Proctor and Gamble - Downy - Expiration Date and Shelf Life info

[austingirl]

I called P&G today because a big container of Downy that I had is now lumpy and gross looking. I asked if there was a shelf life, and indeed - P&G says Downy is good for one year.

There is a code on the lid of the downy container. The first digit is the year it was manufactured (mine was 4 = 2004), the next three digits are the day of the year (202 = July 21st, it so happens - you can use timeanddate.com to figure out the day of the year). So my Downy was manufactured on July 21st, 2004.

Supposedly, it should have only lasted until mid-2005, but it was fine until some time in 2007 (I hardly ever use it, so I'm not sure exactly when it turned).

Thought this might be helpful if anyone is ever able to find a decent price on downy to know how long it should keep!

[Cynthiabutterfly]

So, what happens after it expires? I'm sure mine are older than a year. I've noticed that after a LONG time, they start to get thicker, but I read somewhere that you can just add water to thin it out again. I haven't noticed anything wrong with my clothes, except maybe the scent isn't as strong as it used to be, I haven't noticed a difference in the softness.

[kittensqueak]

I have some downy that is all lumpy and really thick like pudding. I'll have to try the water idea...