The non-food shelf-life reference
Is it still good?
Every fuel, fluid, finish and chemical in the garage, shed and cleaning cupboard: how long it keeps sealed, how long after opening, how to tell it's gone off — and whether using it anyway actually matters.
- Sealed
- 3–6 months
- Opened
- 1–3 months
Equipment damage
What actually expires in a garage
Ordered by how fast it goes: the top of this list is the stuff worth checking this season. The full ordering, all lanes.
| Product | Sealed | Opened | If you use it anyway |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-cycle mix | 30–60 days (self-mixed) | 30–60 days | Equipment damage |
| Gasoline | 3–6 months | 1–3 months | Equipment damage |
| Diesel | 6–12 months | 1–6 months | Equipment damage |
| Ethanol-free gas | 6 months – 5+ years | 3 months – 2 years | Equipment damage |
| Bleach | About 1 year | About 1 year | Degraded performance |
| Brake cleaner | 1–2 years | Same 1–2 years | Degraded performance |
| Brake fluid | 1–2 years | About 6 months | Safety issue |
| Caulk | 12 months | Weeks | Degraded performance |
| Chlorine tablets | 1–5 years | One pool season | Safety issue |
| Construction adhesive | 12–18 months | Weeks at best | Equipment damage |
The six racks
Automotive fluids
Oils, coolant, brake fluid, DEF and the rest of the bottles under the bench.
Fastest to go: brake fluid , def (diesel exhaust fluid) , starting fluid
11 products on the rack
Cleaning chemicals
Bleach, disinfectants, detergents and the caustics that quietly outlast them all.
Fastest to go: bleach , disinfectant wipes , hydrogen peroxide
12 products on the rack
Fuels & fuel-adjacent
Gasoline, diesel, kerosene, premix and the additives that keep them alive.
Fastest to go: 2-cycle mix , gasoline , diesel
8 products on the rack
Paints, finishes & adhesives
Paint, primer, stain, varnish, glue, caulk, foam and the sealants that quietly stop sealing.
Fastest to go: caulk , construction adhesive , silicone sealant
15 products on the rack
Shop consumables
Aerosols, grease, tape, batteries, abrasives and thinners — and what the can is really rated for.
Fastest to go: brake cleaner , duct tape , sandpaper (adhesive-backed)
9 products on the rack
Yard, pool & pest chemicals
Fertilizer, grass seed, weed killer, pool chemicals, ice melt and the pest sprays beside them.
Fastest to go: chlorine tablets , pool shock , grass seed
14 products on the rack
How this site works
The verdict
Every page commits to one of four states — the part the answer engines won't commit to:
- Harmless using it past the window is a non-event
- Degraded performance it may not do its job — the cost is a redo
- Equipment damage it can hurt the thing you put it in or on
- Safety issue the degraded product itself can hurt you
The receipts
Every number carries its source tier, document and the day we checked it. Tier 1 is the manufacturer's own literature; Tier 2 is the SDS storage and stability sections; Tier 3 is trade and standards guidance — and a Tier 3 number says so, visibly.
What "shelf life" means on a label · Reading a date code · Reading an SDS storage section