20 Items We Unknowingly Still Use Long Past Their Expiration Date

Oct 11, 2018

In America, we're usually careful about eating old fruits or vegetables. In fact, 40% of groceries are thrown away each year, usually because we're too afraid to eat something that is already past its expiration date. But there are some items we don't even expect to have expiration dates, and without realizing it, we continue using them far after it's safe to.

Here are 20 of the most common items used past their expiration dates:

Expires: 2 Months

Hydrogen Peroxide is one of the most common household items. Yet, as soon as it's opened, it only has 2 months of good use. Left unopened, it'll expire after 1 year.

Expires: 2 Years

Who doesn't use spices? Some people especially enjoy a wide variety of spices, allowing their collection to build up over years. However, they'll go bad and lose taste after 2!

Expires: 6 Months (250 Miles)

Shoes are expensive, yet they wear down quicker than people realize, especially the insides. They'll start to deteriorate with heavy usage.

Expires: 6 Months

Tea leaves actually start to ferment after 6 months, which makes them undrinkable after that time frame. They are usually packaged pretty good, but they don't last much longer.

Expires: 2 Years

Sunglasses protect you from ultraviolet rays, but after a while, these rays deteriorate the actual lenses. The expiration date may differ between brands but should be switched out eventually.

Expires:1 year/3 months (respectively)

Toothbrushes start to collect bacteria after 3 months, making them harmful for our teeth after that time frame. Be sure to keep an eye out for the date on smaller toothpaste tubes.

Expires: 3 Years

Not many people think of towels as breeding grounds for bacteria--but they are! Also, after years of washing, the fabric loses quality.

Expires: 1 Year

Even a clean brush becomes slightly dangerous to use after a while. Basically, they'll start to aggravate your scalp and dandruff.

Expires: 6 Months/5 Years (respectively)

Makeup tools should be cleaned regularly regardless of expiration. However, they'll damage your skin if not changed out.

Expires: 2 Years

After prolonged usage, bras lose their form, especially the insides. Not to mention, they will begin to stretch out and won't actually fit you anymore.

Expires: 6 Months

Your slippers come in contact with your feet frequently. After about 6 months, slippers have the potential to start growing fungus, making them dangerous to use.

Expires: 2-3 Years

If you've kept pillow long, you'll notice that they start to deform after years of use. This become uncomfortable to sleep on, and they can potentially attract mites.

Expires: 7 Years

Fortunately, it's pretty tough for blankets to deform. With proper care, you can even extend its life a few years. However, they should be swapped every decade or so.

Expires: 8-10 Years

A mattress, like a blanket, can last right around a decade, so you can switch the two out together. Keep in mind that they also need to switch sides every half year or so.

Expires: 3 Years

After years of use, knives can do some damage on cutting boards. The cracks that form are perfect for bacteria to breed.

Expires: 2 Years

Cooking utensils like spatulas need to be switched out every couple years, or they'll start to attract bacteria and be quite useless.

Expires: 2 Weeks

Believe it or not, sponges don't last that long. They will attract bacteria and start to stink after prolonged usage.

Expires: 1 Year

Even in storage, the filters on gas masks are only good for one year. After that, they should be properly switched out for new ones.

Expires: 3 Years

After three years it's not necessarily "dangerous" to eat a vitamin, but chances are they won't have much fighting power against disease.

Expires: 2-3 Years

Unfortunately, even smartphones get old. After a while they pretty much stop working--glitching, freezing, and dying--especially once the battery starts to deteriorate. You can always upgrade!

Which of these things do you need to replace? Did you know they were expired? Let us know in the comments and show this article to your friends and family to warn them about using things past their expiration date!

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation with your doctor. Your health is important to us!