15 Common Household Items That You’ll Be Surprised To Know Have Expiration Dates

Just like we always remember to check the expiration date of the food we eat such as milk, or see if our clothes are worn and need replacements, did you know that the everyday stuff around the house like pillows, hairbrushes, and more, also have specific expiration dates?

Yes! So, it’s about time you start checking the best before date for not just the stuff you eat or drink, but these household items too. Here’s the list with their expiration dates. ¹

In The Bedroom

1. Pillows And Cushions: 2 to 3 Years

After a period of time, the cushions on your couch, the pillows you rest your head on, or even the fluffy ones that are merely for decoration, all start to become a resting place for dust and germs or become rough after repeated washing. This can irritate the skin, cause rashes, itchiness, neck pain, as they slowly lose their shape.
2. Slippers: 6 Months

Slippers

are worn by your feet, which are one of the top breeding grounds for germs, and can inevitably spread disgusting fungal infections. Even if they are washed regularly and well, they remain clean but bend out of shape and become less durable.

On The Dressing Table

3. Hairbrushes And Combs: 1 Year

Hairbrushes and combs need to be cleaned at least once in a week and thrown away after a year’s usage. Replacing one is better than contracting some odd scalp or hair issues because of what an old hairbrush has. Brushes with natural fiber bristles need to be replaced within 7 to 10 months of usage.
4. Perfume, Eau de Parfum Or Eau de Toilette: 1 to 3 Years

Perfumes of most kinds are made up of small and strong smelling amounts of essential oils which last about 3 years when stored without being opened or used, but they last only 2 years when they have been stored after opening. Likewise, those small eau de toilette scents can be kept for around 4 years if kept closed, but can be kept only for 2 years after being opened.

In

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The Bathroom

5. Bath Sponges And Shower Poufs: 2 Weeks to 6 Months

Sponges and poufs are essentially absorbent and retain moisture, especially after scrubbing the germs and dirt off your body. This becomes the perfect breeding ground for fungus, mold, and bacteria. This counts for both natural and synthetic material poufs. So, try boiling them in hot water, as it may help kill any possible bacterial residents, but over time, they may become too rough for usage.
6. Towels: 1 to 3 Years

This

is probably a classic thing we all do. After taking a shower, most of us probably just hang our towels in the bathroom and rush off to carry out our day’s activities. But wet towels have the best conditions for bacteria to grow and thrive. Despite constant washing or putting it out in the sun to dry, this does not extend its life one bit.
7. Toothbrushes: 3 Months

The best tell to know when a toothbrush has completed its lifespan and needs to be replaced is when the bristles are worn out and out of their original shape and texture. But did you know that if you brush your teeth when you have a cold or flu, you need to throw away that toothbrush? If not, you risk getting that flu back again in no time.

In The Closet

8. Bras: 1 to 2 Years

Although

that pretty floral pink bra is your favorite, it has gotta go after a couple of years of being used. That’s because it starts to lose shape, elasticity, may not fit your breast as well as it did, and may even hurt them by being too small, big, or just uncomfortable.
9. Running Shoes: 1 Year

Those shoes have probably reached their limit if they have already been used to walk or run for about 250 to 300 miles. This is when they start to lose their cushioning, durability, hurt your feet, feel looser, add stress on your ankles, and so on.

In The Nursery

10. Pacifiers: 2 to 5 Weeks

Those rubbery pacifiers need to be thrown away after a few weeks of usage no matter how healthy or usable they still look.  Moreover, regular washing is a necessity since it goes into your kid’s mouth. After a month of usage, the latex is more likely to break and those cracks could breed germs and harm the child using it.
11.

Child Car Seats: 6 to 10 Years

Within less than a decade, the plastic, foam, and nylon belts start to wear out, and the seat loses its original shape and no longer protects or keeps the child safe. It’s always better to buy a new car seat for your child than compromising their safety by having an old or secondhand one.

In The Kitchen

12. Spices: 1 to 3 Years

Spices of the fresh or dried sort both pack a deep and pungent flavor and tons of nutritional benefits. But after being stored for a period of time, they lose their taste, smell, and their health value. In addition, spices which have been powdered or ground should not be kept after 6 months. It’s better to buy, keep, and use up small amounts in a short time.
13.

Flour: 6 to 12 Months

Even the best grade of flour and finest quality needs to be thrown away after 6 months to a year. This is because it starts to lose it’s healthy cooking properties and even form this odd moldy smell and taste to it, which is definitely not worth eating.

In The Living Room And Pantry

14. Power Strips: 1 to 2 Years

Power strips are especially whimsical and are also built to endure a certain amount of electricity, for a certain amount of time. In case you exceed its usage lifespan, the power strip goes bad and can cause serious problems, starting with sparks, short circuits, fuse bursts and worse.
15.

Disinfectants And Mosquito Repellents: 3 Months to 2 Years

After a couple of months to a year, they do not have their original effectiveness anymore or are useful. In fact, they could even become toxic. So, you may want to think before assuming that table surface is clean after using an old disinfectant and don’t be surprised if there are still mosquitoes flying around, after the said usage time-frame.