Blog

Household Items You Did Not Think Could Expire

Most of us have experienced food go bad in our kitchens. That banana you never got around to or those leftovers that got pushed to the back of your fridge and forgotten. But there are many other items we all keep around the home that can go bad without giving you such clear signs. Ripple Creek Homes wants to share a few of them with you.

Fire Extinguishers

Thankfully, most of us do not have to deal with household fires very often, or ever. Because our fire extinguisher may not get regular use, we may forget about it all together. But if the foam inside the canister has solidified, it will not be able to help you if there is an emergency. That is why it is important to check to see if your fire extinguisher is still good. You can do so by checking to see if the pressure gauge is in the green zone. If it is not, be sure to dispose of it properly.

Batteries

The chemical composition in batteries begins to degrade as soon as they are made. For this reason, batteries have an actual expiration date printed directly on the package. Different factors can play into how long your batteries last, though. Manufacturers suggest storing them in a cool, dry place to get the longest life out of your batteries.

Medicine

Medications are sensitive to light, air, and moisture and should thus be stored properly. That is why the medicine cabinet is a pretty standard element included in most homes. But after some time, medicines will begin to become weak and less effective, and in some cases they can even become toxic. So, it is especially important that you always check the dates on your medicines and store them in the proper place.

Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detectors

Making sure that your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors have fresh batteries is important, but these items will still lose their effectiveness over time. Manufacturers generally recommend replacing them all together every ten years.

There are still many more items you should check the expiration date on occasionally such as, sunscreen, paint, and makeup, but this is a list of some of the more important ones to note. If you are interested in learning more about all sorts of areas of home living, then do not forget to check back on our blog page often! We update it with new information regularly.

By Ripple Creek Homes 8-31-2020