Expiration dates - check 'em out

[Bucky]

I was reading an article not too long ago about expiration dates and saw a segment on tv too about this, that I thought I would just throw it out there for all of us.  When was the last time you went through your medicine cabinet, makeup, spice rack, refrigerator, pantry, etc. checking on expiration dates?  Some times the years fly by and before you know it, the product is a couple years past it's expiration date!   

For instance, just today since I was going to be posting this, I checked out the medicine cabinet real quick. 
I found:

        *   A bottle of pills that was prescribed in December 2005
        *   A bottle of prenatal vitamins from 1995!! 
        *   Anti-itch lotion, expiration 4/2007
        *    Bottle of Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol, expiration 3/2008
        *    Bottle of mouth rinse, expiration 11/2008

Medicine loses it's effectiveness once it goes past the expiration date.  They use to tell people to flush pills down the toilet - now, they say not to do that.  I know here where I live, the pharmacy will take back expired medicine (has to be in original container) and see that they are disposed of properly.

Not only pills, but anything that comes in a tube (first aid cream, poision ivy cream, A & D Ointment, etc.).  I know for myself, that some times I have only used the product once - there is a full tube of it left.  However, it expired four years ago!!     As much as you hate to do it, throw it away and get fresh.

I know I have kept (and used) suntan lotion for years and years . . . did you know they have expiration dates on them?  Hmmm, maybe that explains why they were so runny when I tried to use them.   

When was the last time you checked all the makeup that you use?  They don't last forever or until they get used up - they do go bad.  Unopened, cosmetics can be good for a couple of years at room temperature.  Once a product is opened and exposed to air, your fingers, etc., you transfer germs to them.  Heat and humidity promotes growth of mold and yeast too.   I found the following guidelines about keeping makeup.

     *  Face Makeup - six months for liquids, two years for powders
     *  Mascara - three months    (and don't "pump" the wand in and out, each time you do that you are putting air and bacteria into the tube)
     *  Eyeliner and Eye Shadow - Liquid eyeliners, three months; cream eye shadow - six months; pencil eyeliners and powder eye shadows - two years
     *  Lipstick and Lipliner - Lipstick and gloss, two years; lipliner - two years or more
     *  Nail Polish - one to two years  (avoid storing these in the bathroom)
     *  Sunscreen - six months
     *  Hair Products - one year
     *  Fragrance - two years

In our current economy, we certainly want to get the most for our money - however, stretching the products we use past their expiration date or freshness can cause us infections or sickness.  We don't need either of those!!   

So, check out your medicine cabinet and get rid of products that have expired, dried up, changed color, changed smell, etc.  Same for the kitchen - refrigerator, spices, pantry.

Bucky


(information for this post was taken from:  http://www.goodhousekeeping.com)