5 Hidden Household Health Risks

When do sneakers cause injury or smoke alarms become dangerous? And just how long have your prescriptions been expired? Follow this quick guide to ridding your home of unnecessary dangers.

1. Worn-Out Sneakers

Running or walking shoes that easily bend in half at the midsole may increase your risk of injury. Give them the boot. Remember, the average sneaker life span: 300 to 500 miles, or about six months.

2. Smoke Alarms

After a decade, smoke detectors won’t reliably warn of fire. Change them at once. Also key: Place alarms in and outside every bedroom and on each level of the home, and change batteries yearly.

3. Medicine Cabinet Contents

Even unopened saline solution and medication can quickly become less potent past their expiration dates. Toss ’em. And high temperatures degrade sunscreen, so replace it once a year.

4. Old Water-Pitcher Filters

Most pitcher filters will remove contaminants from 40 gallons of water-about three months’ worth of normal use. After that, the filter is useless. Replace it.

Tip: No warning light or timer on your filter? Slow flow indicates it’s maxed out.

5. Old Pesticides

The chemicals in pesticides more than two years old may not work as well, and worn-out containers are more apt to break, putting you at risk for exposure to toxins.