We all have things at home that are stored for years and even decades. They seem eternal to us, but the majority of them are actually limited by an expiration date, after which the items become useless and possibly even dangerous.
Bright Side collected a list of the most common household items that actually have an expiration date. Check if such “treasures” are stored in your home.
Hydrogen peroxide is stored in everyone’s medicine cabinet, but very few people know that in the open form it loses its properties after 2 months. Even a sealed one will expire after a year.
Bad news for those who like to collect rare types of spices! You will have to refresh your supplies after 2 years because spices tend to lose their properties and flavor after some time.
When using sports shoes actively, their shock absorption system, soles, and backs wear out quickly. Running sneakers need to be changed every 250 miles, and shoes for other sports activities after 6 months of regular use.
Even in closed and airtight packaging, tea bags are no longer suitable for drinking after 6 months because of the ability of tea leaves to ferment.
Ultraviolet rays have a negative effect on lenses. After some time, the lenses allow more rays to pass through. The exact shelf life is determined by each individual manufacturer, but it’s recommended that you change your sunglasses once every 2 years.
A toothbrush should be changed every 3 months so as not to turn it into an incubator of bacteria. Toothpaste should be kept for no more than 1 year after its opening. Therefore, if you have a small travel tube, check its expiration date.
Besides the fact that wet towels are an ideal environment for the development of bacteria, frequent washing simply wears the fabric out. Washing at high temperatures does this several times faster. It is recommended to change towels for new ones every 3 years.
The shelf life of the average comb or brush is one year only, even if you clean and wash it regularly. After this period it can provoke dandruff and problems with hair.
Not only should you wash your makeup brushes after each use, you should also refresh them every 5 years — your skin will thank you for that. Sponges should be renewed every 6 months.
On average, this wardrobe item begins to lose its shape after 2 years because the inserts tend to deform, and the fabric itself stretches.
Home slippers “live” for only half a year, and then they turn into a potential breeding ground for fungus.
Regardless of the type of filling, a pillow loses its shape after 2-3 years, and dust mites begin to appear in it. Healthy sleeping is more important than not changing pillows, isn’t it?
Blankets tend to go through the same changes as pillows. However, they can “live” longer — up to 7 years. With careful care and regular drying, you can extend the life of a blanket by up to 10 years. After that, you will have to get yourself a new one.
Remember to grab a new mattress when you go to buy a new blanket because they should also be changed every 8-10 years. Also, keep in mind that the mattress needs to be turned over every 6 months so that it does not wear out so quickly.
They require replacing every 3 years. Otherwise, they become a good environment for bacteria. Moreover, cutting boards tend to lose their shape because of humidity and knives.
Spatulas for stirring food, spoons, and other utensils that often touch food should be changed every 2 years. This is especially true for wooden utensils.
The period of safe and effective use of such sponges is only 2 weeks.
In case of nuclear war, fire, or painting walls, you might keep a gas mask at home. Do not forget to record the date of purchase on it. The filters in such masks are limited by the expiration date and should be stored for no longer than a year.
Vitamins can be stored for 3 years only. They will hardly turn into a biological weapon after the expiration date is over, but they will lose their beneficial features for sure.
Unfortunately, even smartphones have an expiration date. You can expect stable operating from your new smartphone within the next 2-3 years only. After this period, it will start glitching with sudden breaks in its activity. This especially relates to models with a nonremovable battery.
Will you reduce the storage period of all the things mentioned in the article? Please let us know in the comments!
“Unfortunately, even smartphones have an expiration date. You can expect stable operating from your new smartphone within the next 2-3 years only. After this period, it will start glitching with sudden breaks in its activity. This especially relates to models with a nonremovable battery.”
My Sony M2 has been working fine since 2016.
It depends on what you use your phone for and how you use it.
