Most of us are often in a dilemma regarding the correct way to store e-juices. Are you one of them too? Undoubtedly, the way we store our vape juices plays a crucial role in deciding the shelf life of our e-juices. But fret not. We just got you covered.
Here are a few tips that would guide you on how to store e-juices in the best way so as to maximize their life.
1) Keep your e-liquid away from heat
If you are looking to store your vape juices for a long time, it is highly recommended to keep them away from heat. It is important to note here that just protecting the e-liquid from UV rays won’t serve the purpose. Instead, you need to protect it from heat as well.
This is perhaps because storing an e-liquid long time under the sun can have extreme effects on the components of the liquid. The e-liquid does not vaporize immediately or until it reaches 300 degrees Fahrenheit, nevertheless it can become runny and unstable as soon as it touches 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Let’s understand this better with the help of a few chemical reactions that take place. When a liquid heats up, the molecules gain more energy and start interacting with the other molecules. They may also further disintegrate into smaller elements. Therefore, if you expose the e-liquid to a lot of heat, the flavor elements of the liquid can get altered thus changing the taste of the e-liquid.
2) Keep it away from light and air
The next important step in storing e-liquids is to keep them away from air and light. This is because light and air oxidize the nicotine present in the e-liquid, thus changing its color. When nicotine oxidizes, it produces cotinine. UV rays further catalyze the process of oxidation and boost cotinine production by providing the energy required for this process.
The more the e-liquid oxidizes, the lesser nicotine content will be left in it. Although this does not alter the chemical properties of the e-liquid, it definitely does harm the flavor of the e-liquid and causes it to degenerate a lot faster.
Certain flavors like coffee, chocolate and the flavours of tobacco can even show a change in the color to a darker shade due to the oxidation process. You cannot completely avoid the oxidation process, as some amount of oxygen gets trapped in the e-liquid even if you fill it to the brim. However, you can minimize the effects of the process by keeping it away from light. Therefore, it is highly recommended to store the e-liquid away from light and keep them airtight.
3) Do not leave them for long in your mailbox or vehicle
Mailboxes, vehicles or any enclosed spaces made from metal as they are like a solar oven. The difference in temperatures between outside and inside of these objects can be as high as 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Leaving your e-liquid in such spaces is similar to putting them in an oven for around 15 minutes.
Leaving your e-liquid in an enclosed space made up of metal will turn your e-liquid into a bottle of molten smudge instead of a syrupy, luscious vegetable glycerin e-liquid. The only usage of it will then be as an air freshener. Therefore, if you are looking for good e-juice storage ideas, keep it away from light, air, and heat.
4) Storing them in a refrigerator
Refrigerating the e-juice is a good idea if you are planning to store them for longer periods. Just like any other food item, refrigerating the e-liquid stops the bacteria activity. Molecules tend to have lesser energy to react among each other in colder temperatures.
You can also store the e-liquid in the freezer, as they do not freeze to a solid mass. However, freezing might reduce the strength of the flavor in the e-juice. When you store the e-liquid in the refrigerator or the freezer, the liquid thickens up a little bit. You will have to bring it down to room temperature before actually using it.
5) Plastic or glass containers
Do you often get confused regarding e-liquid storage? Is the dilemma mostly between plastic and glass containers? Well, both are good for specific purposes. If you plan to store the e-liquid for a short span of time, you can use plastic containers. However, if you plan to store it for a longer time then glass container is ideal.
This is because plastic can react with e-juice during any chemical reaction caused due to heat or air thus changing the taste of it depending on the choice of e-liquid. Glass, on the other hand, reduces the chances of any interactions and keeps the contact with air to a minimum.
6) Keep away from children and pets
An important thing to remember when storing e-liquids is to keep it away from children and pets. Although many e-liquids come with childproof caps, they are not completely safe, especially with an inquisitive kid. Store them in places that are out of reach of your children and pets. Place them on a high shelf or a cupboard so that they cannot get to it easily. Nicotine is flammable and the liquid can be poisonous if consumed directly.
7) Storing it for a short period
If you intend to store your e-liquids for a short period, then the ideal place to store them would be in a high cupboard, away from the reach of your children and pets and away from heat. Cupboards are generally dark so they protect the e-juice from light too. Make sure that the storage spot is away from direct sunlight and not anywhere close to your oven or room heater.
If you are storing them in plastic containers, squeeze the bottle and then put the cap on. This way you can get most of the air out of it thus, reducing the chances of oxidation. Make sure to close the lid tightly to avoid any air or moisture from getting into the e-liquid. If you have consumed a portion of the e-juice then it is advisable to transfer it to a smaller container to prevent oxidization.
8) Storing it for a longer duration
Many of us want to buy the e-liquids in large quantities and store them. This is a good idea if you use the proper techniques to store the e-liquid and keep them fresh. On average, e-liquid lasts for about two years. However, they can go bad if they are not stored in the right way.
It is best to use darker shade glass bottles to preserve the liquid to protect it from light. If you are planning to store them for a longer duration, keeping them refrigerated is the best option. As mentioned before, do not let any air get into the bottle to prevent oxidization. For long-term storage, the usage of plastic containers is a bad idea. If you plan to buy the components of the concoction separately and mix them yourself then mix them only when you are ready to use them. Do not mix them as soon as you buy them. Further, it is highly recommended to store each of the components separately to make them last fresh for a long time.
Your Turn
By following all the tips to store your Vape juices, there is no way you are going to waste a bottle of e-liquid because it has gone bad.
Do let us know your views on this? For how long do you store your vape juices and what safe practices do you adopt? Write to us in the comments.