will contribute to thermal and oxidative degradation processes, thereby reducing its lifespan.
How do you know your vape juice is not good anymore?
There are a few telltale signs that inform users that it’s time to discard their vape juice. Here are the signs to look out for.
- Flavor: One of the features that lets users enjoy their vape device is the flavor. As the vapor passes through your taste buds, you often get that pleasant taste that adds so much more to your overall vaping experience. Therefore, that’s a top sign that your vape juice is still premium. However, as soon as your vape juice starts to give off worsening tastes in flavor over time, this is a sign that it is old or expired. The vape juice will lose its flavor over time due to the influences of temperature and oxidative degradation.
- Color: Another sign that your vape juice is not good anymore is the change in its color. Although this is not as significant as a change in flavor, this is still unpleasant and can be informing you that your vape juice is not as quality as the first day you bought it. So, look out for the color of the vape juice.
- Thickness: Within the first two years of using your vape juice, it should have a lighter consistency. However, after it crosses the two-year mark, most e-liquids would become thicker than necessary which is a sign that it has become too old for usage. A huge cause of this is evaporation, which is why most experts recommend storing your vape juice in a dark and cool place.
- Separation of components: Naturally, there are substances that don’t mix and this is not a sign that the product has expired. However, those contained in your vape juice have the properties necessary for them to mix together adequately. When this doesn’t happen, that’s a sign that something is wrong. Typically, when a vape juice has begun to approach its expiration, the ingredients start to form layers where there is a deposit of particles at the bottom as well. Shaking the bottle may mix them temporarily but they would eventually show signs of separation again. One of the reasons for this is the ingredients contained in the propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin. They separate over time as a sign of aging.
Why should you know how long your vape juice is good for?
Healthy consumption during vaping is important. According to experts, e-liquids start to degrade after a long time. At this stage, it could lead to internal damages in your body that you would be better off without. Therefore, you should know how long your vape juice is good for so you can be properly informed on when to purchase a new batch and keep your vaping as clean as possible. Some people insist that there is no actual proof that expired vape is toxic for consumption, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
How long should vape juice last?
Of course, this depends on a wide variety of factors, especially your level of consumption. Most nicotine salt e-liquid come in 30ml bottles. Therefore, you should have your bottle for at least two weeks before it is exhausted, and that is when subjected to typical usage levels. For occasional vapers, this can be as long as a month. Most companies offering freebase nicotine e-liquid provide this in 100ml bottles. Therefore, mouth-to-lung vaping styles per 100ml bottle of vape juice should last at least a month or longer if you’re not a regular vape user. For the direct-to-lung vape styles, this would only last about a week. Heavy vapers should be looking at only a few days before it’s completely consumed.
For vape juice left in storage, this depends a lot on the expiration date of your e-liquid. Most manufacturers will provide the expiration date of the vape juice as within a year of the date of manufacture. Remember though that how long your vape juice is good for depends greatly on your storage techniques and how well you pay attention to your environment. Nicotine is volatile, so it’s always better to store only for a short while before usage. It’s wiser to use your vape juice as early as you can. Nicotine content decreases the longer you store your vape juice, so you’ll definitely not be getting the same amount as when you first bought it if you leave it in storage for a long time.
How long should e-liquids be in the vaporizer tank?
Leaving e-liquids in your vaporizer tank depends a lot on the kind of tank it is. If your pod, cartridge or tank is made for long-term storage of vape juices, that will be to your advantage. However, it is not advisable to leave vape juices in the vaporizer tank for longer than five days. Most times, the e-liquid would have begun to change taste and show some signs of discoloration when it has been in the tank for too long.
Leaving your vaporizer tank without usage for a very long time can lead to leakages when the coil floods. Remember that the level of leakage and how soon this happens depends on the type of tank or coil. Some vape juices may end up cracking the glass or plastic tank, which is more trouble than it is worth. Therefore, if you must leave e-liquids in the vaporizer tank, this should not exceed five days. It’s advisable to go through your vape juice regularly and switch up the flavors for a healthier vaping experience.
Conclusion
If for reasons beyond your control, you have to leave your vape juice in storage, be sure to limit this to only a few months at most. You need your vape juice to be at optimum levels when you’re ready to use it. However, with the Upox Pro, you can be sure that you have access to quality vape juice that beats your expectations. The good news is that the quantity of vape juice in the disposable pen is just enough to meet your vape needs before you need to replace. So, you won’t be subjected to leaving it out for a while and exposing your vape juice to degradation.