Wait... F10 expires?!

[ode.to.parrots]

I feel like a total fool.

I was cleaning out my cabinet, and apparently the last time I bought F10 I bought two bottles of it, because I just found one that was never opened. I got really excited because I just used up my last batch, and then I look at the expiration date... It expired in September 2018!

I guess I have to throw it out now? I am so bummed! But at least I checked before using it, right?

I know that with food the "sell by" date is not always the same as the date that the foo actually goes bad... I am kind of hoping someone will tell me that that is the case with F10 too, before I throw it out... But I'm not holding by breath.

 

[Shezbug]

Can you contact the company to find out what they say? It may still be ok to use for some things but just not as powerful as it is meant to be.

There is one chemical company I use that I have had to call in the past as one of the products I had was out of date. I was told the product was still usable but would not be quite as effective as it should have been......I actually found no difference in how well it worked but it could be a completely different matter with something meant to kill germs and bacteria.

 

[Mizzely]

Don't toss it!
buyf10.com/faq/

"The US EPA requires an expiration date of 2 years be put on all US labeled F10 products. This 2 year expiration begins when the product is produced in South Africa. By the time the F10 reaches the USA often 3 months has already passed on the 24 month expiration. Health & Hygiene (makers of F10 products) have tested samples of F10, both diluted and non-diluted, and found that the F10 product continues to have full efficacy for many years AFTER the EPA required expiration date. Reptile Basics, the USA importer of F10, does all that is possible to ensure a steady product turn over so that all F10 sold in the USA has a minimum of 1 year until expiration when it leaves our warehouse and in most cases 14 months+."

 

[ode.to.parrots]

Yay!!!!!

Thank you, @Mizzely - you just saved me some money!!!

 

[Dartman]

The same thing applies to many prescription drugs. They USED to put a actuall expiration date on all meds but now they all say expires after a year. Many meds don't really go bad, most just slowly become weaker with time. I had to use some 9 year old Oxis I keep around for kidney stone attacks a year or so ago and they worked just like the fresh pills do. I think they're afraid every crack head in America will get ahold of old stuff and horde it so the non realistic expiration dates to make people throw out expensive prescriptions that are still good. You can google just about anything and it will etll you how long it will safely last, what can be safely mixed with it...all that kind of stuff and cleaning supplies shouldn't be any different. You aren't eating it so I'd think old stuff just might not work as well but like said, they tested it themselves and it's very stable way past expiration date.

 

[metalstitcher]

I heard about that @Dartman but with the epidemic it makes sense.

 

[Lady Jane]

My doc told me both Rx drugs and OTC are usually good for 6 months after the expiration date.