A strange thing happened...

[nframe]

Last night, while we were having dinner, we heard the sound of something falling and then broken glass. I went to look in the kitchen and found nothing except a strong smell (rather pleasant) of orange. Eventually, I went to my soaping room (which is next to the kitchen) and found that a bottle of orange essential oil had spontaneously exploded. There was essential oil everywhere, on the shelf where the broken bits ot bottle lay, underneath the shelf and all over the floor. I cleaned it all and the soaping room and kitchen now smell very nice!

We are experiencing a heat wave at the moment and the temperature inside the house is 27C. Has anybody else experienced something like that? The essential oil was in a glass bottle. Is 27C enough to make it explode? Or do you think there is another reason? I am puzzled... and worried as well as all my essential oils are kept in glass bottles.

 

[Marsi]

the vapour from Sweet Orange oil is about 5 times the volume taken by the liquid
the safe storage temperature of this oil is maximum 37C *
(*reference: https://img1.guidechem.com/msdspdf/68647-72-3.pdf)

27C is inside the "safe" storage temperature, but any room can have hot-spots (where the temperature is higher than a thermometer may read in the room)
a beam of sunlight hitting the bottle directly, or having a partially used bottle (lots of head-room for gas), can create a large amount of pressure inside the EO bottle (as two examples)

storing EO's in your refrigerator is the best option

Last night, while we were having dinner, we heard the sound of something falling and then broken glass. I went to look in the kitchen and found nothing except a strong smell (rather pleasant) of orange. Eventually, I went to my soaping room (which is next to the kitchen) and found that a bottle of orange essential oil had spontaneously exploded. There was essential oil everywhere, on the shelf where the broken bits ot bottle lay, underneath the shelf and all over the floor. I cleaned it all and the soaping room and kitchen now smell very nice!

We are experiencing a heat wave at the moment and the temperature inside the house is 27C. Has anybody else experienced something like that? The essential oil was in a glass bottle. Is 27C enough to make it explode? Or do you think there is another reason? I am puzzled... and worried as well as all my essential oils are kept in glass bottles.

*edited to add

we heard the sound of something falling and then broken glass

if you heard the bottle hit the floor
and then explode
then this sequence suggests that the bottle was knocked from the shelf

 

[Becky1024]

I wouldn’t think 27C would be hot enough to cause it to explode. Could it be because the bottle fell?

 

[nframe]

No the bottle did not fall. All the broken glass was on the shelf. Also, the bottle was full. I had not used it yet so maybe there was no room for the vapour to go to and so it exploded. Maybe it was a faulty bottle...

We had this temperature last year and nothing like this ever happened so it must be one of these weird things...

As for storing in the fridge, I have so many bottles that there wouldn't be a lot of room left in the fridge for food!

 

[dibbles]

It was a long time so I don't remember when or where, but I remember reading that it is a good idea to open FO/EO bottles periodically to release pressure that can build up in the bottles. Maybe there is something to the vapor build up line of thinking, even though the temperature wasn't extremely high.

 

[nframe]

Thank you. It sounds like a good idea! I am going to open all my bottles...

 

[glendam]

I agree with @dibbles, as it is something I learned recently. It was from a different soap group, Ariane from La Fille de la Mer suggested that we open our fragrance bottles every once in a while to release the pressure that builds up. She has had a couple of them explode in similar ways. She said that the plastic bottles that get out of shape is because of the same, but with glass there is no give.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Somewhat related, sort of. I‘m visiting my sister in upstate NY where the summers are getting hotter every year. When I was removing the shrink wrap from a new bottle of gin the other day, the cork top literally flew out of the bottle. I’ve never had that issue with gin bottles before or maybe I haven’t noticed because most of them have screw caps. I figured the gin was bottled and sealed at a lower temperature. I keep most of my EOs in the frig, but there’s not enough room in the frig for the FOs. I guess I will need to check them all when I get home!

 

[dibbles]

When I was removing the shrink wrap from a new bottle of gin the other day, the cork top literally flew out of the bottle.

I'm sure it was startling, but also a time saver! If you are in a hurry to get to the gin. Self opening bottles - who knew!

 

[Daisy]

Somewhat related, sort of. I‘m visiting my sister in upstate NY where the summers are getting hotter every year. When I was removing the shrink wrap from a new bottle of gin the other day, the cork top literally flew out of the bottle. I’ve never had that issue with gin bottles before or maybe I haven’t noticed because most of them have screw caps. I figured the gin was bottled and sealed at a lower temperature. I keep most of my EOs in the frig, but there’s not enough room in the frig for the FOs. I guess I will need to check them all when I get home!

Could you have mistaken Gin for Champagne?

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I never mistake my champagne for gin or vice versa!

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I'm sure it was startling, but also a time saver! If you are in a hurry to get to the gin. Self opening bottles - who knew!

No fiddling or dealing with a tight screw cap!