I know that waxes and polishes have an average shelf life of 3-5 years. The polishes are very viscous liquids and I've read that the viscosity goes down or the product becomes thin when the products go bad. Now my question is for the low viscosity or thin products such as APC, wheel cleaners, degreasers, etc. What are the shelf lives of these products? The reason I'm asking is because I bought 2 5L jugs of the Sonax wheel cleaner. This is a very expensive wheel cleaner and I don't want the product to go bad lol! I'm just a detailing enthusiast or weekend warrior. Thanks in advance!
I would contact the manufacturer. If it is stored in a cool, dry place out of sunlight, you will probably be just fine for years.
Shelf-Life [/B ]a) Polymers have a shelf life of approx 3-5 years if kept in their original containers and stored at temperatures as above b) Polish - technically 2 years, however if bottle is kept closed, and the product has not separated, there would be no problem with use for four years after sale date. c) Waxes - will last almost indefinitely, provided that they are stored a sealed in their original containers and in the refrigerator or controlled environment once opened. The liquids should last 18 months if stored at normal room temperature. d) Detailing Chemicals (Wheel cleaners, All purpose cleaners (APC) and etc) have an almost indefinite shelf life if kept in their original containers and stored at temperatures as above, see also Product separation e) Product separation - if product emulsion separates it could be indicative of age (but not necessarily past its useful life) shake vigorously for 5-10 minutes and see if the product re- mixes. Product shelf -life may vary from one manufacturer to another, if in doubt check with product mfg or vendor.
I bet the first clue that something has gone bad will be if it does not look like it did and there is product separation or clumping that does not go away with a good shake. I would not toss stuff just because it reached some magic expiration date.
Thanks for the very well thought of response. I appreciate it. I'll keep these ideas in mind. I agree with this and this holds true for polishes and waxes. But my main questions is for chemicals such as APC/wheel cleaners/degreasers... I don't think these products separate at all. Since they don't do this, does it mean that they don't go bad? I have 10L of Sonax wheel cleaner coming in and I want to preserve them as long as possible. Thanks.
I'm sure the wheel cleaner will be fine for years. I wouldn't be too worried about it. As long as you're storing it out of the sun you'll be fine!