Does Etchall go 'off'?

[Amber]

I used mine for the first time in months and it doesn't seem quite the same...it didn't seem to work as quickly and the colour seemed more yellowy/brown than I remember.

[beadysam]

I've had mine for about 4 years now - its black but still works.  Having said that I couldn't tell you how long it takes I usually forget and leave beads in overnight!!!

[saffie]

Liquid or cream. My etch all liquid is coca cola colour works just as well Martin said it should be fine!!! as for time i stick it a=in shake it around and generally etch for good 10 mins or so!

[saffie]

or do a Sam and forget LOL

[Lush!]

Actually, yes, I'd say it does kind of go off.

I use a fair bit of the stuff and I've now started buying the big bottle and decanting a "portion" into the smaller bottle cos I find after a while it does get sludgy and less potent.  I think it probably gets contaminated with bead release and diluted with water - I try to dry my beads before etching but sometimes I'm a bit slapdash 

[Kaz]

I think it can go off. With mine I have used plastic tweezers to get the beads out and put them into the bicarb solution and then the tweezers go back in for the next one and I think I may have neutralised it a bit. So, I got a new one.
Kazx

[Vicki]

mine has gone brown & smelly! I'm going to get some more at the flame off.  It leaves a powdery look to it that it never used to!  I think I might take Julies tip & do the decanting thing 

[Dragonfire Glass]

mine is brown but etches just fine, I've had it 2 years. It leaves a white residue sometimes but that rubs off when dry

[Trudi]

mine is brown but etches just fine, I've had it 2 years. It leaves a white residue sometimes but that rubs off when dry

mine too - working fine for me!

[Lush!]

I get the white residue even with fresh fluid, but it only seems to happen on certain glass.  I wrote to the manufacturers once to ask about it, but they never replied 

[beadysam]

I've seen a few people mention the white residue, but I've never had it.  Maybe its a batch issue?

[Mary]

It's not just you, I've got some etched pressed Czech flowers that have always been powdery, they are getting worse as time goes on! I wonder if the etch wasn't properly neutralised, or if it's the glass.

[TiaraHelen]

Even when I rinse mine with bicarb first, they are still a bit powdery.  I use Corina's patented solution - rub your hands in a TINY bit of handcream then roll the beads until they are very lightly coated. It gives them a lovely sheen without making them actually shiny, and completely removes that chalky, powdery.

[Chameleon]

I have had some that has definitely lost its potency it takes twice as long to etch (must be in there for at least 20 mins) as it did when new. I do use it a lot tho, so a bottle usually lasts me about a year

[firedinglass]

I think it goes off after a while.  I have some I've had for several years and beads took forever - I bought a new smaller one.  I also get the white residue but it was much worse with the large bottle. Think it might be a combination of contamination and age, the etch-all  not me.  Well maybe a bit of each...