Bacteriostatic water is a simple formulation, but its container and closure are what keep it fit for use. Storage practice is mostly about protecting the seal.
1. Unopened vials
- Temperature: store at controlled room temperature, 20–25 °C. Brief excursions to 15–30 °C during transit are not expected to affect the product.
- Do not freeze. Freezing can crack glass and loosen the stopper-to-glass seal, even if the vial looks intact after thawing. Discard any vial that has frozen.
- Orientation: store upright, so the solution is not in prolonged contact with the stopper.
- Expiry: each lot carries an expiry date, printed on the label and shown on its lot record. Do not use past the last day of the month shown.
2. After first puncture
Once the stopper has been pierced, discard the vial 28 days after the first entry, or at lot expiry if sooner. Twenty-eight days is a widely adopted default for preserved multiple-dose containers. It reflects the limits of the preservative, not a point at which the water itself degrades.
If the date of first puncture was not recorded, treat the vial as expired.
3. Inventory practice
- Use the earliest-expiring stock first (FEFO). We allocate lots to orders the same way.
- Keep vials in their carton until use. It protects them from breakage and keeps the lot information with them.
- Record the date received and the lot number in your inventory system.
4. Shipping conditions
Orders ship by USPS in cushioned, absorbent-lined packaging. If a package arrives damaged, wet, or after an extended period in freezing conditions, contact us with your order number before using the contents.