Nothing Lasts Forever. These Wirecutter Picks All Have Expiration Dates. (2025)

Sunscreen: If you have a bottle of sunscreen left over from last summer, you might want to toss it. Over time, sunscreen breaks down (a process that can be sped up with exposure to direct sunlight and too much heat), and most bottles are labeled with an expiration date. If your bottle has no date, the Mayo Clinic recommends that you trash it after three years.

Bug repellent: According to Sawyer, the company behind our top-pick bug repellent, a bottle should be fine to use for about three years, and then you should retire it. If you use a bottle of repellent after three years, it won’t harm you, but you’ll probably find it to be less effective at repelling bugs and keeping you bite-free.

Mascara:A 2008 study conducted over three months found that germs and microbes can fester inside a mascara tube over time, and it concluded that mascara should be replaced every three months (this may be where the common advice of a three-month replacement period originated). However, your mascara may be able to last longer.

At the bottom of your mascara tube, you may see a number and a capital M (such as “3M” or “12M”); this is known as the “period after opening” (PAO) symbol, and it indicates how many months your product should be good for after you open it. You should follow the advice of this symbol. If your mascara gets dry and flaky before the time advised by the PAO symbol, you may want to replace it sooner.

Bike helmet: The lifespan of a helmet varies, but you should always replace yours after you’ve been involved in a crash—even if you don’t detect any surface damage. Once the foam underneath a cycling helmet’s plastic shell has been compressed in an accident, it can no longer do its job. You won’t always be able to tell what’s going on under that hard shell, though. That’s why we suggest you err on the side of caution after an accident and replace your helmet.

Even if you haven’t been in an accident, it’s usually a good idea to replace your helmet if any of the components show wear or discoloration, or if you’re finding it hard to secure the helmet on your head.

Children’s bike helmets: Giro—which makes the Tremor Child Helmet and the Tremor Mips Child Helmet, our top picks for kids—says to generally replace its helmets every three to five years. The company says the time frame is based on a variety of factors, like “wear over time, weather, handling, the potential for degradation from personal care products like sunscreen or bug spray, and the simple fact that helmets do improve over time.” Helmets can be kept in good condition beyond this recommended lifespan, but they can degrade over time, and not all degradation or damage is necessarily visible.

Infant car seats: Car seats typically have an expiration date of six or seven years from their manufacture date. Keep this in mind if you’re hanging on to a car seat for future use or thinking about giving it to a friend. And if you’re in a significant car accident, you should replace the car seat immediately, no matter how long you’ve had it. You can look for a buyback or retailer trade-in event to help save money when it’s time to get a new seat.

Convertible car seats and booster seats: Convertible car seats and booster seats both typically expire after 10 years—a longer usable lifespan than infant car seats have. If you’re in a significant accident, though, you should replace the convertible car seat or booster seat immediately afterward.

Baby bottles: Baby-bottle manufacturers all have different guidelines for how frequently bottles and nipples should be replaced, so you’ll want to check the guidelines for whichever baby bottles you choose. However, you should promptly dispose of any parts that show signs of wear or other damage.

Breast pumps: Our top-pick breast pumps from Spectra have duckbill valves that the company says should be replaced every two to three months if you’re pumping once daily; if you’re pumping more frequently, they should be replaced every three to four weeks. Manufacturers generally recommend that you replace tubing and flanges approximately every six months, though the specifics vary by brand. Additionally, you can help extend the life of your pumps by not putting the parts in the dishwasher, even if they are dishwasher-safe.

Reusable 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 their deterioration, and typically you will need to buy a new set of earplugs. But if you have a pair of the Loop Experience 2 earplugs—the top pick in our guide to the best earplugs for concerts—you need to swap out only the tips (which can be purchased separately for about $10).

Foam earplugs: Disposable foam earplugs (the kind you get at the drugstore that look like tubes or bullets) can be washed with soap and water between uses, but you shouldn’t use harsh cleaners or solvents. And they should be replaced every few days or when they’re showing any wear, according to OSHA guidelines. If you’re just using them to sleep, senior staff writer Lauren Dragan said you’re not risking safety by holding out for a few days more. But she still recommends replacing them after a week.

Toothbrushes and toothbrush heads: Most of us forget to change our toothbrushes often enough. Dentists recommend swapping your brush 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 the bristles on your toothbrush are flaring before three months, you might be brushing too hard.

Soda-maker bottles: These bottles need to be replaced every few years—otherwise, there’s a small risk of older, weakened plastic exploding. DrinkMate, the company behind our top-pick soda maker, suggests replacing bottles every one to two years. And Philips, which makes our budget pick, recommends replacing them every two years.

Reusable respirator masks: Our favorite reusable respirator mask—the 3M Rugged Comfort Quick Latch Half Facepiece Reusable Respirator—relies on the filters being changed (they’re sold separately). Once a package of filters is opened, the filters should last for a maximum of six months before needing to be replaced.

Elissa Sanci contributed reporting. This article was edited by Hannah Rimm and Maxine Builder.