Storing detailing items in summer

[Pandora]

Okay, maybe I need a tutorial in searching, but I couldn`t find a definitive answer on this.



I live in Texas, and have a detached garage, where I store all of my detailing supplies. Needless to say, it gets quite warm in there. Am I harming anything? I have a beer fridge in the garage, and I keep everything in a closed cabinent, just to keep it fairly clean. Are there items that I should keep in the fridge, or in the house?



Mainly, I can see the heat effecting anything with alcohol in it, like a polish, window cleaner, interior cleaner, degreasers, etc. But I`ve had some of these products for a few years, and I don`t recall anything really acting different then when it was new, so am I just being paranoid, or should I be protecting something? Thanks!



Ben

[2wheelsx2]

If the cabinets are low near the ground, I don`t thing it`ll be too bad. I`ve never had a problem with any of my products, but it doesn`t get that hot up here.



However, the products all have a shelf life, it`s just not certain what that is. I suspect you`ll have all your products all used up prior to any problems, if you`re like everyone else on this board.

[imported_Dave Holmes]

Personally, I`d keep beer in the fridge, and car chemicals on shelves:)



If the containers are closed tightly, and considering we`re probably not looking at 20 years of storage, I wouldn`t worry about it. Closed tightly, where could anything evaporate to? Just make sure you shake the products well when you do use them, but this is for anything that has sat.



I`ve only seen warnings about letting the products freeze, as this will actually seperate the chemicals.



Dave

[Spilchy]

My supplies stay in my basement in my tool room. The basement is below ground and the temperature remains the same throughout the whole year with minor temperature fluctuations. I have kept supplies for years with no ill effects as long as the the lid was on tight.



I would recommend keeping supplies in an environment where the temperature is relatively the same; like somewhere indoors.



I`m guessing, but the Texas heat may cause certian properties in the products to separate or evaporate over an extended period of time, and simply shaking the jar may not mix it up well enough. :nixweiss

[laynlow]

I have never had a problem with the Oklahoma heat until this year. My nearly full bottle of ZFX dried out completly.

[Magellan498]

Well I can relate to your situation. It gets mighty hot down here indeed.



However, the only thing I ever lost to the heat was some Zymol Carbon, and that was sitting there for QUITE a while...



As long as you don`t leave something like 3M polishes in the sun (black bottles), you shouldn`t worry.

[imported_Macgirl]

I store all my polishes, wax, glass cleaners, protectants and such in a closet in my basement. I keep them in handy plastic totes organized for washing or polishing, I can grab just what I need and run them upstairs. All the "unperishables" stay in the garage, but I do keep QD products in the garage except for in the winter. I would definitely keep all your products from freezing, most labels suggest that anyway.



If you must keep all your stuff in your garage, it may not be a bad idea to store the polishes, waxes, and such in your frig. At least for peace of mind, after all, you probably invested a small fortune in them!

[C. Charles Hahn]

The only thing I would keep in the fridge is any paste waxes. I find that they get mushy if not kept atleast cool. I store mine just in my basement and bring it up whenever I`m going to apply a coat.

[Pandora]

Very cool!



Thanks for all of the responses. I think I`ll move the S100 to the fridge, but truth be told, it goes fast enough that I doubt it sees two summers. I`ve been careful to keep any alcohol based products nozzles shut, as I think that would be the only real worry.



Good point about products in the sun too, I did let a bottle of IHG shift into the direct sun light, and it turned into a brick of goo!



Thanks again everyone.



Ben