International Header

Insider: Bug spray will expire, but it depends on the active ingredient

Insider: Bug spray will expire, but it depends on the active ingredient

Insider: Bug spray will expire, but it depends on the active ingredient

Last updated:
September 16, 2021
|  5 min read

Insider: Bug spray will expire, but it depends on the active ingredient

Insider: Bug spray will expire, but it depends on the active ingredient

YouTube video highlight

Insider: Bug spray will expire, but it depends on the active ingredient

Read more about the project

Insider: Bug spray will expire, but it depends on the active ingredient

Thumbnail Slider Image
No items found.

Insider: Bug spray will expire, but it depends on the active ingredient

As the weather heats up, bugs start to come out. Our best defense against the itchy, painful bites is bug spray repellent. But some bug sprays will expire eventually. Here's what you need to know.

How long bug sprays last

There is no one-size-fits-all answer here, but the general consensus is that bug sprays have a shelf life of around three years. At that point, you should probably throw them out – not because they will harm you, but because they might be less effective in repelling bugs.

Whether a bug spray expires or not depends on the active ingredient, says Laurence Zwiebel PhD, Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair in Biological Sciences at Vanderbilt University. Most active ingredients used in bug sprays are relatively stable and last a while. However, even if the active ingredients themselves don't expire, the overall formulation may become less effective over time.

Check the back of your bug spray bottle to see what chemical it uses.

Read the full article from Ashley Laderer on Insider's website here.

Insider: Bug spray will expire, but it depends on the active ingredient

Insider: Bug spray will expire, but it depends on the active ingredient

As the weather heats up, bugs start to come out. Our best defense against the itchy, painful bites is bug spray repellent. But some bug sprays will expire eventually. Here's what you need to know.

How long bug sprays last

There is no one-size-fits-all answer here, but the general consensus is that bug sprays have a shelf life of around three years. At that point, you should probably throw them out – not because they will harm you, but because they might be less effective in repelling bugs.

Whether a bug spray expires or not depends on the active ingredient, says Laurence Zwiebel PhD, Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair in Biological Sciences at Vanderbilt University. Most active ingredients used in bug sprays are relatively stable and last a while. However, even if the active ingredients themselves don't expire, the overall formulation may become less effective over time.

Check the back of your bug spray bottle to see what chemical it uses.

Read the full article from Ashley Laderer on Insider's website here.

Photo thumbnail Blog Author
Media Mentions from Business Insider
Business Insider
What you want to know about business. A section of Insider.
Media Mentions

Insider: Bug spray will expire, but it depends on the active ingredient

Insider: Bug spray will expire, but it depends on the active ingredient

As the weather heats up, bugs start to come out. Our best defense against the itchy, painful bites is bug spray repellent. But some bug sprays will expire eventually. Here's what you need to know.

How long bug sprays last

There is no one-size-fits-all answer here, but the general consensus is that bug sprays have a shelf life of around three years. At that point, you should probably throw them out – not because they will harm you, but because they might be less effective in repelling bugs.

Whether a bug spray expires or not depends on the active ingredient, says Laurence Zwiebel PhD, Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair in Biological Sciences at Vanderbilt University. Most active ingredients used in bug sprays are relatively stable and last a while. However, even if the active ingredients themselves don't expire, the overall formulation may become less effective over time.

Check the back of your bug spray bottle to see what chemical it uses.

Read the full article from Ashley Laderer on Insider's website here.

Photo thumbnail Blog Author
Media Mentions from Business Insider
Business Insider
What you want to know about business. A section of Insider.
Media Mentions
browse all articles
Here at Sawyer
January 22, 2026
6 Min
Backpacker: The Complete Peakbagging Packing List
Read More

Media Mentions

Sawyer Squeeze + Cnoc VectoX 2L is responsible for all water filtration while packs are off, and the large reservoir enables cameling up.

Jaeger Shaw
Owner & Managing Editor

Media Mentions

The Sawyer Mini is the cheapest and one of the most lightweight water purifiers on this list.

Steph Dyson
Freelance Travel Writer

Media Mentions

Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter – Ultralight, lifetime-warranty filter that removes bacteria and parasites.

Himiway Bike
Website
<<  Previous Post
No previous post!
Check out our Directory
Next Post  >>
No next post!
Check out our Directory