does wax go bad?

If they haven't been subjected to freezing or melting temps and aren't contaminated, they should still be good. The only way to know for certain is to check if they're dried out or have any mould on it and of course, by using them.
 
HighFidelity said:
i have few products that i hadnt used in about 3 years. they been opened. do you think its still good?
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1- It is paste type :

  • See if it is all dried out
  • If it has released its oil on top (solvent) mix it up. Should be OK to use it.
  • If it has caked up and became gritty...do not use it.



2- If it is liquid type :

Shake it well

  • Pour a tiny amount into a piece of glass (mirrors do well) try to rub it in. If it does not seem to disolve, discard the bottle.
  • If it works in and disolves you can use it.
  • If it does not mix when you shake it, discard it.
  • If the amount of solvent is not enough to mix the solid portion into a reasonably thin emulsion, discard the bottle. There is not enough solvent and oils in it to give any result; at the same time risky of scratching and marring your paint.



These are what I learnt from my local detailer buddy...
 
I wouldnt say that, I found an old tin of Meg's cleaner wax on one of our shelves recently. It was sealed tight enough taht I had to use a screwdriver to get it open. Come to find that the entire thing is covered in mold. Just because its sealed doesn't mean its safe. Murat has good suggestions, use them.
 
While cleaning some junk out I came across a gallon of unopened detail spray that had been there for 8 years. I tried it and it worked great , so it went home with me.
 
HighFidelity said:
i have few products that i hadnt used in about 3 years. they been opened. do you think its still good?
Click to expand...



If sealed and stored properly, most products should be fine after three years. I've used paste wax that was close to ten years old with no problem, Dupont Chrome polish that was about 15 years old (though that was probably an exception!); I recently visited my folks in MA and I applied (unused for) 7 year-old Armor All foam-type tire protectant (forgot the exact name; "Ultra Shine?" -glossy finish) to my fathers Marquis' tires, and it worked like a charm - and it had been stored out in the garage through 95 degree summers and winters going down below zero.



Some products might be more delicate, but three years is pretty short for most, IMHO.
 
Other than rare cases where there's obviously something wrong (e.g., the mold example, failing Murat's tests, etc.), most products stay good for a long, long time. I'm currently using up a can of #16 that I first opened in the early-mid '90s and I also use products that are even older than that.



I believe it was Superior Shine who used some #7 and #16 from the 1960s; they worked fine.
 
The old school waxes seem to last for years, the newer higher tech waxes seem to seperate and fall apart. I bought a brand new bottle of Eagle One's Nano wax and it went bad after a few months, returned it. On the other hand, I have Klasse AIO that I bought 5 years ago and it's still good. Paste waxes like Meg's #16 can usually be heated and melted to make it good again.
 
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