Store and dispose of poppers correctly

Although most people think of hot sex when they hear the word “poppers” and perhaps not of storage and disposal, it is important to deal with this topic as well.

Those who do not compromise here can ensure, among other things, that:

• he can use his poppers for as long as possible
• the freshness of the aromas is maintained until the end of the shelf life (as long as the container is closed)
• does not stand in the way of safe disposal.

Time and again, it's been shown that many users want to store and dispose of poppers properly, but some prejudices persist. This makes it all the more important to educate people.

In the following sections, you will learn everything you need to know about storing and disposing of the flavors.

When should you dispose of poppers?

There are four scenarios that make poppers disposal relevant:

1. The poppers have expired.
2. The poppers were opened and their effect has disappeared.
3. The packaging of the poppers is damaged and the aroma has already evaporated.
4. The bottle gives off an unpleasant smell.
5. The aroma looks dirty.
6. Poppers only contain nitrite. (See "Dispose of poppers despite residual amounts?")

In all of these scenarios, the effectiveness of poppers can diminish. As a result, they are no longer usable. But why exactly? Why don't poppers last forever?

The effect of poppers is decreasing – why?

Maybe you've noticed it in the past: You opened your poppers bottle, let it sit for a few days, and then realized that the aroma's potency had significantly diminished.

The reasons for this are chemical and easily explained: Poppers consist of compounds that are relatively volatile. You'll notice this, among other things, by the aroma quickly flowing out of the bottle when you open it. These compounds dissolve in air.

When you open the container, some of the aroma evaporates and mixes with the air in the room. Through further chemical processes, the air – to put it simply – attacks the poppers. And this affects their shelf life every time you open them. Therefore, you should reseal your bottle securely immediately after each use.

How should you store poppers?

The good news is that with proper storage you can positively influence the shelf life of your flavors.

Storing poppers correctly means:

• locked
• cool
• protected from direct sunlight.

To meet these requirements, you can store poppers in the refrigerator – as high up as possible and out of reach of children.

Storing or disposing of poppers: The matter of the “leftover”

Just because there's a small residue left in poppers bottles doesn't mean they can or should still be used. This residue often consists solely of nitrite. And because nitrite is considered harmful to health, it's always better to open a new container.

Why shouldn't you use expired poppers?

Maybe you're a bit of a penny pincher and have decided to use your poppers to the last drop? You've already seen in the following sections that this isn't necessarily a good idea.

Above all, you should consider the following dangers or factors:

1. Poppers that have expired can, among other things, severely irritate the mucous membranes of the nose and also the bronchi.
2. Some people develop headaches more quickly when inhaling expired poppers.
3. Last but not least, expired poppers don't have the flavor you're used to. And of course, it's disappointing when you've been looking forward to a hot one-night stand, but instead you're met with a foul odor. For this reason alone, it might be a good idea to always have a bottle on hand.

How long do poppers actually last?

In a time when you can buy poppers in various packages (and therefore in bulk), it is perfectly understandable to wonder how long the flavors last.

If you haven't opened the bottles yet, you can keep them for several years - provided you store them as indicated above.

Once opened, you need to store the poppers in a cool place away from light. If everything is OK, you can use them for up to eight weeks. At some point, however, the aroma will have evaporated so much that the poppers simply won't work anymore. At this point, you'll need to discard them.