How Long Will This Last? Food, Cosmetics, & Household Chemicals

Here are some common expiration dates for various household products and food stuffs.



Food Stuffs

Beer

Unopened: 4 months.

Brown sugar

Indefinite shelf life, stored in a moistureproof container in
a cool, dry place.

Chocolate (Hershey bar)

1 year from production date

Coffee, canned ground

Unopened: 2 years

Opened: 1 month refrigerated

Coffee, gourmet

Beans:
3 weeks in paper bag, longer in vacuum-seal bag (After this time, color
or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to
consume.)

Ground: 1 week in sealed container

Coffee, instant

Unopened: Up to 2 years

Opened: Up to 1 month

Diet soda (and soft drinks in plastic bottles)

Unopened: 3 months from "best by" date.

Opened: Doesn't spoil, but taste is affected.

Dried pasta

12 months

Frozen dinners

Unopened: 12 to 18 months

Frozen vegetables

Unopened: 18 to 24 months

Opened: 1 month

Honey

Indefinite shelf life

Juice, bottled (apple or cranberry)

Unopened: 8 months from production date

Opened: 7 to 10 days

Ketchup

Unopened: 1 year (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Opened
or used: 4 to 6 months (After this time, color or flavor may be
affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Maple syrup, real or imitation

1 year

Maraschino cherries

Unopened: 3 to 4 years

Opened: 2 weeks at room temperature; 6 months refrigerated

Marshmallows

Unopened: 40 weeks

Opened: 3 months

Mayonnaise

Unopened: Indefinitely

Opened:
2 to 3 months from “purchase by” date (After this time, color or flavor
may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Mustard

2 years (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Olives, jarred (green with pimento)

Unopened: 3 years

Opened: 3 months

Olive oil

2
years from manufacture date (After this time, color or flavor may be
affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Peanuts

Unopened: 1 to 2 years unless frozen or refrigerated

Opened: 1 to 2 weeks in airtight container

Peanut butter, natural

9 months

Peanut butter, processed (Jif)

Unopened: 2 years

Opened: 6 months; refrigerate after 3 months

Pickles

Unopened: 18 months

Opened: No conclusive data. Discard if slippery or excessively soft.

Protein bars (PowerBars)

Unopened: 10 to 12 months. Check "best by" date on the package.

Rice, white

2 years from date on box or date of purchase

Salad dressing, bottled

Unopened: 12 months after "best by" date

Opened: 9 months refrigerated

Soda, regular

Unopened: In cans or glass bottles, 9 months from "best by" date

Opened: Doesn't spoil, but taste is affected

Steak sauce

33 months (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Tabasco

5 years, stored in a cool, dry place

Tea bags (Lipton)

Use within 2 years of opening the package

Tuna, canned

Unopened: 1 year from purchase date

Opened: 3 to 4 days, not stored in can

Soy sauce, bottled

Unopened: 2 years

Opened: 3 months (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Vinegar

42 months

Wine (red, white)

Unopened: 3 years from vintage date; 20 to 100 years for fine wines

Opened: 1 week refrigerated and corked

Worcestershire sauce

Unopened: 5 to 10 years (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Opened: 2 years

Household Products

Air freshener, aerosol

2 years

Antifreeze, premixed

1 to 5 years

Antifreeze, concentrate

Indefinite

Batteries, alkaline

7 years

Batteries, lithium

10 years

Bleach

3 to 6 months

Dish detergent, liquid or powdered

1 year

Fire extinguisher, rechargeable

Service or replace every 6 years

Fire extinguisher, nonrechargeable

12 years

Laundry detergent, liquid or powdered

Unopened: 9 months to 1 year

Opened: 6 months

Metal polish (silver, copper, brass)

At least 3 years

Miracle Gro, liquid

Opened: 3 to 8 years

Miracle Gro, liquid, water-soluble

Indefinite

Motor oil

Unopened: 2 to 5 years

Opened: 3 months

Mr. Clean

2 years

Paint

Unopened: Up to 10 years

Opened: 2 to 5 years

Spray paint

2 to 3 years

Windex

2 years

Wood polish (Pledge)

2 years

Beauty Products

All dates are from the manufacture
date, which is either displayed on the packaging or can be obtained
by calling the manufacturer's customer-service number.

Bar soap

18 months to 3 years

Bath gel, body wash

3 years

Bath oil

1 year

Body bleaches and depilatories

Unopened: 2 years

Used: 6 months

Body lotion

3 years

Conditioner

2 to 3 years

Deodorant

Unopened: 2 years

Used: 1 to 2 years

For antiperspirants, see expiration date

Eye cream

Unopened: 3 years

Used: 1 year

Face lotion

With SPF, see expiration date. All others, at least 3 years

Foundation, oil-based

2 years

Foundation, water-based

3 years

Hair gel

2 to 3 years

Hair spray

2 to 3 years

Lip balm

Unopened: 5 years

Used: 1 to 5 years

Lipstick

2 years

Mascara

Unopened: 2 years

Used: 3 to 4 months

Mouthwash

Three years from manufacture date

Nail polish

1 year

Nail-polish remover

Lasts indefinitely

Perfume

1 to 2 years

Rubbing alcohol

At least 3 years

Shampoo

2 to 3 years

Shaving cream

2 years or more

Tooth-whitening strips

13 months

Wash'n Dri moist wipes

Unopened: 2 years

Opened: Good until dried out

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