Spring Cleaning: Three Steps to Declutter Your Medicine Cabinet

Spring is a great time to declutter old and unused medicines from your home. When done regularly, this spring-cleaning activity is easy and can lead to safer medicine use. Having old medicines around the house can contribute to confusion and medication errors. However, sometimes it’s hard to know what to get rid of and how to get started. Here are three easy steps.

1. Check expiration dates on all nonprescription medicines. Expiration dates are printed either on the label or directly on the bottle, usually on the bottom or near the neck of the bottle. If the product comes in a box, the expiration date is often imprinted on one of the ends of the box. For creams or ointments, look on the crimp at the bottom of the tube. A good rule of thumb is to get rid of any products that are six months or more beyond the expiration date.
2. Get rid of old prescription medications. Look for the date on the pharmacy label of when the prescription was filled. A general rule is that prescription medicines are good for one year from the fill date. Beyond one year, the pills may no longer be effective. Worse yet, they could be harmful. More commonly the concern is that light, heat, or humidity can alter the quality of the pills and they will not dissolve in the stomach or will otherwise become ineffective.
3. Clean out any loose tablets or capsules, as well as medicines that have not been stored in their original containers or not capped properly.  

The next step is to safely get rid of all the expired and unused medicines. Creams and ointments can be thrown out in the garbage can. Tablets and capsules should not be flushed down the sink or toilet. Rather, mix them with coffee grounds, cat litter, or another undesirable substance, bag them up, and throw them out in the trash. Another option is that most police stations and pharmacies now offer a place to drop off old medications, where they will be safely incinerated to minimize damage to the environment. The next National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is on April 24, 2021, but many locations accept drugs throughout the year. Take Back Day

A final but important safety point is that medicines should not be stored in the “medicine cabinet!” Bathrooms can get hot and humid, as can space above the stove. These conditions can alter the formulation of tablets and capsules making them ineffective. Ideally, store your medicines in a cool, dry place, away from heat and humidity and out of the reach of children.   

4/11/21 By Hedva Barenholtz Levy