When was the last time you replaced these home items?

When you go into each room of your house, there are certain items that demand attention, such as your clawfoot tub, a colorful sofa or a sparkling light fixture. It’s easy to know when these particular items need replacing, but it’s important to remember the lesser-seen objects as well. Here are a few common household items that could stand to be replaced:

Bathroom accessories

Your clawfoot tub, toilet and vanity are the stars of your bathroom design, but there are a few things in your bathroom that you might be overlooking. Head over to your vanity and see if any of these common objects need to be replaced:

Toothbrush: You use your toothbrush every day, but it’s easy to lose track of how long you’ve been using it. After about three months of use, toothbrushes can actually become less effective at cleaning out plaque and bacteria. Mark your calendar or set a notification on your smartphone to remind you when it’s time to buy a new brush.

Showerhead: Your showerhead should ideally be replaced about every six months. You may not realize it, but bacteria and microbes can grow in the cracks and crevices of the fixture, which can come dislodged when you shower. Keep your bathroom clean by swapping out your showerhead for a new one.

Makeup: How old is your mascara? If it’s been more than three months since you’ve purchased a new tube, it’s time to toss out the one you have. Foundation should be replaced after a year, and any powders need to be thrown out after two years.

Medicine: Go through your medicine cabinet and look at the expiration dates on all of your vitamins and medicine. It’s easy to not realize that a certain bottle has actually been expired for years. Throw out any expired medication or vitamins and replace with new ones.

Sponge

The sponge you use to wipe your dishes and glassware clean could be crawling with bacteria. This common kitchen item should be replaced at least twice a month. Another option would be to clean the sponge by soaking it in 1/4 cup water and putting it in the microwave for about one minute.

Spices

While there aren’t any health hazards associated with consuming spices that have expired, your food certainly won’t benefit from using them. Most spices have an average shelf life of about three years. After that, they start to lose some of their zing.