How to know when your cleaning products have expired

In short, yes, cleaning products can expire: “Like many products purchased at the grocery store, cleaning products can degrade over time,” says Brian Sansoni, senior vice president of communications, outreach and membership at the American Cleaning Institute.

“Even if they contain preservatives, that doesn’t mean they last forever. As they begin to break down, it might affect how well the enzymes work or change the pH, resulting in a less effective product,” Sansoni explains.

Expired surface cleaning sprays and dishwashing liquids likely won’t damage the surfaces they’re intended to be used on, but they simply won’t clean as effectively. You may have to use a little more of the product or clean for longer to get the same results.

“However, when it comes to disinfectants and hand sanitizers, it needs to be within that shelf life to have the desired effect,” Sansoni says.

The easiest way to tell if your cleaning supplies are expired is to check the date printed on the bottle or box. If there isn’t any expiration date, there may be a manufacture date — then use the general guide below to determine if the product is expired.

• Bleach: Once opened, bleach has a surprisingly short shelf life and starts to become less effective after six months.
• Multi-surface cleaning sprays: Most cleaning sprays will last for two years.
• Dish detergent: About one year to 18 months.
• Laundry detergent: Lasts for six months to one year after opening.
• Disinfecting sprays: About two years after the manufacture date.
• Hand sanitizer: Check for an expiration date on the bottle — most last for two to three years.

“The expiration date tells you how long that shelf life is under typical conditions (at room temperature, stored out of direct sunlight, etc.),” Sansoni says.

If you’re storing your hand sanitizer in a hot car, it could be losing potency faster and may end up containing less than 60% alcohol (the amount needed to be sufficiently effective, according to the CDC) before it even reaches its expiration date.

A small amount of bleach can typically be diluted in water and poured down the sink. For larger amounts, check if there are any disposal instructions printed on the container. If not, call your local hazardous-waste-disposal facility for their recommendations.

Keep in mind that certain cleaning chemicals should never be combined — such as bleach and ammonia — and that holds true when disposing of them, too. Pouring these chemicals down the sink at the same time can create a toxic gas.