Stay healthy: stick to the shelf-life

The end of the year is nigh, have you hoarded too much over the year? Your home can contain many potential health hazards; from bathroom to kitchen. We look at kitchen sponges, the contents of your fridge, medicine cabinet and make-up applicators, we show you how to de-clutter your life, and bring you good health in 2009. By Amanda Bown

Holding on to things after they've passed their use-by date can be hazardous to your health, and not just from potential bacterial contamination. Cluttering up your home isn't good for your emotional wellbeing either.

 

Tracy McCubbin, owner of dClutter in Los Angeles, USA, says: ‘When faced with the task of removing clutter from their lives, people tend to develop feelings of loss or worry about giving up something. Keeping items with an expired shelf-life not only adds to clutter, but can be dangerous, as the product may have lost its effectiveness, ie SPF sun creams.

 

'Women in particular think about the original costs of the product, from make-up, to medicine, to food, and keep items well beyond use-by dates, and have an attitude of "it may be of use some day". They tend to stick with the idea that the item was expensive, and procrastinate rather than throwing it away and moving on.'

 

In the bathroom

As we use it on our eyes and mouths, makeup is one of the products with most potential risks, but we all tend to keep using it until it runs out, whether that's weeks, months - or even years!

 

Dr Susan Blakeney, Optometric Adviser to The College of Optometrists, says: ‘In a recent survey 92% of women admitted to keeping mascaras longer than the six-month guidelines. Nearly two-thirds are using eye make-up that's over two years old!

 

Women think about the original costs of the product, and keep items well beyond use-by dates'Mascaras can be a breeding ground for bacteria, so it's no surprise to us that nearly half the women suffer from itchy, watery eyes when they hold on to their makeup for so long. Women are either unaware or ignoring manufacturer's use-by dates, so my advice for good health is: don't share make-up, and throw away mascaras after six months' use as the wands pick up bacteria from our skin.'

 

Brushing our teeth is another area where we need to take care. Dr Attila Kaman, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon and Dentist from Smile Savers Implant Centre, says: ‘Toothpaste, mouthwash and dental floss have a best-before date printed on them, so always check this. Bacteria can lurk in our toothbrush bristles, so rinse your toothbrush with hot water after use. Gum disease sufferers should change their toothbrush every four to six weeks. Everyone else should change every three months.'

 

Since 2005 EU guidelines introduced a new symbol to show how long a product will last after it's opened. It looks like a little jar with an open lid, with a number and letter, eg 18M means it will last for 18 months once it's opened.

 

The medicine cabinet is another place where we may keep products for too long. ‘Some medicines lose potency after their expiry dates, explains Ejaz Nabi, Pharmacy & Technical Director at BUPA Home Healthcare, 'but others like paracetamol can produce potentially harmful breakdown products if left unused for a long time. Using certain products, like creams and ointments, beyond their expiry date, can mean active ingredients take longer to enter the skin. Outdated eye and ear drops may no longer be sterile, and could possibly lead to an infection or irritation. It's never a good idea to leave expired medicines lying around, always discard.'

 

In the kitchen

Good hygiene is obviously important when preparing and storing food, but washing-up can be hazardous too.

Mark Parnell, Senior Editor at the NHS Choices website, says: ‘Decluttering is the key for items such as old cloths and sponges. Bacteria multiply wildly within hot, damp environments. In a busy working kitchen, used daily, these should be changed every two weeks. With fresh meat produce, the longer you leave them after the use-by-date, the higher the risk of germs multiplying. Chicken in particular contains Campylobacter; which is one of the most dangerous of bacterias; however these are killed off when cooked properly. Be careful not to transfer any bacteria to work surfaces when handling produce.'  

 

When it comes to food, you need to be careful and well organised, and a new idea from Ocado could help. CEO Tim Steiner explains: ‘Ocado provides customers with a new-look receipt that details when fresh food needs to be eaten and details the guaranteed minimum life of fresh food/drink. Customers won't have to rummage through the fridge, as they can see what needs eating up on a given day. It reduces food waste,as the receipt is itemised in sections "from fridge", "use by tomorrow", "the next day" and so forth. This service delivers to most major cities.'  

 

You can keep track of use-by dates with TimeStrip labels. They monitor product shelf-life and environmental conditions, and are suitable for food, cosmetics, and medical/pharmaceutical items. The labels are time and temperature sensitive, and accurately monitor the time that's elapsed.  From £5 for 50 fridge strips, at www.timestrip.com    

 

And the advice from cleaning gurus Kim Woodburn and Aggie Mackenzie is this: ‘Cloths are the real unseen enemy in kitchens; bacteria can multiply rapidly in warm, moist conditions. Bacteria from cloths can spread to hands, dishes and surfaces; even if it doesn't look dirty it may be contaminated. Change your dishcloths, drying towels and tea towels for fresh ones every day. Good kitchen hygiene is essential to prevent harmful build-up of bacteria and pathogens.'

 

Aggie knows the importance of decluttering, commenting: ‘I sort through my food cupboards regularly, cleaning out the fridge every Saturday before I re-stock. Leftovers that can't be used go out.'

 

 

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