I was ambitious and made some homemade binder back in late July. But I can't remember how long it's supposed to be good for? I have a lot left, so I'd rather not throw it away if the age isn't going to affect the quality of my paints.
And YES, I have been keeping it stored in the refrigerator, which I know helps its shelf life. I just don't remember by how much.
I still have some gum arabic powder left, so I can make more if I need to. I'll just make smaller batches next time so less goes to waste if I can't use it all in time.
Last week I used up Binder I made in the middle of June.
It was still good no weird behavior no bad smell.🙂
I add a drop of thyme Essential oil to my binder that or clove oil are said to prevent mold.
Hi there Theresa,
What a great question! Are you using honey in your binder? If so, give it a sniff and if it smells okay and no evidence of mold then should be fine. As mentioned above, a couple drops of essential oil such as clove acts as a preservative.
I actually went full Science mode and made 2 batches. One with just glycerin, and one with glycerin and honey (or maybe just honey instead of glycerin?? I'll have to check my notes) The goal was for me to experiment with whether I liked it better with or without the honey, since after some poking around, I know some people use honey, and some do not. I am not vegan, so I have no preference, except on the performance either formula provides. And I do have clove oil in them! I actually love how it makes it smell. I don't love the smell of the gum arabic by itself tbh haha.
Oh very interesting! I await your results!
We all await!!! 🤗