Did you know there’s an ideal way to store your perfumes? The same way people hate to be too hot and too cold, so do many common household items. We’ve found the best storage conditions for 11 of the most common household items you’ve been getting wrong.

These weren’t made for your bathroom

1) Toothbrushes

Put down your food because this one is a bit gross. Studies have found that storing your toothbrush out in the open in your bathroom could mean it picks up fecal matter when you flush the toilet.

Your first response might be to add a brush cover but these are only useful when your brush is already dry. While wet, the warmth created by a brush cover is enough to encourage bacteria.

The best conditions are a cool, dry place with plenty of airflow to allow your brush head to air dry. Try to avoid toothbrush heads touching if you hate the idea of swapping germs with your roommate or family. And bonus tip; always close the toilet lid before flushing to keep those stinky particles in the bowl where they belong.

2) Makeup brushes

Similar to a toothbrush, anything that goes near your face is best kept clean and bacteria free. Makeup brushes naturally pick up oils and dirt from your face so need to be cleaned fortnightly or monthly depending on your frequency of use. Combine the already present bacteria with steam and open flushing toilets and you’ll regret the day you ever applied your makeup with those bristles. Take them out of the danger zone altogether with a brush holder on your bedroom vanity and apply your makeup dirt free.

3) Perfumes

Another product best left off the bathroom counter is your expensive perfume collection. Frequent changes in temperature from hot showers to hair drying and cooling off when the bathroom is empty are enough to change the chemical components of your favourite scent and can even mean it loses its potency sooner. Exposure to light has a similar effect so they’re best kept away from windows and in a consistent temperature. Some people recommend the fridge but if you’d rather skip mixing food and fragrance, try a bookcase in a dark corner of your room to display your makeup, perfume and jewellery collections. Find the perfect sized cabinet in MyDeal furniture.

4) Medications

Prescription meds are another important item regularly stored in bathroom cabinets. But the changing temperatures are yet again a culprit for ruining their vital chemical makeup. Instead, opt for a basket on a high shelf in your pantry which is much more temperate. Always check the label for ideal storing conditions and recommended temperatures.

The food fails we’ve all made

5) Onions and potatoes

It may be known as a veggie crisper but it wasn’t made for all forms of fruit and veg. Onions and potatoes are actually better stored in your dark, room temperature pantry. At chilled temps onions tend to go soggy while the starch in potatoes turns to sugar and leaves them gritty in texture.

6) Hard cheeses

Cut a slice of cheese, wrap it back up in the package it came; seems simple enough. However, once you’ve opened up your cheese you lose the airtight seal the original packaging was providing. Ever noticed a hard, dark patch on your favourite block? For hard cheeses this means air has seeped in and dried it out. Avoid this by storing it in an airtight container instead.

7) Oils and spices

You use them most around the stove so you may as well keep them there - at least in theory. In reality, too much heat can break down the rich flavour in your oils and release oils too soon from your spices leaving them dry and flavourless. Yet again it’s a cool, dark pantry shelf that keeps them best.

8) Wines

Wine storage as a concept is pretty popular but what about as a practice? Nitesh Bhatia, the CEO founder of Just Wines gave us some tips for keeping your wine at its best:

“There are a few misconceptions about wine storage and one of the most common is the longer you keep a bottle of wine before opening it, the better it will taste. The truth is, most wine is made to be consumed within the first few years.

Unless you have a dedicated, thermo-controlled wine fridge for the sole purpose of storing wine at the ideal temperature (around 15˚C), here are some tips for storing wine:

1. When in doubt, pick a cool, dry, dark place.
2. Avoid anywhere it could freeze.
3. Storing wine in regular fridge is ok but not longer than a few months.
4. Try to avoid a lot of movement.
5. Horizontal is best for cork-sealed but not necessary for screw-tops.

Sidenote: research has showed it’s actually beneficial to shake a bottle of champagne before you open it to decrease the pressure of the bubbles (you need to wait 2-3 minutes after the shake before you take the cork out).”
Keep up to date with Just Wines on Facebook.

Get it out of the car

9) Yoga mats

Keeping your sports mat in the car is convenient for all those ‘on a whim’ yoga classes you’ve been taking, right? Wrong. First off; are you actually taking spontaneous yoga? We didn’t think so. Second, the humidity from your car boot breaks down the fibres of your mat quicker which is why it’s peeling at the edges. Plan your exercise in advance instead and only pack the mat when you plan to use it.

10) Sunscreen

It’s the kind of thing you always want on hand in Australia. Unfortunately, it doesn’t like sitting in a hot car anymore than you do. High heats break down the active ingredients in your sunscreen making it less effective. If it’s left in extreme heat too long it is a risk of exploding within the bottle and leaving you a huge mess.

11) Water Bottles

There’s a reason PFOA free bottles have taken the world by storm. The chemicals in a standard plastic water bottle have been linked with concerning health issues from heart disease to some cancers. When bottles get hot in your car these chemicals are likely to leach from the plastic into the water and before you know it you’ve ingested them.

How many of these mistakes are you guilty of? Luckily it’s never too late to start storing things correctly.

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