Open the cabinet under your bathroom sink and take a slow look. Odds are good that a few things in there have been waiting longer than you remember, tucked behind the cotton balls and the spare soap.
Here is the good news. Several federal agencies and health groups have published plain, specific guidance on when common bathroom items have outlived their usefulness. Five of them are below, 5 in all, each with the source that says so.
That Half-Used Bottle Of Old Medicine Is Not Doing Anyone Any Favors
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns that unused or expired medicines can turn up in bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms and purses, and that they can harm people or pets if taken by mistake. Its main advice is to get rid of them promptly rather than letting them linger.
According to the FDA’s guidance on disposing of unused medicines, the best route is a take-back option, such as a pharmacy or police station drop-off, or a prepaid mail-back envelope through the U.S. Postal Service. The agency says the DEA’s website can help you find a location.
If no take-back option is available and the medicine is not on the FDA’s Flush List, the agency recommends mixing it with something unappealing like dirt, cat litter or used coffee grounds. Do not crush pills, seal the mixture in a plastic bag, throw it away, and scratch your personal information off the empty container’s label.
Sunscreen From Three Summers Ago Has Already Expired
Sunscreen is the item most people assume lasts forever. The FDA says otherwise in its guide to sunscreen and sun protection.
The agency says not to use sunscreen that has passed its expiration date, when there is one. A sunscreen without an expiration date, in the FDA’s words, “should be considered expired three years after purchase.”
And if you cannot remember when you bought the bottle? The FDA’s answer is short: discard it. A fresh bottle costs far less than a bad sunburn.
Mascara Has A Shelf Life Measured In Months, Not Years
Here is the one that surprises people most. The FDA’s cosmetics shelf life Q&A says manufacturers usually recommend discarding mascara two to four months after purchase, because every use exposes the tube to bacteria and fungi.
The agency also notes that eye-area cosmetics tend to have shorter shelf lives than other products, and that infections from them can be serious. If mascara dries out, the FDA says to throw it away, and not to add water or saliva to moisten it.
The same page points out that there is no U.S. law requiring cosmetics to carry a set shelf life or expiration date. That means there may be no date on the package to warn you, so the purchase date in your memory is the best clock you have.
The FDA adds that heat can break down preservatives and speed up bacterial and fungal growth, so a hot car is a poor place for makeup. Changes in color, texture or smell are also signs a product has broken down.
Your Toothbrush Should Be Retired Every Three To Four Months
The American Dental Association says to replace your toothbrush approximately every three to four months, or sooner if the bristles are matted or frayed. Worn bristles, the ADA notes, make the brush less effective.
The ADA’s toothbrush guidance also says to rinse the brush thoroughly after each use, store it upright, and let it air dry. It cautions against keeping a damp brush in a closed container, since that promotes microbial growth more than open air does.
One more line from the ADA is worth repeating at the family dinner table: toothbrushes should not be shared.
The Contact Lens Case Needs Replacing Even If It Looks Fine
If anyone in your house wears contacts, check the little case on the counter. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says to replace the case at least once every three months.
The CDC’s contact lens care page also tells wearers to clean the case with solution by rubbing and rinsing, and to store it upside down with the caps off after each use. It adds that you should use fresh solution rather than water, and never mix old and new solution in the case.
Notice the pattern across all five. None of these guidelines ask you to buy anything fancy or to rearrange your whole bathroom. They simply put a clock on items that most of us treat as permanent.
A simple habit can make this easy. Write the month you bought a new mascara, sunscreen or toothbrush on the bottom with a permanent marker, and the question of how old it is answers itself.
Set aside ten minutes this weekend, a trash bag and a box for anything that needs a proper drop-off. Start with the medicines, since the FDA treats those as the most urgent, then work down the list.
When you finish, you will have a roomier cabinet, fewer products to dig through each morning, and the quiet satisfaction of knowing that what is left is actually safe to use. That is a better bargain than any storage bin on the shelf.
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