E-liquid is one of the most important parts of vaping, along with the right method of storing them. Having excellent taste and making great clouds is very exciting and one of the many reasons we started vaping in the first place. For that, we need to look after our e juices.
Whether you buy e liquids in bulk, pricey premium juices, or you make your own, storing your e liquid the right way can save you a great deal of money as well.
Generally speaking, an e juice shelf life is around two years, even though some manufacturers recommend a year. However, if stored properly, it can last longer and be fresh past its expiry date.
But what are the tips and tricks, dos and don’ts of storing e liquid?
To start with, let’s go through quickly the components of vape juice. By now, you will know that the main parts of the juice are PG (propylene glycol), VG (vegetable glycerin), nicotine, and flavorings. PG is a man-made product, while VG and nicotine are organic; therefore, they can go bad more quickly. If this happens, you will see it straight away the same way you notice any food go bad. They will smell and look funny.
Naturally, you would think that if they are organic, they can go into the fridge or freezer and stay there for months or years until you use them again. Even though this seems logical, putting e-liquid into the refrigerator is not necessarily the solution. Here is why:
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Sugar content
If you open a jar of honey and put it back into the fridge, the sugar in it will crystallize, and you need a spoon and a firm hand to get any of it out into your tea. Something like this happens to e juice when put into the fridge. VG and the flavorings contain quite a large amount of sugar; therefore, these molecules will crystallize and separate from the rest of the liquid molecules. And e juice without sugar, well that’s just not nice.
2. Light exposure
Opening and closing the fridge door or having the light on in the fridge while closed will put the liquid to direct light quite a lot. This can cause oxidization, which causes some of the molecules to evaporate. Light can weaken the taste of the e liquid and make nicotine less effective. It can also change colour from light to dark. However, as long as the ejuice tastes good, you are good to go and vape it. It is not harmful.
3. Density and temperature
PG and VG are alcohol-based solutions; therefore, they can not freeze. Farmers also use PG to add to the water of the animals to avoid freezing during the winter. E liquid will not freeze; however, its density will change as other liquid particles will freeze. Therefore if you put your juice into the fridge or freezer, make sure you let it warm up to the right temperature and density before adding it to your device. This is useful as your e-cig battery will have to work harder to warm up the liquid if poured into it at a low temperature. This can affect the life span of your battery. So cool but not cold temperature is the best temperature.
Other useful tips for storing your e juice properly.
As we saw above, the fridge or the freezer is an option but not necessarily the best for your juices. To make sure you keep them the right way, you need to put them in a place where they are away from sunlight, air, and hot temperature.
A dark place is right to avoid major oxidization, while cool (room temperature) can avoid flavour alteration or decay. To prevent air from getting into the bottle, you will need to seal the bottle tight and store it that way.
Bottle or plastic
For storing your e liquid the long term, a glass bottle is the best way to go. Plastic is suitable for a shorter time if you keep them away from air, light, and heat, but due to their interaction with the chemicals in vaping liquid, especially in the heat, can change the juices state.
On the other hand, glass bottles might cost a bit more, but it doesn’t react with the juice. Storing glass in the fridge, cupboard, or anywhere else is okay.
Label the bottles
If you make your own juice or buy loads of ready ejuice and decide to store them, make sure you label the date of manufacture or purchase yourself on the bottle. Doing this, you make sure you can use them before they stop being fresh.
In Conclusion
You should think twice before deciding to store your e-liquid in the fridge or freezer as it might bring you a few unpleasant surprises and your vaping juice can go bad.
