Product shelf life
- Thread starter Asonyexec
- Start date
Accumulator
Well-known member
I have my spare cases of #16 and Collinite 476S in the same basement room where I store our wine 
I fully expect these waxes to be good long after I'm dead and gone (and I plan to be around for a good long time).
QDs seem to go bad first, especially if you expose them to temperature extremes. Leather treatments can go bad and vinyl/rubber dressings can get sorta funky too, especially if you don't shake them up. But other products seem to have very long shelf-lives.
As long as you don't let them freeze or get *too* hot, many products will last a very, *very* long time. I've used polishes that were over 10 years old with no problems at all. Used some Pinnacle PCL the other day that I bought around '91 and it was fine. If the bottle's getting empty you might want to squeeze out some of the excess airspace though. I shake up my liquids from time to time, dunno if it's really necessary. Paste wax can last almost indefinitely, at least if you keep the tins/jars sealed up properly. I have some Pro paste wax from the '70s that still seems OK and Mike Phillips says his #16 from the 60's is fine.
I have had some Souveran and some Trade Secret go bad, but I blame the plastic jars and it's possible I didn't have them fully shut. And those waxes were in a warehouse that got *hot* in the summer, over 100F. Some #34 I had in the same building turned from pink and opaque to orange and clear, so that was a pretty extreme environment.
I fully expect these waxes to be good long after I'm dead and gone (and I plan to be around for a good long time).QDs seem to go bad first, especially if you expose them to temperature extremes. Leather treatments can go bad and vinyl/rubber dressings can get sorta funky too, especially if you don't shake them up. But other products seem to have very long shelf-lives.
As long as you don't let them freeze or get *too* hot, many products will last a very, *very* long time. I've used polishes that were over 10 years old with no problems at all. Used some Pinnacle PCL the other day that I bought around '91 and it was fine. If the bottle's getting empty you might want to squeeze out some of the excess airspace though. I shake up my liquids from time to time, dunno if it's really necessary. Paste wax can last almost indefinitely, at least if you keep the tins/jars sealed up properly. I have some Pro paste wax from the '70s that still seems OK and Mike Phillips says his #16 from the 60's is fine.
I have had some Souveran and some Trade Secret go bad, but I blame the plastic jars and it's possible I didn't have them fully shut. And those waxes were in a warehouse that got *hot* in the summer, over 100F. Some #34 I had in the same building turned from pink and opaque to orange and clear, so that was a pretty extreme environment.
Spilchy
New member
Accumulator said:I have my spare cases of #16 and Collinite 476S in the same basement room where I store our wine
Me too!
I keep it with my father's collection in the next room!My stuff stays in a little room in my basement which is underground. It is dark and nicely cool with no major temp changes. That's the key.
I have an ancient bottle of Turtle Wax Bug and Tar Remover (the best!) and ancient Blue Coral products that all work fine. That Bug and Tar Remover ain't NOTHING like you can get off the shelf compared to today's products.
Maybe once every 6 weeks, I shake all my products and keep the caps shut tight.
Also, the extra tins of #16, Blitz and Collinite are put through my vacuum sealer so they'll last fir decades! I vacuum seal some other stuff that I may not get to for a couple years.
imported_Burlyq
New member
Shelf life of mothers mag polish 20 years, no lie, lol. I had an old chevelle and I used Mothers and stored the Mag polish in 1984 and forgot about it...Went back looking through old stuff and there it was....looked like I just used it yesterday, no drying. I used up the can and promtly bought the huge economical size.
If your trying to store something on purpose I'd try putting plastic wrap under the top.
If your trying to store something on purpose I'd try putting plastic wrap under the top.