Can bead release go bad?

[Deniska]

After a break from bead making, I finally have a chance to sit at the torch. So, as I am straightening up my work area, I notice my bottles of bead release. One half full and one nearly full. I think I may have used it once when I couldn't locate the bottle I usually use. Anyway, the nearly full one was very dark, and when I opened it (don't recommend doing this) the smell from it was horrible. I bought both bottles last year at the same time. What did I do wrong? Should unused bead release be stored in a particular way? I have had many bottles of bead release, and never had this happen before. If anything, they dry out and I need to add water to them. Any advice would be most welcome. Thanks

[FosterFire]

The bead release itself doesn't go bad. The bead release can get contaminated with mildew or mold spores just from the air. I would throw it away. I only use distilled water for diluting my bead release and I put the lid on as soon as I am done dipping.

I make FosterFire Bead Release so I can tell you that over the years I have had reports of orange (rust) and green (algae from well water) as well as the black smelly stuff. It's not common but it does happen. I once had a professor from a university tell me my bead release was as close to sterile as he had ever seen in a non-food product.

Storage: if you're not going to use them for awhile I would recommend a freezer (ziploc or other) type of bag and store in the fridge. The bag will slow down the drying out and the cold will help keep mold or mildew from growing. Even freezing won't kill the mold or mildew, but cooler temps make them go dormant.

[Speedslug]

I stand my bead release jars on their head if I am not going to use them for more than thirty days.


I think keeping the insert in the cap moist helps seal the lid and slows down the evaporation a great deal.

Double and triple bagging would probably help as well.

But yeah, if you have odors then you should probably toss it and start fresh.

[Deniska]

Thank you both..... and trust me..... no one wants me to open that jar again... MAN was that stinky!!