How Often Should You Replace Everyday Household Items

Look at that sponge that’s sitting by your sink right now.

How long have you been using it? If it could talk, it would probably tell you it wants to retire because it’s been working way too long. But that stinky old sponge is the least of your issues because you’ve had that lumpy pillow that’s on your bed since college, and if you put that cutting board you insist on using under a microscope, you’d freak out. Gross.

The thing is, you’re so used to all these items that you don’t notice how old and dingy they are.

None of us wants to admit it, but a lot of stuff we use around the house doesn’t last nearly as long as we think they do. You can’t rinse sponges as fast as they collect bacteria, and pillows that lose their shape can mess with your neck. I know, I know, it’s your emotional support pillow and you’ve had it since forever, but the fact is, it’s not good for you.

Let me show you some stuff you need to replace right now and how often you should replace them in the future.

How to Know When Household Items Need to Be Replaced

One great tip I have to share is that you can use an AI video generator to create short guides for yourself or even reminders to keep track of when you need to replace the items you often forget about.

Most people don’t even think about switching out their basics, like dish towels and cutting boards, until they literally fall apart. But by that point, bacteria and grime are already all over the place. Materials take a while to break down and, as they do that, they slowly lose their ability to do their job. And since that all happens bit by bit, it’s easy to ignore it and assume things are still fine.

If you stick to a replacement schedule, not only are you being neat, but you’re also protecting your health.

Bacteria and allergens build up quietly, and you won’t even know what’s happening until you’re sneezing like a maniac and smelling weird odors.

Common Household Items and When to Replace Them

Here are some of the items we all use every day and how often they need to be swapped out.

Sponges

Bacteria absolutely love your sponges. Since sponges are always damp and collect food particles, they’re never really clean. Even if you rinse them out every time you use them, germs stay on them and multiply super fast.

It’s best to replace sponges every one to two weeks, depending on how often you use them. And if yours starts to smell bad or change color, that’s a sign it should have been in the trash weeks ago.

Dish Towels

Dish towels look clean after a quick wash, but they’re constantly absorbing moisture and coming into contact with kitchen surfaces, hands, even raw food and dust. Over time, they collect bacteria and start to lose their ability to dry effectively.

It helps if you wash them, but most dish towels need to be replaced every one to two years. If you notice that the fabric is thin or that it has stains that can’t be washed out, you need to throw them out and get some fresh ones.

Pillows

Everybody forgets about their pillows, but do you know how much gross stuff is in them? Dust mites, sweat, skin cells, random bacteria… And all of that builds up and builds up every night. They also lose their shape and stop supporting your neck and spine properly.

Ideally, you’d replace your pillows every one to two years. This way, they’re always clean and comfortable.

There are many signs that your pillow replacement is overdue, like waking up with neck pain, lumps in the structure of the pillow, weird odors, yellowing on the fabric, etc.

Cutting Boards

Every kitchen needs a cutting board, but if you keep it too long, it can actually become dangerous. Knives create grooves on the surface, and bacteria can’t wait to hide in them. Now, you might be thinking you’ll wash the surface and clean it out, but that will only make your cutting board look clean.

If you have a plastic cutting board, you need to replace it every one to two years. If you have a wooden board and you’ve been maintaining it, it should be fine for up to three to four years.

Shower Liners

Shower liners live in one of the dampest parts of your home, which makes them prone to mold and mildew. Even if you clean them all the time, most plastic liners need to be replaced every six months.

If you don’t want to replace them so often, switch to a fabric liner you can easily wash. If you run it through the laundry regularly, it will last much longer than a plastic one.

Conclusion

Do you feel like your home is a breeding ground for bacteria now?

Well, good, because it probably is. And you’re probably sleeping on a combination of dust mites and old skin cells. If that sounds gross, then what are you waiting for? Replace your old stuff with new, clean ones and make up a schedule so you don’t end up using disgusting items in the future.