A recent article from ivillage.com elaborated on why storing your medications in your bathroom vanities or medicine cabinets might not be the best idea anymore. Arrica Elin Sansone cited a quote from a Professor from the Pharmaceutical College at the University of Cincinnati, stating that the moisture and humidity that occurs in bathrooms can cause the drugs to break down and be less effective. Additionally, Sansone pointed out that many of the medications we keep are actually expired! (Yet we have to rummage through all of them before we find what we are actually looking for!) Her suggestion was to do a twice yearly inventory and toss out all the expired meds. Then stock up on basic necessities like headache, cold and flu, and indigestion medicines–or all the things that you have, in the past, been rummaging to find! Her checklist of good items to keep in your bathroom vanity includes:
- Pain relievers
- Antacids
- Antibiotic ointment
- Anti-itch cream
- Antihistamine
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Vasoline
- Various sized bandages
- Thermometer
