Does Vape Juice Expire?

Have you found an old bottle of e-liquid that you opened a while ago and forgot about? If so, you’re probably wondering if that vape juice is still safe to use – especially if you’re a bit low on e-liquid right now. Does vape juice expire? In this guide, we’ll explain everything that you need to know.

Does Vape Juice Expire? Quick Takeaways

• Vape juice typically expires about a year after it’s made. You can usually find an expiration date on the bottle or outer box.
• If the e-liquid has no obvious problems, it may still be safe to use it even if it’s more than a year old.
• To make vape juice last as long as possible, you need to minimize its exposure to heat, light and air.

How Long Does Vape Juice Last?

Vape juice lasts about a year after it’s produced, and a bottle of e-liquid will usually have an expiration date printed somewhere on the bottle or box. When you buy vape juice, look for the expiration date. If you can’t find one, write the date of purchase somewhere on the bottle and plan to use the e-liquid within a year.

Although vape juice’s expected expiration date is important information, keep in mind that it’s more of a suggestion or guideline than a hard-and-fast rule. E-liquid isn’t going to self-destruct when it reaches the expiration date, and it may still be perfectly safe to use.

What Happens When Vape Juice Expires?

When vape juice ages, the ingredients oxidize and degrade. The nicotine loses its potency, and the flavors become more difficult to taste as the volatile components intermingle with one another or evaporate out of the bottle. These processes are unavoidable, and an e-liquid’s character will always change as it ages.

Some people actually consider the aging process a good thing to a certain extent and refer to it as “steeping.” After a while, though, vape juice will eventually reach a point where using it is no longer enjoyable or satisfying to use.

When a manufacturer sets an expiration date for a bottle of vape juice, they’re not necessarily saying that you can’t use the e-liquid anymore after it expires. What they’re really saying is that, after the expiration date, the e-liquid won’t be as enjoyable to use as it was when it was new.

Note that because oxidation of the nicotine is one of the primary reasons why vape juice goes bad, you may find that nicotine-free vape juice has a longer shelf life than e-liquid with nicotine.

How to Tell if Old E-Liquid Is Safe to Use

If you have a bottle of vape juice that’s been stored at room temperature for several years, it’s probably best not to use it. No consumable product lasts forever. If the bottle is only a little past the expiration date, though, it’s probably still safe to use. Before you settle in for a lengthy vaping session, however, you’ll want to check these five things.

1. Check the color of the e-liquid. If it’s very dark brown or black, don’t use it.

It’s normal for vape juice to turn yellow or even light brown as it ages. The color change happens because the nicotine oxidizes over time, and it’s likely that an e-liquid with a higher nicotine content will darken more than one with less nicotine.

2. Hold the e-liquid up to a light and check the transparency. If you see flecks, blobs or cloudiness, don’t use it.

Vape juice should be transparent. If you can see solid objects in the bottle, those are likely signs of bacterial or fungal growth.

3. Smell the e-liquid. If it smells foul, don’t use it.

An unpleasant smell is another sign of microbial growth. Even after long-term storage, vape juice should smell basically the same as it did when it was new.

4. Taste the e-liquid. If it tastes bad, don’t use it.

The volatile flavor components in vape juice will degrade over time, which means that a bottle of e-liquid may taste very different after long-term storage than it did when it was new. Subtle flavor notes may be especially difficult to detect. If the e-liquid tastes bad, though, you shouldn’t use it.

5. Pay attention to how the e-liquid makes you feel. If you don’t feel right, don’t use it.

It’s normal for the nicotine in vape juice to degrade over time, which means that the e-liquid’s nicotine strength will decrease. You may notice reduced throat hit and may need to use more e-liquid than you normally would as a result. If you feel sick, though, that’s an obvious sign that you shouldn’t be using the e-liquid.

Shake Old Vape Juice Before Using It

If you have an old bottle of e-liquid that passes all of the tests above and seems like it should be safe to use, give it a vigorous shake before filling your tank or pod. It’s possible for the ingredients to separate when vape juice has been in storage for a long time. Once you’ve shaken the bottle once, you probably won’t need to do it again because propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin are both good emulsifiers.

When You Buy E-Liquid, Shop Smart

Knowing that a year-old bottle of vape juice won’t be as potent and won’t taste as good as new bottle, it’s important to shop carefully because you want to buy e-liquid as close to the original date of production as possible.

• Are you shopping for vape juice at a local vape shop? Check the expiration date before you buy. It’s normal for e-liquid to be a few months old by the time you buy it. If the bottle is very close to expiring, though, it might not hurt to ask for a discount because it should be on clearance anyway.
• Don’t buy a bottle of vape juice that’s close to expiring unless you’re planning to use it right away. No matter how well you store it, there’s nothing that you can do to improve e-liquid that’s already been degrading for several months.
• If an online vape shop is offering a steep discount on a particular e-liquid, you should probably assume that it’s close to expiring. If you need to know the expiration date, ask before buying the e-liquid.

What to Consider When Making Your Own Vape Juice

Do you enjoy making your own vape juice? DIY e-liquid can be a fun hobby, and it’s also a good way to save money. You shouldn’t expect your own vape juice to have the same shelf life as a commercially made product, though, because your equipment may not have the same level of sterility. Don’t plan for your e-liquid to last more than a year. You should also remember that the ingredients you’re using will probably have their own expiration dates as well.

How to Store Vape Juice to Make It Last Longer

Do you want to be sure that a bottle of e-liquid will be just as tasty a year from now as it is today? If so, you need to store it properly. Always follow these three rules to prevent vape juice from expiring for as long as possible.

1. Never open a bottle of e-liquid until you’re ready to start using it.

When a vape juice bottle is open, it’s exposed to the elements and will begin to degrade rapidly. The e-liquid is protected from the elements and will degrade slowly as long as the original seal is intact. Once the bottle is open, the flavor quality and nicotine strength may change noticeably after just a few months.

2. Store the e-liquid in a cool, dark place.

You always want to keep vape juice away from light and heat, and the best way to do that is by putting it in a closed cabinet until you’re ready to open it. Ideally, the cabinet should be in a temperature-controlled environment that prevents exposure to excessive heat.

3. Keep the e-liquid away from heat, light and air.

These are the three things that cause vape juice to oxidize and degrade. As long as you protect vape juice from heat, light and air, you can expect it to be almost as good after a year as it was on the day you bought it.

Consider Using a Refrigerator or Freezer for Long-Term Vape Juice Storage

Did you know that there are some people who claim to have stored e-liquid for well over a year – sometimes multiple years – with no discernable loss of quality? The reason why they’re able to do that is because they’re refrigerating or freezing their vape juice. Cold temperatures slow down the degradation processes that cause e-liquid to lose its flavor and potency. If you’re looking for a way to store your vape juice for a very long time, put it in the fridge or freezer. For maximum safety, you should only do this if there are no children in your household.

How to Dispose of Expired Vape Juice

Have you decided to throw an old bottle of e-liquid away instead of using it? Anything containing nicotine is hazardous waste. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, you shouldn’t pour vape juice down the drain. Instead, you should put the bottle in a plastic bag and dispose of it according to your community’s guidelines for hazardous waste.