Do Diapers Expire? What If You Once Opened It?
First of all, a simple conclusion is that diapers do not expire, but it is best to use them within 2-3 years. The following blog will explain why.
- Do diapers have a shelf life? Why?
If you understand it with common sense, diapers do not have a shelf life, after all, this is a product made of paper, and it will not lose its effect due to the passage of time.
However, many well-known diaper brands will recommend that you use it in 2-3 years, because after such a long time, the experience of using these diapers will be affected, specifically in terms of color, water absorption and stickiness.
Faded yellowing
After the diaper is left for a long time, the color may not appear bright white like it was just bought, and it may fade into a yellowish color. This is the characteristic of all paper products.
This will have a certain impact on the visual effect, and even if they can still be used normally, the user may not feel so comfortable. If you don't mind this, it's okay to continue using it, as it won't affect your baby's health.
Poor water absorption
At the heart of the diaper's role is an absorbent core in the middle, filled with a superabsorbent polymer. It is very effective and can hold 30 times the weight of a liquid.
We all know that the air contains trace amounts of water vapor, although it is minimal, but over the years, these absorbing materials will decompose with the moisture in the air, resulting in a decline in the overall diaper's ability to absorb urine.
Reduced stickiness
Generally, there will be a plastic label with adhesive on the back of the diaper to fix the diaper. Over time, the stickiness of these labels also gradually disappears, causing the diaper to fall off because it cannot be fixed, which will make the use process very inconvenient.
- How long can the unwrapped diaper be used?
If the diaper is not properly stored in a clean, dry and cool place after being taken apart, then in addition to the above three problems, there will definitely be more safety hazards and a greater possibility of being contaminated by bacteria. For the sake of the baby's health, it's better to use it up in a shorter period of time.
- How diapers should be stored
For unopened diapers, in order to maximize the performance, it is recommended to keep them outside of sunlight and in a dry place. If you stock up on a large amount, you also need to put it in a sealed box, so that they can avoid direct exposure to humid air and light, and slow down the yellowing trend.
As for used diapers, a good storage tool is the diaper pail, like Diaper Genie or Dekor, which is paired with a Lionpapa compatible diaper pail refill that can lock the smell, even if stored for several days to keep your home environment fresh and odorless.
