Does rubbing alcohol really expire?!


Question: I see there is a expiration date on my rubbing alcohol bottle, but I just don't understand how that is possible, I thought it was like spam, the stuff never goes bad! LOL


Answers: I see there is a expiration date on my rubbing alcohol bottle, but I just don't understand how that is possible, I thought it was like spam, the stuff never goes bad! LOL

It's quite obvious that there isn't a single person who answered this who is actually a chemist.

Isopropyl alcohol oxidizes to acetone and can slowly form ethers and epoxides. This occurs very slowly while the bottle is closed but it happens much faster (but still pretty slowly) once the bottle is opened. So yes, rubbing alcohol expires. Once it's reached the expiration date, throw it out.

no...it is used for inventory control...bottled water also has an expiration date....as long as bottled is capped tightly should last forever....

No... It never goes bad... It can evaporate and vanish... But it can't go bad.

That is just to get people to buy more...

In reality, everything eventually "expires." But I bet rubbing alcohol has one of the longest useful lifespans of just about anything. Long as the cap is on tightly.

I think manufacturers are required to put an expiration date on anything medical that's not a solid. And, they would have an incentive to put a short expiration in hopes of selling more.

Use it 'til it's gone or doesn't look or smell right.





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