Surprising use-by dates for nine household items

WE ALL know fresh milk has an expiry date, but so do plenty of the household goods we rely on — including toothpaste and the humble sports bra.

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WE ALL know fresh milk has an expiry date, but so do plenty of the household goods we rely on — including toothpaste and the humble sports bra.

We don’t like to throw things out in my house. It’s not hoarding, it’s more like careless misuse of storage space.

Then I read this story from Good Health and it tells me my sports bras have expired. And my disposable razors. And those running shoes I bought in 2009.

We all know food has a use by date — or expiry — but who knew so many other things we use around the house need to be ditched?

More:Check out Kidspot’s 20 best household tips

Running shoes: chuck after you’ve run 800km

I’m not sure whether this is a scam to make us buy more Nikes, or whether Good Health has seen the state of my disgraceful sneakers. Apparently runners are like car tyres, and need to be chucked after they’ve travelled a good distance. If you run five kilometres three times a week, you’re advised to chuck out your shoes every year.

You use your toothbrush twice a day, but when should you chuck it?

Toothbrushes: chuck after 12 weeks

The Australian Dental Association concurs with Good Health on this one: “Replace your toothbrush every three months, or with each season,” says a spokesperson for the ADA’s oral health committee. “Once the bristles fray, they aren’t effective, and if you get sick then the bacteria stays there.” Ick. I just threw my shaggy dog brushes in the bin.

Sports bras: chuck every 6 to 12 months if you wear it at least 3 times a week

Luckily I don’t wear a sports bra (or do sport) that often. Good Health says handwashing will extend the life of a sports bra, but once the fabric starts to give, it’s time to bin the bra. “The fabric and structure of a sports bra loses its support more quickly than everyday bras, due to its extra workload,” says the magazine.

Chuck out chopping boards as soon as cuts appear.

Chopping boards: chuck out when the cuts and scars appear

I can’t bear to part with my camphor laurel wooden chopping board I’ve owned for nearly five years, so I will stick my fingers in my ears and refuse to listen. I like a timber chopping board, and camphor laurel smells a little bit like Vicks VapoRub each time you cut a scar into it. Good Health says the hacked up scars of wooden and plastic boards are a place for bacteria to hide and grow, however timber has better long term antibacterial properties than plastic boards.

Medication use by dates: the packet will have an individual use by date

I am guilty of use-by-date-abuse of common over-the-counter medications. Let’s hope no-one in my house gets too itchy (see picture above). Luckily Good Health points out that one in five Australians admit to using expired medication. The biggest problem is that most of us like to keep medication in kitchen and bathroom cabinets, where moisture and heat can lead to a shortened lifespan of effectiveness.

How long have you been sleeping on your pillow?

Pillows: chuck every two years

More than half of all Australians don’t wash our pillows. Including me! I try to pretend I don’t see how grimy my pillow is when I change the linen. Deep down I know this is disgusting, particularly when Good Health reminds me the average pillow contains more than one million fungal spores. Prevention magazine recommend people chuck out their pillows every year because hair and body oils make them a breeding ground for odour. Gross.

Disposable razors: chuck after five shaves

These little beggars go blunt so quickly that I don’t know how they can even last five shaves. As a leg shaver, I go through a few packets of these a year (when I’m not stealing the man of the house’s razor, which is so much better!). “Let your disposable razor dry out between uses. When razor blade handles and cartridges stay wet, they colonise bacteria that increase the risk of a shaving rash caused by bacterial infection,” says Good Health.

These babies last a week.

Kitchen sponges: chuck after a week

These grizzly little rags of bacteria that live near the kitchen sink have the capacity to make me dry retch when slimy. I happily chuck kitchen sponges every time one of them grosses me out. Fortunately, they are pretty easy to clean and make good again: simply microwave them for a minute or pop them in the dishwasher. I confess to preferring a microfibre kitchen cloth, which you can throw in the washing machine to clean up, but each to their own.

Sunscreen: chuck after three years

The Cancer Council agrees with Good Health that sunscreen has an expiry date, and everyone should check the bottle or package before using it. The really pesky problem is that sunscreen deterioration doubles when it’s kept in a hot place, like a car or a beach bag.

This story originally appeared on Kidspot.com.au. For more, check out:

Best housekeeping tips

Best decluttering tips

31 genius laundry hacks

How to clean a mattress

Originally published as Surprising use-by dates for nine household items