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How to Store Bakhoor, Oud and Oud Oil: A Storage Guide

This guide explains how to store oud, maamoul, mabsous and oud oil, and what changes their scent in storage. It also covers signs of change and safety tips for storing charcoal, the incense burner and ash.

Thursday, 28 December 2023 9 min read

In short: Store bakhoor, the Arabic word for incense, in an airtight container, in a cool, dark and dry place, away from sunlight, the kitchen and other heat sources. Heat, light and oxygen are the main factors that change aromatic oils over time. So we suggest extra care with bakhoor that contains added oils, such as maamoul, mabsous (local names for incense blends) and scented oud, and with oud oil. A scientific review published in 2013 did not set a general shelf life for these oils, so we suggest judging by smell and sight. As for charcoal, we suggest not lighting it indoors, keeping it and the incense burner away from children, and not emptying the ash until it has cooled completely.

Table of contents

Why does the scent of bakhoor change in storage?
General rules for storing bakhoor
Storing each type
Oud and oud pieces
Maamoul, mabsous and scented oud
Oud oil and aromatic oils
Incense sticks and cones
Signs that bakhoor has changed
Storing charcoal, the incense burner and ash: safety tips
Frequently asked questions
Read also
References

Why does the scent of bakhoor change in storage?

Much bakhoor contains aromatic oils. Oils are added to some of it, such as maamoul and mabsous, and to scented oud, which is wood saturated with oils [1]. The resinous wood of oud (agarwood) itself contains volatile aromatic compounds, from which oud oil is distilled [2]. The types and forms of bakhoor are explained in our guide to the types of bakhoor; this guide is about storing them.

Aromatic oils are prone to oxidation and chemical changes [3]. The three main factors that affect their stability are heat, light and access to oxygen [3]. As they age, an unpleasant or sharp smell may appear, the color may change, and the texture may become thicker [3].

Our source for this is a scientific review that brings together studies on oils such as lavender and thyme, not on oud or bakhoor [3]. So we take general principles from it and build suggestions on them, not rules.

This review, published in 2013, stated that suitable storage conditions and the shelf life of aromatic oils have not been clearly defined [3]. So this guide gives no periods in months or years.

General rules for storing bakhoor

An airtight container: oxygen is one of the main causes of change [3]. Close the container after each use, and do not leave it open in the majlis (reception room).
A container that fits the amount: changes in oils are more marked in half-full containers than in containers with hardly any empty space left [3]. So we suggest a container that is as full as possible, although filling a container does not fully prevent oxidation.
A cool, dark place: in a test on limonene, an aromatic compound, cool and dark storage in a closed container protected it from autoxidation for a full year [3]. Avoid direct sunlight, a car parked in the heat, and shelves near the stove and oven.
A dry place: we suggest keeping it away from the bathroom, the kitchen, and condensation near the air conditioner. This is our practical view.
Each scent in its own container: we suggest not putting different types in one container, and not storing bakhoor with open perfumes, so the scents do not mix.
The original package first: we suggest keeping bakhoor in its package as long as it closes well, and moving it to an airtight glass or ceramic container if it does not.

Diagram linking three causes of change in essential oils to storage rules: heat to a cool place, light to a dark place, and oxygen to an airtight container sized to the amount, since a large space above the incense speeds up change. Below, three suggestions of ours: a dry place, each scent in its own container, and the original pack first — The three causes and the effect of headspace come from a scientific review of essential oils [3], not of incense itself. The bottom row is our own practical advice.

Storing each type

Oud and oud pieces

Raw oud pieces are wood with no added oils. We suggest a closed container for them, in a dry place away from strong smells. If you have more than one grade, we suggest storing each grade in a separate container so they do not mix.

Maamoul, mabsous and scented oud

These are blends with added oils and aromatic materials, so we suggest more care for them:

Close the container well after each use, and take from it with a clean, dry spoon.
Keep them away from heat, which speeds up changes in oils [3].
Do not put them directly on furniture or fabric, as their oils may leave a mark.
If the blend dries out or hardens, do not add oil or water to it yourself. Ask the seller about a suitable method for it.

We do not give a period for how long these blends last after opening, because it varies with their ingredients and how they are stored.

Oud oil and aromatic oils

Oud oil and oil-based perfumes are oils, and heat, light and oxygen are the main factors that change aromatic oils [3]. We suggest the following:

Close the stopper tightly after each use, and put the bottle back in its box.
Store it in a cool, dark place. This is what the storage instructions on many of our aromatic oil pages say: a cool place away from heat and sunlight.
Choose a size that suits your use. The less oil left in the bottle, the more empty space above it, and changes are more marked in half-full containers [3].
We see no need for the refrigerator. Study results on cooling aromatic oils vary: some oils remained stable in the cold, while others showed higher markers of oxidation in the refrigerator [3].

Incense sticks and cones

We suggest keeping them in their closed package, in a dry place away from heat, and not storing them uncovered, so they do not break or pick up the smells around them.

Signs that bakhoor has changed

We know of no single sign that proves bakhoor has changed, but we suggest watching for these signals:

In oud oil and other oils: an unpleasant or sharp smell, a change in color, or a thicker texture than before [3].
In moist blends: they may dry out or harden, or their scent may weaken when burned. This is our practical observation.
In raw oud: we suggest judging by its smell when burned, compared with how it was before.

Studies have found that some aromatic oils and their compounds may, once oxidized, become able to cause skin allergy [3], and we found no study on oud oil specifically. So we suggest not applying to the skin an oil whose smell or color has changed.

Storing charcoal, the incense burner and ash: safety tips

Burning charcoal gives off carbon monoxide, a gas with no color or smell. In a study in which Emirati bakhoor was burned in a test chamber, charcoal emissions were the main contributor to carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides [4]. The US CDC advises never burning charcoal indoors [5].

So we suggest an electric burner indoors, which a Kuwaiti study recommended instead of charcoal [1], with ventilation, because it does not eliminate the smoke. If you use charcoal, keep it outdoors while it burns. Lighting it outdoors before bringing it inside does not remove the carbon monoxide source. CDC recommends never burning charcoal indoors [5]. The CDC also advises fitting a carbon monoxide detector near sleeping areas [5].

To store charcoal, the incense burner and ash, we suggest the following:

Charcoal before lighting: keep it in its closed package, in a dry place, away from heat sources and out of children's reach.
During use: keep the incense burner away from children. The North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal, in the US, recommends a child-free zone of about one meter (three feet) around open fires and space heaters [6]. We suggest the same around the incense burner.
After use: do not empty the ash or leftover embers until they have cooled completely. The same office recommends letting the ash cool before putting it in a metal container [6]. The US Fire Administration (USFA) recommends that the container have a lid and be placed outside, at least three meters (10 feet) from the home [7]. We suggest the same for the ash from the incense burner.
The incense burner itself: we suggest not returning it to the cupboard or its box until it has cooled, and cleaning out the ash before storing it.

Four steps for ash after burning: wait until the ash and embers are completely cold, put them in a metal container with a lid, and place it outside at least 3 metres from the house. The burner goes back into the cupboard only once it has cooled — Steps from the North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal [6] and the US Fire Administration [7] for fireplace ash; we suggest the same for burner ash.

Frequently asked questions

Should I store bakhoor in the refrigerator?

We see no need for it. Study results on cooling aromatic oils vary [3]. Instead, we suggest a cool, dark and dry place in the home.

How long does bakhoor stay usable?

A scientific review published in 2013 did not set an agreed shelf life for aromatic oils [3]. The period varies with the type and how it is stored, so we suggest judging by smell and sight, as in “Signs that bakhoor has changed”. Check the expiry date on the package, if there is one.

Is glass better than plastic?

The scientific review we relied on [3] does not compare container materials; what matters in it is a tight seal and keeping away from light and heat. We suggest glass or ceramic when you move bakhoor out of its package.

Should I store bakhoor with perfumes?

We suggest keeping them apart, so the scents do not mix.

Read also

References

Bu-Olayan AH, Thomas BV. Exposition of respiratory ailments from trace metals concentrations in incenses. Scientific Reports. 2021;11(1):10210. PMC8140077. Accessed 27 September 2026.
Naziz PS, Das R, Sen S. The Scent of Stress: Evidence From the Unique Fragrance of Agarwood. Frontiers in Plant Science. 2019;10:840. doi:10.3389/fpls.2019.00840. PMC6646531. Accessed 27 September 2026.
Turek C, Stintzing FC. Stability of Essential Oils: A Review. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. 2013;12(1):40–53. doi:10.1111/1541-4337.12006. Accessed 27 September 2026.
Cohen R, Sexton KG, Yeatts KB. Hazard assessment of United Arab Emirates (UAE) incense smoke. Science of the Total Environment. 2013;458–460:176–186. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.03.101. PMID: 23648447. Accessed 27 September 2026.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Basics. cdc.gov/carbon-monoxide/about. Accessed 27 September 2026.
North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM). Heating. ncosfm.gov. Accessed 27 September 2026.
U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), FEMA. Heating Fire Safety (handout). usfa.fema.gov. Accessed 27 September 2026.

Prepared and edited by: Sedr Al-Khaleej Perfumes team

Last reviewed: 27 September 2026