Happy first day of spring! ? Not only is it a brand new season, it’s also International Day of Happiness. And for us spring cleaners, it’s National Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet Day.
As you tackle your spring cleaning to-do list, don’t forget about the medicine cabinet. Now is the perfect time to declutter, clean, and organize it.
Take a good look at the products you store there, then take a better look at the ingredients they contain. Pay close attention to when they expire, and discard the outdated products.
To learn how to discard them, keep reading.
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Read the Fine Print
Do you know what’s in your medicine cabinet? Most of us keep expired and unused products at home: skin creams, eye drops, medications.
Outdated skin care products can lose their effect or harm your skin. Eye drops and contact lens solution can harbor harmful bacteria. Expired or unused medicine can put you and your family in danger.
Prescription drugs are the most common source of misuse and diversion in teens. If you have kids at home, store your medications in a safe place. And discard expired or unused medications the right way.
How to Discard Medications
Robert W. Patterson heads the Drug Enforcement Administration. “The home medicine cabinet is a frequent target of prescription drug abusers,” he said. “It often provides access to prescription medication.
“The more unused painkillers or controlled drugs we can [remove from homes, the more lives we can save],” he said.
Take-back events are a great way to discard your expired or unused medications. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day occurs twice this year – April 28 and October 27.
If you miss these events, many pharmacies will accept medications for disposal. Don’t flush medicines down the toilet unless the package instructions allow this. Otherwise, you could damage the water supply.
And don’t toss medications in the trash can. If you must throw them away, remove them from the original container and put them in a plastic bag or coffee can.
Fill with coffee grounds or cat litter, then add some water to the mix before sealing it. This is a good way to keep discarded medications out of the hands of drug abusers.
Other Products to Discard
While you’re in spring cleaning mode, take a few minutes to clear out several other things in your bathroom. Things you might not store in your medicine cabinet.
Look in your linen closet, bathroom cabinets, drawers, and under-the-sink storage. The following items are things to consider for disposal. See this post to learn when to say good-bye to them.
- Loofah
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Antibiotic ointment
- Acne treatment
- Tampons
- Bar soap
- Razor blades
- Sunscreen
Does the list surprise you? I know how hard it can be to throw away something you’ve hardly used. (I’m applying the KonMari Method to my home.)
But sometimes you just have to toss a few products – empty or not. It’s unlikely that you’ll miss them. And if you do, you can replace then with newer, better, safer products.
By the way, if you’re looking for a new medicine cabinet, Wayfair has some beautiful choices. Click here to read more about the Winston Porter recessed cabinet shown in the post photos. { Amazon also has some great options. }
RELATED – What is Way Day? The Biggest Sale of the Year at Wayfair
Now It’s Your Turn
Now it’s YOUR turn to chime in. How often do you clean out your medicine cabinet? What is your top bathroom cleaning tip?
Let’s fill the comments with friendly conversation. Scroll down to leave a reply, ask a question, or just say hello. And if you liked this post, please give it a share.
Blessings, Annette
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Photo Sources
Reference Sources
- Health Magazine
- Drug Enforcement Administration
- Food and Drug Administration
- Medicine Cabinets | Amazon
