Do condoms have an expiration date???
If in doubt, BUY NEW. It’s worth the $10 if you want to avoid the expense of babies and/or disease! “Condoms do have a shelf-life, which is greatly affected by how the condom is stored. Condoms must be kept in a stable temperature (not too hot, not too cold) where they’re not exposed to sharp edges, pressure or friction, which can puncture or weaken the latex. Wallets are the wrong place for condoms for all of those reasons. If you keep your wallet in your back pocket, like most guys, you’re sitting on the condom all day long. That means lots of heat and pressure. A condom’s life span in a glove compartment or a wallet is about two weeks. The best place to keep condoms is in a medicine cabinet or a drawer in your bathroom or bedroom. Stored properly, condoms are usable “UP TO FOUR YEARS” after the date of manufacture, which is usually stamped on the box (look for the letters MFG). Be careful when checking these dates! Some condoms are marked EXP, which stands for expiration date. That
Condoms that have been in your wallet for a while are in close proximity to your body head. Heat accelerates the breakdown of the latex. You wouldn’t want to leave a pack of condoms in your glove compartment, either. But even when stored at room temperature, yes, condoms do begin to deteriorate. Some brands of condoms stamp their “use by” date on each foil packet and some put the date only on the box. Be aware of the date and if you want to be safe, toss them out if the date rolls around and they’re still sitting there. And toss out the one in your wallet and replace it with a fresher one.
