Healthy Up Your Home

Milk and eggs aren't the only things with an expiration date.

- STACEY COLINO

You don't need us to tell you to trash that weeks-old package of ground turkey you forgot to cook or that long-expired bottle of cough syrup. Some things are clearly past their prime, and using them could have a negative impact on your health. But there is other stuff all over your house that is no longer good for you either, though it may be less obvious. And when life is busy (when isn't it?), it's easy to miss the signs that it's time to take these things out of rotation.

But don't overthink it. Our room-by-room guide can help you identify products that may not have a use-by date stamped right on them but do in fact have limited life spans. Here's when, why, and how to toss, repurpose, or recycle them. (When it comes to recycling atypical items, check with your local sanitation department to see what it offers; you can also try earth911.com and search by your zip code.)

KITCHEN

Sponges

Life span 30 days

Why say goodbye? Moisture-rich sponges are breeding grounds for bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella, warns Chuck Gerba, Ph.D., a professor of environmental science at the University of Arizona in Tucson. "In our research, we've found that the bacteria get to really high numbers in three to four days," he says. To disinfect sponges in the meantime, put them in the microwave for 30 seconds or run them through the dishwasher every few days.

How-to You can compost cellulose sponges, Gerba advises.

Floor Mops

Life span Two to three months

Why say goodbye? Replace the mophead even sooner if it smells bad, as that's a sign of major bacterial growth, Gerba says. Otherwise, you run the risk of spreading bacteria throughout your home (yuck!).

How-to Just toss them. You may be able to recycle a wooden mop handle, but not the mophead.