
Vape juice turns dark or brown for two reasons: the sugars in the e-juice have caramelized from heat exposure or the e-liquid has expired from oxidation. You can determine the cause of your e-liquid turning dark brown by tasting it. Caramelized e-juice will have the same flavor as normal juice but will have a thicker texture than usual.
Why does my vape juice get darker?
When e-juices get darker, it means they’ve been stored improperly or exposed to excessive oxidation. If you notice dark, gunky stuff in your vape tank or on your coil, it’s time to switch out your e-juice bottles and clean out your tank.
Does vape juice go bad?
— E-liquid Expiration Explained Does Vape Juice Go Bad? Yes. Like that forgotten orange you packed in your bag for work only to retrieve it 5 weeks later… it goes bad.
What does expired vape juice look like?
Like that milk you bought from walmart and left in the back of your car, only to rediscover next august, expired vape juice can look more-like a block of moisturised lard. On the other hand, vape juices can get a little bit thick as they are left without shaking for awhile but this is not problematic.
Do vape juices get thick?
On the other hand, vape juices can get a little bit thick as they are left without shaking for awhile but this is not problematic. If you know that this is something normal, you can avoid chucking out your vape juice when it is not necessary, saving you money. Just give it a little bit of a shake.

Why Does Vape Juice Turn Brown?
E-liquids get darker from one of two chemical reactions: caramelization or oxidation.
How Can I Prevent My E-liquid From Browning in the Bottle?
Once your vape juice turns brown in its original bottle or vape tank, you can’t make it clear again. The best way to slow or prevent vape juice from browning is to store it in a cool, dry place.
FAQs About Vape Juice Turning Brown
Clear vape juice can get darker when exposed to either excessive heat or oxygen in your tank or bottle.
Why is my vape juice dark?
But the most likely culprits are as follows (we’ll look at each in more detail further below): Sunlight Exposure. The Nicotine Has Gone Bad. Gunk on Your Coils / Wick is Seeping Through Into Tank. These are the most common reasons why your vape juice will change color into a dark, murky looking mess.
Why does E juice change color?
This happens to me ALL the time, as I tend to leave bottles of E Juice in my car. Why it happens is simple: nicotine is photosensitive, so when it is exposed to sunlight it will change color. You can still vape it, ...
How long is E juice good for?
E Juices do have a use-by date and most are usually good for 12 months after you’ve purchased them. If you vape it and it is really harsh and tastes peppery, the nicotine has gone back and you need to bin it. Once the nicotine goes bad, you 100% DO NOT want to vape it.
Can you use E juice if it goes dark?
However, if it goes REALLY dark – and it’s old – the nicotine could have gone bad.
Does E juice build up on coils?
This issue also affects sub ohm tanks as well. When you vape E Juice, the liquid is heated by the coils to create vapor. But because E Juice is made up of ingredients – flavorings, colorings, etc – some build-up on the coils is almost guaranteed. If there is too much build-up, you get the gunk seeping into the tank’s storage chamber ...
How to make vape juice darken faster?
Shaking your juice bottle may help mix the flavors together, but the agitation increases how much oxygen is being absorbed into the vape juice, making it darken faster. By not agitating your e-juice, you can slow down the oxidation process even more. Don’t Mix Different E-liquids.
Why is my vape juice turning brown?
Why Vape Juice Turns Brown in the Bottle. The reason why e-liquid starts to darken inside the bottle is due to a chemical reaction known as oxidation. Nicotine is a highly reactive chemical and exposing it to oxygen, or even light, can cause it to react and turn vape juice into an all too familiar brown color.
What happens when you caramelize e-liquid?
As your coil heats up to vaporize the e-liquid, these sweeteners start to caramelize and stick to the coil and cotton. Just like the process of making actual caramel, the results are very dark and gunky. When enough builds up on the coil, this caramelized gunk begins to leach out into the juice and stain it a brown color.
What happens if you leave apple slices out?
If you leave those apple slices out for a while, their white flesh starts to brown a little. Oxidation is a very normal process and should be expected from your e-juice, even if there are low amounts of nicotine. Although, the more nicotine there is the more pronounced the reaction will be, meaning even darker vape juice.
How to stop e-liquid from darkening?
While you can’t prevent your e-juice from darkening entirely, there are things you can do to slow down the process: Store Your E-liquid in a Cool, Dark Place. Exposure to light and heat will gradually cause the nicotine in your e-liquid to change color .
Can you mix different e-liquids?
Don’t Mix Different E-liquids. If you have an old and a new bottle of the same vape juice, keep them separate. If you have to mix them, or are using different flavored or brands of e-juices, mix them in a separate, smaller bottle or container.
Does cleaning your vape tank affect flavor?
Without regular cleaning, this buildup will start to darken any new juice added to your tank, which can start to affect the flavor too. By cleaning your vape tank with every coil change, you ensure that you’re getting the optimal performance and flavor out of your tank. Click here to learn more about cleaning a vape tank.
What is Inside Your Cannabis Vape Cartridge?
Contained within the glass or plastic tube in your vape cartridge is approximately one gram of cannabis concentrate oil full of cannabinoids and terpenes. At the bottom of the cartridge, there is a metal plate that is heated by the battery located at one end of the vape pen. The oil is vaporized and inhaled through the mouthpiece.
How The Oil in Cartridges Changes Over Time
In case you weren’t aware, your cannabis oil is made up of lipids and molecules in complex chains whose bonds are not terribly strong. The heating of the oil on a regular basis results in the breakdown of these molecular bonds. It is important to note that THC molecules in cannabis will degrade into CBN no matter what delivery method you use.
Heat Inside and Outside the Cartridge
Exposure to high temperatures over a period of time will increase the degradation of both the oil and the THC. Not only does the heat come from within the cartridge, it also comes from outside the cartridge.
3 Ways to Tell If A Vape Cartridge Is Bad
While vaping an old cartridge doesn’t actually carry any serious health risks, here are the ways to tell if your cartridge is bad:
Ways to Increase the Longevity of Your Vape Cartridge
By purchasing high-quality cartridges and storing them properly, they can last up to a year without loss of potency. It is highly recommended that you purchase vape cartridges from a trusted source such as your local medical cannabis dispensary. Make sure that they include the following information:
Remove The Cartridge From the Battery
Even when you are not using the vape cartridge, as long as the metal plate maintains contact with the battery, there will be a small amount of power generated which will continue to heat the oil. That will ultimately damage the integrity of the cannabinoids and terpenes.
Can you see the color of nicotine in vape juice?
I recommend taking a picture of the original color of the vape juice. If the bottle is coloured, making it hard to see your vape juice, you could always pour a few drops on a piece of paper taking a picture of your vape liquid when you get it.
Can you throw vape juice in the bin?
Moreover, If you throw your vape juice into the bin, it could be easily accessed by house pets. We recommend mixing vape juice with kitty litter or grounded coffee as both of these materials can absorb the vape juice, making it harder to get to. It would then be safe to throw away.
Does vape juice expire?
Yes. Like that forgotten orange you packed in your bag for work only to retrieve it 5 weeks later… it goes bad. Often, when you see liquids packed in small containers, such as food colouring, you think it will never run out; however, like any other product that you consume, vape juice has an expiration date that we would recommend adhering to.
Is it safe to throw away vape juice?
It is dangerous to carelessly throw away vape bottles. Unless you want to get all the local pets and children addicted to nicotine or whatever else you mix with your vape juice (which we highly discourage), you should avoid just pouring your bottles into the trash or the basin.
When Does Vape Juice Expire?
All items made for human consumption have an expiration, or sell-by date printed somewhere on the product. As a general rule, it is best to vape them before this day. But, there is not a day when the product suddenly becomes bad.
How Long is Vape Juice Good For?
Nicotine oxidation plays a significant part in determining whether a vape liquid is still good. There are also things to look out for in zero nicotine, salt nicotine, and CBD oil.
How to Store E-Liquid Properly
There are several things the user can do to extend the life of his or her liquids.
Final Words about Vape Juice Expiration
If you are wondering when vape juice goes bad or expires, put your mind at ease. Just because an old bottle of e-liquid is beyond its sell-by date does not mean that the user can not vape it. Inspect the bottle, and if everything checks out, it is more likely to be good.
