Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,338
Likes: 6,640
From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
1. You are doing it wrong.
2. You should get better patches and glue.
3. No, patches can last indefinitely.
Let the glue dry! Err on the side of too long. I once forgot I was in the middle of patching (at home), and hours later, I applied the patch. It worked great. You shouldn't need more than five minutes, but if you're in doubt, wait longer.
Rema patches are the best, though I am usually successful with other brands, including no-names.
Rema vulcanizing fluid is MUCH better than the others because it makes a chemical bond that makes the patch and tube intertwine at a microscopic level. Other glues are just sticky.
When the patch is dry, the edges should not show any gaps. At that point, it is tempting to add glue to finish the job. This is guaranteed not to work. Peel the patch, clean the tube, and start again with a new patch.
You can do this. I've taught dozens of kids to do it.