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It's time to replace these household items.
Dated: June 13 2024
Views: 64
Nothing lasts forever. Still, for the sake of your wallet and the planet, we try to recommend things that won’t break quickly and go straight to the landfill. But plenty of items (otherwise-good stuff we recommend) around your home need to be replaced every so often. Some of them trap germs and bacteria over time. Others lose efficacy as the years wear on. Here’s a handy guide to when and why you should swap out some things that you (probably) use every day.
Replace every few months
Toilet brush: You should replace your toilet brush every few months or when you see the bristles start to bend—whichever comes first. Regularly spraying your brush and its holder with a disinfectant or bleach solution extends its life, but bacteria buildup isn’t the only reason to swap your brush for a new one. As the bristles on your brush flatten over time, the brush handle could start scraping the porcelain bowl, which provides new places for germs to burrow.
The OXO toilet brush has the best bristles of any brush we tested, with an attractive base that conceals the brush while still letting the head dry out. And its brush head is replaceable, which helps reduce waste.
Water filters: Filters keep your drinking water clean from contaminants and impurities; to make sure they keep doing that job well, these filters need to be replaced regularly. Faucet-mounted water filters typically last three months (or for 100 gallons of use), and most pitcher filters should be swapped every two months. (If you’re not sure about your filter’s replacement schedule, check the owner’s manual.) If you have a refrigerator with a built-in water dispenser, you should check the manual for guidelines on how often to replace the filter. For example, Whirlpool recommends changing the filter on its built-in water dispensers every six months.
Earplugs: Depending on how frequently you use them, universal-fit earplugs (like those you’d wear to a concert) should be replaced every three to six months. Earwax, dust, and sweat can all contribute to earplugs’ deterioration. Typically, this means you need to buy a new set of plugs. But if you have a pair of the Loop Experience Earplugs—the top pick in our guide to the best earplugs for concerts—you only need to swap out the tips (which can be purchased separately for about $10).
Although no universal earplug reduces sounds as evenly as a custom design, this pair offers solid noise protection and is the most enjoyable to wear.
Foam earplugs (the kind you get at the drugstore that look like tubes or bullets) should be washed with soap and water. And they should be replaced every few days or if they’re showing any wear, according to OSHA guidelines. If you’re just using them to sleep, senior staff writer Lauren Dragan says you’re not risking safety by holding out a few days more. But she still recommends replacing them after a week.
Mascara: Germs and microbes can fester inside a mascara tube after the wand has gone from your eye to the tube several dozen times. It’s smart to replace your mascara every two to four months.
With a nimble, bendy brush and a satin-slick formula, this drugstore mascara delivers long, perfectly delineated lashes.
Humidifier wicks: If you use an evaporative humidifier, such as our also-great pick the Vornado EVDC300, you’ll want to periodically clean the wicks. But wicks can’t be used indefinitely; they need to be replaced at least every six months.
Toothbrushes and toothbrush heads: Although most of us forget to change our toothbrushes often enough, dentists recommend swapping out for a new brush or brush head (if you use an electric toothbrush, like our pick the Oral-B Pro 1000) roughly every three months. If you find the bristles on your toothbrush flaring and needing replacement before three months, you might be brushing too hard.
The rechargeable Oral-B Pro 1000 has the most-important features for a reasonable price: a two-minute timer with handy quadrant pacing and compatibility with the largest range of widely available replacement brush heads. It has a pressure sensor and a long-lasting battery.
Replace every few years
Surge protectors: If your surge protectors lack an auto-shutoff feature, replace them every three to five years. Otherwise, they’ll continue to pass power to your devices long after their surge protection has worn out, effectively rendering them useless. Our top pick, the Tripp Lite TLP1208SAT, has an auto-shutoff feature and an indicator light to let you know whether it’s still working as intended. Keep in mind that you should replace surge protectors after any large event—like multiple outages in rapid succession or a lightning strike nearby—regardless of how long you’ve had them.
This surge protector was among the best at preventing surges. It shuts off once the protection wanes, and it has 12 AC outlets—plus coaxial and phone ports—but no USB.
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