This Is the #1 Thing You Need to Spring Clean in Your Bathroom

When spring cleaning your bathroom, you likely do all the usual chores like scrubbing toilets and disinfecting faucets. But one of the most important things to spring clean in your bathroom actually isn’t a cleaning solution or a bath product—it’s a doctor-recommended necessity. If you still have last season’s sunscreen in your medicine cabinet, it’s time to toss it.

We usually buy sunscreen at the beginning of the summer, only use part of the bottle, then stash it away only to pull it out around the same time the following year. While it may seem like a waste of money to throw out half-used bottles of sunscreen, there’s a good reason you probably should.

Why You Should Spring Clean Your Sunscreen

Just like all other skincare products, sunscreen has an expiration date—and it typically comes around faster than you can use up the product. That’s why it’s one of those household items you should check when decluttering the bathroom closet. Dermatologist Sheila Farhang, who works with Neutrogena and Bliss, says you need to make sure your sunscreen is doing its job and protecting your skin. She shares the most common reasons why it may be time to toss your sunscreen, whether sunscreen is still effective once it has expired, and the tell-tale signs that you need to toss the bottle.

Tossing a half-full bottle of sunscreen may seem wasteful, but if it is expired, you absolutely should get rid of it. “Once sunscreen is past its expiration date, the active ingredients can degrade and may no longer provide the labeled SPF protection,” Dr. Farhang says. According to the dermatologist, using expired sunscreen can leave your skin vulnerable to sun damage and make it more prone to irritation or infection if the bottle has been contaminated.

When It’s Time to Toss It

Skincare product expiration dates should be taken as seriously as the expiration dates on your groceries. Farhang says some products have a period-after-opening symbol graphic that serves as guidance for when it’s time to toss the product. For example, “If the graphic is 12M, it means the product is good for 12 months after opening the product for the first time,” she explains.

“You should definitely toss your sunscreen if it’s expired, if the color has changed, or if the texture seems off—like if it’s separated or clumpy,” she says. She explains that these are all signs that the formula has broken down and may not protect your skin properly anymore.

The FDA’s regulations require all sunscreens to have an expiration date, unless the product manufacturer’s stability testing has shown that the specific product will remain stable for three years. Therefore, if there is no expiration date on your sunscreen, it’s likely that if unopened, it will last for up to three years. However, it is always best to err on the side of caution so if you don’t see an expiration date on the packaging or it has faded, get rid of the sunscreen and purchase a new one.

The Ideal Time to Stock Up On Sunscreen

While the common misconception is that sunscreen is only needed in the summer, Farhang recommends wearing it year-round. As for the ideal time to stock up on the product? “I would stock up when your favorite is on sale or has a promo,” the expert says. She notes that we typically use more sunscreen in the spring and summer seasons, especially for our body, so spring or early summer is a good time to make sure that you’re stocked up and ready for the sunshine. “Just make sure you’re checking the expiration dates and not buying more than you’ll use within a year or two,” she says.