<i></i> <i></i> <i></i> 0<p><img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/c-users-zainab-afridi-downloads-24-10-feature-01-.jpeg"/></p> <p>Has the milk gone bad? How long do you reckon these batteries will last before their shelf life runs out? Do you think this ointment is good today? It expired only yesterday. Ah, questions us consumers ask on a day-to-day. Product manufacturers are almost always sure to mention the ‘Best Before’ or expiration date in one way or another, be it expressly stated on the packaging or be given in an estimate after the manufacturing date.</p> <p>Printed, stamped or pasted in the best interest of our health, expiration dates are important since products past their expiration dates can be very harmful at times. Some products however, don’t come with any. Does this mean they will last us an eternity? Maybe we should use them till they bend to a break? Well, this isn’t true because like all good things, even your comfy pillow comes to an end! Here are some seemingly innocent household items that have an expiry date!</p> <h2>10. Hairbrushes</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/word-image-1817.jpeg"/>Tapoos.com <p>Everyone has at least one hairbrush, we mean come on – who doesn’t like to sport a neat, crisp and tight hairdo? There’s one laying on the bathroom vanity for after a shower. One tucked behind the mirror next to the main door so you leave the house looking sharp. One in your car in case the wind has other plans for your hair, even one in your bag for a quick shape-up before you head into that meeting with a potential client! Hairbrushes are everywhere and on this list too. Sounds like a hairy situation! (Pun intended). Hairbrushes can easily trap loose hair and should be cleaned every once a week, be it with just your hands or by placing them under running water. Replacement should be made once a year. If you’re into natural wooden ones, you should consider replacing it every seven months. The reason behind this is a fine-combined one (Pun intended). Your hair is covered in natural lubrication or sebum as the white coats call it, and can ruin the brush, which will deal you back the damage.</p> <h2>9. Perfume</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/word-image-1819.jpeg"/>Tapoos.com <p>It does more than smell good – perfume translates your personality without words. Stimulating the olfactory senses, a light and crisp perfume on a hot summers day, or a sweet and lingering scent on an evening gathering immediately lets those around you know you pay attention to detail and are here to leave an impression. While wearing too much perfume can be the cause of headaches and irritation, it can make a bad mark – but here’s what’s worse than bad perfume. Expired perfume! The culprit is in the essential oils that make perfume, and in the chemical composition of Eau de(s). If stored open, these fragrances last only 2 years each, after which they run the risk of losing their longevity and crispiness. If stored closed, they can last for 3 and 4 years respectively. You know what to do. But hey – before you make a dash for the bathroom cupboard, here’s some more stuff you should know doesn’t last ‘forever’.</p> <h2>8. Running shoes</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/word-image-1821.jpeg"/>Tapoos.com <p>What do you even need that Air Max for when your flip flops are perfectly comfortable? Is it just the branding? Nope. Running shoes are designed to give you and your joints the best experience possible when you go sprinting. They provide cushioning for when your heels hit the tarmac, the provide support to keep your ankles from rolling, they’re made of lightweight, breathable material so your feet don’t become stink bombs when you take off those shoes and ultimately prevent any fungal growth. The benefits of good running shoes are virtually non-exhaustive, but did you know they could deal you all this damage if not cared for correctly? Running shoes need to be retired about around 250 or 300 miles, depending on the terrain you run on and how much you weigh. After the 300 mile mark, the cushioning, padding and other good stuff gives up and these shoes no longer should be worn to run in.</p> <h2>7. Toothbrushes</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/word-image-1822.jpeg"/>Tapoos.com <p>When it’s time to rise and shine, the first thing, or should we say things, most people cater to are their pearly whites. That million Dollar smile gets a nice brushing with a cool and minty flavored toothpaste, a quick rinse with water, mouthwash and done. All set for the whole day! However, though the tube or bottle of toothpaste and mouthwash both have expiration dates on them, the toothbrush never does. No worries though, there are signs it needs to be replaced, namely the de-shaping, splitting or spreading of the bristles. Be sure to replace it before this happens though, as does around the 3-month mark. Also, try to swap your brush for a new one after recovering from illness.</p> <h2>6. Towel</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/word-image-1823.jpeg"/>Tapoos.com <p>A million little thread arrangements hugging you after a nice and steamy shower after a tiring day! Or maybe dealing with all that sweat during and after an intense workout? Towels are even used in a microfiber style for cleaning surfaces like glass and metals, they’re all around us. Plot twist! So are germs! Millions of gross microscopic germs are everywhere and there’s no denying that they can be uninvited and cause disease. This problem is furthered, unfortunately, by the towels we have hanging around (Pun intended) at home. Wet towels, according to research, are like breeding grounds for bacteria. Or. Multiplying ground – you get the point! Be sure to swap’em every 1 to 3 years, depending on the usage.</p> <h3>5. Sponges and shower poufs</h3> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/word-image-1824.jpeg"/>Tapoos.com <p>What has many holes but still holds water? You guessed it, a sponge. Great for a relaxing bath after a tiring day, sponges and shower poufs help you get from clean to squeaky clean. However, these heroes have a weakness. Since they are, more often than not, subject to hot and humid conditions, sponges and shower poufs can be a host to fungus and mold. Definitely not stuff you want to ‘clean’ your body with. The best thing to do is to have a new sponge at least once or twice a month, depending on your usage. For shower poufs, this is six months, unless you’re using one made of all-natural ingredients, which you should simply boil before using every now and then.</p> <h2>4. Pillows</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/word-image-1825.jpeg"/>Tapoos.com <p>What makes home, sweet home? The fact that there’s uninterrupted Wi-Fi that connects automatically? The comfort and privacy of your own bathroom (admit it!) or your warm and comfy bed, waiting for you to doze off into the next day? It’s not the mattress as much as the blanket, and it’s not the blanket quite as much as the pillows that lure you into an addictive want for just catching some Zs. However, pillows can lose their shape and firmness with time and this can cause neck pains, which are literally – a pain in the neck. More so, over time, pillows become a host to dust mites that can be harmful in other ways. Our suggestion, backed by science is that pillows should be considered expired after 2 to 3 years.</p> <h2>3. Slippers</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/word-image-1826.jpeg"/>Tapoos.com <p>Since we’re discussing the bedroom right now, it makes sense for the next item on our list to slippers – a fitting candidate! (Pun intended). Your trusty slippers are the first thing you get into, or should we say, slip into, once you’ve shut that alarm up and are ready to get to the bathroom. While there’s no one design, material, color, size or shape these come in, slippers are all good places to promote fungal growth. This is because of sweaty or otherwise moist feet inside them for too long, and no proper aeration, since slippers unlike running shoes, are not as often made of breathable materials. Our take on them is, replace them every 6 months and wash them as often as possible.</p> <h2>2. Pacifiers</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/word-image-1827.jpeg"/>Tapoos.com <p>Babies are bundles of joy and can really lighten up your mood with their adorable antics and innocent charms no matter how bad your day has been. However, they can’t express themselves all too well and often cry to do so, which can be more than just unpleasant. This is particularly common in the early months when they begin to teethe and have irritated and sore gums. This is where pacifiers come in, and help your little baby deal with their big pains. It should be noted with caution though, that these too, have a deadline. Considering that the baby will continuously keep trying to chew at the pacifier, the latex easily breaks. This can lead to injured gums, despite the rubber’s appearance. The best thing to do is to always invest in the best quality available and secondly, to replace it every 2 to 5 weeks. Careful though! Some babies become too attached to their pacifiers, so you might want to do this while they’re asleep or have their minds engaged elsewhere!</p> <h2>1. Disinfectants and mosquito repellants</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/word-image-1828.jpeg"/>Tapoos.com <p>Both of these are helpful in keeping harm at bay, all that matters is what it is that you’re aiming at! For kitchen counter-tops, pantry shelves and even for mopping floors, disinfectants not only just do the job, they do it well. The only issue is, you shouldn’t store them for more than three months or else their potency fails and they become, well, less disinfectant at what they’re doing. Next up is mosquito repellant which we’re taking, is most commonly found as spray. Though it does a great job at keeping pesky mosquitos away, if it’s stored for any time more than two years, it’ll only subject them a cool, odorless breeze. Definitely something you want the opposite of to happen!</p> <p>So good people, here are some important household items that don’t expressly have an expiry date but should be considered useless and expired once the signs as we discussed, start to show. However, before you discard any of these items, remember to reduce, reuse and recycle. If you can’t, or if it’s not of use to anyone else in any way, don’t regret tossing it in the bin! Did we miss out on something? Know some other household items that should be done away with in time? Let us know!</p> <i></i>