A lot of us use different consumer products daily, however, sometimes we might not be aware that all the household items will not last forever, thus they need replacing from time to time. Therefore, to protect our health and our family, we should replace the towels, shoes and even car seats regularly.
Just keep reading to find out more about the household items that have expiration dates which perhaps you might not have known.
18 HOUSEHOLD ITEMS THAT HAVE EXPIRATION DATES
PANTRY
POWER STRIPS: 1-2 YEARS
If there is some damage to the fire extinguisher, like some cracks in the hose, you have to repair it as soon as possible.
DISINFECTANTS: 3 MONTHS
They can lose their power and effectiveness after 3 months of use.
MOSQUITO REPELLENTS: 2 YEARS
After 2 years pass, the repellent becomes useless, thus do not bother to use them for several year at summer camp, once a year is enough.
POWER STRIPS: 1-2 YEARS
These strips can be found at the electrical center of the home. You plug your iPod charger there, the toaster, the tablet charger, the laptop charger, the electric kettle, the cell phone charger etc. Yet, keep in mind that they too have their limitations. Therefore, if you exceed their capacity, there might be some problems, thus, take caution.
KITCHEN
SPICES: 1-3 YEARS
After a period of time spices lose their taste and smell. You should know that ground spices should not be kept for more than 6 months.
FLOUR: 6-12 MONTHS
First-grade flour can be kept for 6 months, while high-grade flour up to a year.
WARDROBE
BRA: 1 TO 2 YEARS
We should be aware that bras do not last forever. When the bra starts to lose its shape, it will lose its elasticity and it will become uncomfortable, thus you should replace it with a new one.
RUNNING SHOES: 1 YEAR
When the running shoes hit 250-300 miles, the cushioning will start to break down and cause unnecessary stress to the joints.
NURSERY
CHILD CAR SEATS: 6-10 YEARS
The foam and the plastic of the seats deteriorate over time, thus the seat will start losing its shape and it will be unable to protect the child. In this case, you should buy a new seat for the child instead of using a secondhand one.
PACIFIER: 2-5 WEEKS
Latex pacifiers must be replaced regularly because latex breaks easily and the cracks breed germs.
DRESSER
HAIRBRUSH: 1 YEAR
You should clean the brushes thoroughly once a week and replace them once a year. If your hairbrush is with natural boar bristle, buy a new one every 7-10 months.
PERFUME & EAU DE TOILETTE: 1-3 YEARS
Perfumes that contain essential oils can last for 3 years when they are stored closed and 2 years if they are opened. Eau de toilette is good for 2 years when stored opened, and if closed for 4 years.
BATHROOM
SPONGE: 2 WEEKS & SHOWER POUF: 6 MONTHS
Shower utensils can breed mold and fungus. Thus, it is of great importance not to use expired sponges and poufs to clean the body. If you want to kill bacteria, you should boil them in hot water.
TOOTHBRUSH: 3 MONTHS
When the bristles begin to wear down, our toothbrushes should be replaced. It is very important to buy a new toothbrush after you have been sick or you have had the flu, just to prevent yourself from getting sick again from the germs.
HYDROGEN PEROXIDE: 2 MONTHS
This is a wonderful household disinfectant, however after a while the chemical solution degrades into the water and this is why you should replace the bottle every 2 months.
TOWEL: 1-3 YEARS
After a bath or shower, we all hang our towels on a hook to air dry, still we do not know that these damp towels are a fitting environment for bacteria growth. You have to bear in mind that when you wash the towels after they are fermented their wet state will not solve the problem.
BEDROOM
PILLOWS: 2-3 YEARS
Surely, you sleep on your pillow every night and you roll it, punch it and pull it until you find the best position. This is what actually makes the pillow lost its shape and with time you will experience neck pain. Also, it will become a home for dust mites. This is why you should replace it after 2 or 3 years.
SLIPPERS: 6 MONTHS
After a long day in uncomfortable heels we all love to put on the slippers. They are cozy, however, they can be a great environment to spread fungal infections. Thus, make sure to wash them as often as possible and clean them in the washing machine or by hand.
As you can see there are a lot of household items that need replacing from time to time. Just make sure you follow our advice and replace them. It would be good for your overall health and being.