North Garrison Heights Neighborhood Association

It's Time to clean out your medicine chest

Jan 24, 2000

by Jeanne LaViolette, NE 87th Ave.

You'd be amazed to discover that items like rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, creams and rubs have expiration dates as do prescription drugs and over the counter medications. Even toothpaste, corn pads and vitamins have an expiration date. All such items are chemical preparations and therefore will break down in time and may harm you, or do nothing at all rather than help you.

If you can't find an expiration date and you know it's more than 2 years old, throw it out.

After you purge your own cabinet, do the same for an older relative or friend. Many can no longer read the tiny expiration dates. Some who have lived through the Great Depression tend to save everything. But you will be doing them a great favor if you clean out their out- dated stuff.