Everyone knows they have to keep an eye on milk to make sure it doesn’t go sour and to toss out that mascara after 3 months. However, there are lots of items in your home that have expiration dates that you probably have no idea about.
You could be engulfing yourself in disgusting bacteria without even knowing it. Here are 18 items in your home with expirations dates you might not know about.
Towels
You can wash towels as much as you want but after 1 to 3 years, you’ll want to replace them so they don’t grow bacteria.
Slippers
Slippers have a 6-month shelf life as they have a tendency to get moldy and can cause a fungal infection.
Sponge
Sponges collect fungus and mold and also smell. You’ll want to boil them in hot water after two weeks. If they can’t be washed, you’ll want to throw them out.
Pillows
You should toss your pillow out after 2 to 3 years as it is prone to lose its shape, which can cause you pain or discomfort, and gets covered in dust mites, dead skin cells, and sweat.
Toothbrush
You should get rid of your toothbrush once the bristles are worn down, but definitely, chuck it out after 3 months.
Shower Pouf
Shower poufs get gross in the same way as a sponge does, so you’ll want to replace yours every 6 months.
Hydrogen Peroxide
A bottle of hydrogen peroxide will turn into water after 2 months. Don’t store it for longer than a year.
Perfume
Perfumes that are open should be tossed out 2 years after it’s opened and between 3 and 4 years when it is stored closed.
Hairbrush
It’s good to clean out your hairbrush at least once a week and replace it after a year. If it’s a brush with natural bristles, then you should chuck it after 7 to 10 months.
Pacifier
Latex pacifiers should be replaced every 2 to 5 weeks. But most parents know that their child’s pacifiers will likely be lost by then.
Child Car Seats
Most people have hand-me-down car seats for their kids but it’s best to replace them every 6 to 10 years or buy your child a new one.
Bras
Bras have a shelf life of 1 to 2 years before the stretch, shrink or lose their shape.
Running Shoes
Sneakers start losing their cushioning after about 1 year or 250-300 miles.
Spices
Spices will lose their taste and smell between 1 and 3 years but if they are ground spices then you should toss them out after 6 months.
Fire Extinguishers
Fire extinguishers should be good for up to 15 years but definitely, check the labels because they usually have expiration dates on them.
Power Strips
Don’t hang on to those power strips. They could cause serious problems after 1 to 2 years.
Disinfectants
Disinfectants lose their disinfecting ability after about 3 months. You should chuck them out after that.
Mosquito Repellent
After about 2 years, your mosquito repellent will be useless against hungry mosquitos.
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