61. Contact Lens Cases
Expires In: 3 months
Average Price: $7.99*
You probably know about the dangers of expired contact lenses, and hopefully, you heed those warnings, as contaminated contact lenses, like eye drops, can cause anything from irritation to blindness. However, contact lens cases are just as important to replace.
Contact Lens Cases ©Yuriy Maksymiv / Shutterstock
The American Optometric Association says that you should replace your contact lens case every three months. After you use the case, clean it. Between cleanings, keep your contact lens case open and dried. Use only unexpired contact lens solution to clean the case and store your lenses. All of these precautions are essential to keeping harmful bacteria and microbes from growing.
62. Coffee
Expires In: 2 years (canned, ground, unopened)
Average Price: $8.94/30-oz. can*
Ground, canned, unopened coffee will last two years, assuming that you have stored it correctly. If you haven’t stored it properly, there is a chance that it can make you sick. Store canned coffee in a dark place at room temperature (i.e., your pantry). After opening it, you should immediately transfer it to an airtight container. The freezer or refrigerator is best for storing.
Coffee ©amenic181 / Shutterstock
After two years, the coffee will turn stale and be weak. Make sure that you check the can to make sure there is no mold growing side it. Consuming mold might not kill you, but you’ll start vomiting and get nauseous—even if you have a healthy immune system.
63. Mouthwash
Expires In: 3 years
Average Price: $2.94-$3.99*
According to Colgate, mouthwash does go bad, especially if it is therapeutic (meaning that it is designed to reduce harmful bacteria and help with symptoms of dental diseases like dry mouth, plaque buildup, receding gums, and gingivitis). Most mouthwash has alcohol or some other type of antiseptic in it, along with a good deal of water.
Mouthwash ©New Africa / Shutterstock
If therapeutic, the mouthwash might lose its potency, rendering it useless. Even if you have regular antiseptic mouthwash, it might lose its bite and become no more than minty water if expired. Replace your mouthwash no more than three years after the manufacture date.
64. Disposable Razors
Expires In: 3 uses
Average Price: $5.38-$12.99*
This one is a bummer, as everyone knows that disposable razors are not cheap at all. Disposable razors go bad after three uses. After you use them three times, the razors are dull and ineffectual, not giving you a close shave and even causing nicks and razor bumps. After three uses, throw them away.
Disposable Razors ©Gandolfo Cannatella / Shutterstock
So, why are disposable razors so expensive? Part of the reason is brand loyalty. When consumers pick a brand, they rarely switch, according to CBS. Companies can drive up the price incrementally because they know that consumers will stay with them after they’re locked into the product.
65. Shower Sponges
Expires In: 2 weeks
Average Price: $5.99*
Shower sponges are a great way to get super sudsy, and they always come in such cute colors. Sadly, they don’t last, and it is recommended that you replace your shower sponges after just two weeks. Loofahs last up to three weeks, while mesh sponges should be replaced after eight weeks. Everything else should be thrown out after two weeks.
Shower Sponges ©BaLL LunLa / Shutterstock
If you use a shower sponge for too long, bacteria will grow in the crevices. Dr. Erum Ilyas, M.D. told Oprah Magazine that the “risk of infection” is high with shower sponges, as they are “reserves of bacteria.” Dr. Ilyas said it’s “best” to use your hands to wash.
66. Wooden Spoons
Expires In: 5 years
Average Price: $9.98*
Wooden spoons join rubber spatulas, paring knives, nonstick cookware, plastic chopping boards, and countertop blenders as kitchen tools with surprising expiration dates. Wooden spoons need to be replaced every five years, at the maximum. You should replace them sooner if you notice soft spots, discoloration, scratches, or cracks.
Wooden Spoons ©Svetlana Cherruty / Shutterstock
Again, it all comes down to bacteria. Food can get stuck in wooden spoons’ crevices and cracks. This leads to bacterial growth, and you can’t always just wash or clean the bacterium away. The drying cycle of your dishwasher is the biggest culprit when it comes to causing cracks that will trap food.
67. Disinfectants
Expires In: 3 months
Average Price: $5-$15*
This one is especially important, considering the global pandemic that is currently occurring. Disinfectants don’t expire because of bacteria and microorganisms growing in the bottle. Instead, they “go bad” when the disinfectant ingredients lose potency over time, rendering the products useless.
Disinfectants ©Maridav / Shutterstock
It is recommended that you replace your disinfectants every three months. Burlington Free Press found that the shelf life of disinfectants is shorter than we may think. Though some companies have expiration dates of a year or two, antibacterial cleaning products expirer faster. Bleach, according to Reader’s Digest, has a longer shelf life of six months to a year.
68. Hair Gel
Expires In: 2 to 3 years
Average Price: $12.92*
Hair gel goes bad after three years. Some brands can make it to five years, but the general rule of thumb is to toss the hair gel after three years. Expired hair gel is ineffective—it won’t keep baby hairs in place or give your hair a wet look. At its worst, hair gel can cause a scalp reaction ranging from irritation to infection.
Hair Gel ©Roman Samborskyi / Shutterstock
If you keep your hair gel in a humid place (the bathroom cabinet, for example), that might cause bacteria to accumulate. Itching is one of the most common warning signs of a scalp reaction from expired hair gel.
69. Flip Flops
Expires In: 6 months
Average Price: $6.99*
At the very, very most, you should replace your flip flops every six months. Flip flops have long been the bane of doctors, from infectious disease specialists to podiatrists. When it comes to flip flops “expiring,” they usually break down after six months (or sooner, if they are very cheap).
Flip Flops ©stockfour / Shutterstock
Some research has indicated that no one should wear them at all. The New York Daily News did tests on two reporters. The reporters wore flip flops for four days. After four days, staphylococcus aureus was found on the flip flops. If the reporters had had a cut on their foot, they would have likely developed a dangerous staph infection.
70. Rubbing Alcohol
Expires In: 3 years
Average Price: $2.78/32-oz.*
Once again, the expiration of cleaning products comes down to their effectiveness. Rubbing alcohol does expire. After three years at the most, you should throw out rubbing alcohol, even if unopened. If rubbing alcohol passes the expiration date, the alcohol in it will break down and evaporate.
Rubbing Alcohol ©attaphong / Shutterstock
The rubbing alcohol will be rendered ineffective, leaving cuts and scrapes uncleaned (which is, in itself, dangerous). If your rubbing alcohol is expired, it might be able to still have use removing stickers, erasing permanent marker, removing stains embedded in microfibers, and deodorizing smelly shoes. It just shouldn’t be used for health-related treatment.
71. Cleaners With Antibacterial Ingredients
Expires In: 1 year
Average Price: $3.49-$12.99*
Good Housekeeping recommended that antibacterial cleaners have a shelf life of one year. After that, they lose their antibacterial properties and effectiveness. If the cleaners are partially opened and sitting in water (a partially-opened container of wipes, for example), bacteria may even begin to form in the water.
Cleaners With Antibacterial Ingredients ©Image Point Fr / Shutterstock
Additionally, you will likely notice that expired antibacterial cleaners have a weakened fragrance—no more lemony or “fresh breeze” scents when you clean. You can tell if your cleaner is antibacterial from the packaging, as it’s generally prominently listed. Common antibacterial ingredients in cleaners include triclosan, triclocarban, ammonium chloride, pine oil, chlorine bleach, or alcohol.
72. Tooth-Whitening Strips
Expires In: 13 months
Average Price: $44.99/28 strips*
Crest White Strips are an over-the-counter way to whiten your teeth without spending big bucks at the dentist’s office. Crest.com advises that you don’t use their teeth whiteners after they have expired; not because the whiteners are unsafe, but because the ingredients’ efficacy is diminished.
Tooth-Whitening Strips ©Tooth-Whitening Strips / Shutterstock
In general, you should use teeth-whitening strips within thirteen months. After that, the main ingredient (usually hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide) tends to break down. While the teeth whitening strips might whiten your teeth a little, it won’t be the high-powered whitening you’d get if you used them immediately. Teeth-whitening strips are too expensive to let expire, so use them within thirteen months.
73. Bras
Expires In: 6 months
Average Price: $50*
Usually, you can tell that your bra has “expired” when the wire pokes out and stabs you in the heart. However, that doesn’t always happen within six months, which is the deadline for bras. After six months, you should replace bras, as the padding and underwire have likely broken down over time, leading to less support.
Bras ©Chaay_Tee / Shutterstock
Bras are expensive, so it’s no fun to spend around $50 a bra on replacements. However, wearing a bad bra can cause rib or back pain from the lack of support. The New York Times reported that the majority of women wear the wrong bra size, so you should get a fitting too, while you’re at it, especially if you have gained or lost weight.
74. Potatoes
Expires In: 3-5 weeks (pantry), 3-4 months (fridge)
Average Price: $0.78/pound*
Potatoes’ shelf life depends on where you store them. Potatoes last between three and five weeks when you keep them in the pantry. However, you can buy yourself more time if you store them in the refrigerator, as they last between three and four months there. The potatoes’ shelf life is dependent upon a variety of factors, including the sell-by date, preparation method, type of potato, and the humidity where you live.
Potatoes ©Dmitriy Gutkovskiy / Shutterstock
Importantly, it is easy to tell when a potato has gone bad. If it becomes soft or mushy, throw it away. If the potatoes have blemishes on the inside or a moldy or musty odor, throw them away.
75. Liquor
Expires In: 6 months-1 year (Opened)
Average Price: $10-$20*
Spirits are shelf-stable, and an unopened liquor bottle can last indefinitely. However, after you open it, you have six months to one year to use it before it goes bad. “Going bad,” in terms of liquor, means that the alcohol loses its flavor and color. Wine might develop a strange aftertaste if it goes bad, but liquor will just become less flavorful.
Liqour ©MosayMay / Shutterstock
If you won’t use the entire liquor bottle within a year, don’t use the liquor for well drinks. Generally, expired liquor won’t make you sick. Usually, you will just incur a dull taste, as opposed to beer, which can make you nauseous.