When do chemicals "time-out"?

[badredbrd89]

Going through my detailing supplies recently, I happened upon some older chemicals such as Meg's #4 and Medallion paint protecton bottles that are essentially still full. (I know the #4 is older due to the change in labeling, etc.) When using the Medallion, it seemed very liquidy, although it was pretty much still useful. My question is, when do these chemicals become non-useful anymore? Do they have a shelf life? And is there an "unwritten" amount of time that one should use the products by? (And I'm talking waxes as well)

Thanks everyone!

-Chris

[Setec Astronomy]

I have had good luck with my older Meg's stuff--except for the glazes in the clear bottles (old #5 and #7) which turned to chewing gum and oil.

[sscully]

have you tried soaking the bottles in hot water ( similar to the colinite 845 usage directions ) and shake the living snot out of it ?

If the Medallion is more liquid than before, I am going to take a SWAG that something has settled at the bottom of the bottle.

Maybe heating it up will help with mixing it and making it the same again. That is if you have not taken too much of the thinner fluid off the top already.

[Danube]

I have Megs Ultimate Protectant turning watery and getting yellow in just 6 months.

[Flash Gordon]

I have a gallon of #7 I've been working on for 10 years

Shake the product occasionaly and keep them out of extreme temps. Especialy freezing temps...

If after shaking, you find the product is still watery, file it in the round can

[oldmodman]

I have some Meguiar's Cleaner Wax that is at least 32 years old and it works and smells exactly like a brand new bottle.
And I have nubas that are even older and still work just fine.

[mark f]

I had some Meguiars Cleaner Wax about 5 years old that developed an awful vinegar like smell. Still seemed to work - put some on the mower to try it out but threw it out because it smelled so strong.

[meotai]

I have a 4 years old scratch-x that is very watery with chunks of white goo.

I'm tossing it into a brass tumbler tonight to see if it'll "homogenize" (idk if that's the correct term) again =)

Then again, my equally old m83/m80 are just fine.

[Setec Astronomy]

I have a 4 years old scratch-x that is very watery with chunks of white goo. Then again, my equally old m83/m80 are just fine.

Yeah, it's interesting that a lot of us have no problems with older product, but that some of the newer products seem to be short lived. A couple of topics that have been rattling around that may be related are the VOC restrictions which may have led to more water-based formulas vs. solvent-based.

It's also been mentioned that the bottles are different, either just thinner or from a different material which may be more permeable allowing part of the ingredients to diffuse out or perhaps air/moisture to diffuse in. I believe the reason given as to why unopened bottles "suck-in" while sitting on the shelf is the solvents diffuse through the bottle material, reducing the volume of the contents.