12 household essentials you should probably replace

Sorry [Sorry, but it’s probably time to replace these household essentials]( Nothing lasts forever. Still, for the sake of your wallet and the planet, we try to recommend things that won’t break quickly and go straight to the landfill. But plenty of items around your home need to be replaced every so often. Some of them trap germs and bacteria over time. Others lose efficacy as the years wear on. A few essentials should be replaced after anything greatly disruptive happens—regardless of how long you’ve had them. For example, surge protectors (!) should be replaced after lighting strikes nearby. [Here’s our guide]( to when and why you should swap out some Wirecutter picks that you (probably) use every day. We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. [Learn more ›]( Replace every few months [A close-up view of a white and blue toilet brush on a bathroom floor.]( Rozette Rago [Toilet brush]( You should [replace your toilet brush]( every few months or when you see the bristles start to bend—whichever comes first. As the bristles on your brush flatten over time, the brush handle could start scraping the porcelain bowl, which provides new places for germs to burrow. [Water filters]( [Faucet-mounted water filters]( typically last three months (or for 100 gallons of use), and most [pitcher filters]( should be swapped every two months. If you have a refrigerator with a built-in water dispenser, you should check the manual for guidelines on how often to replace the filter. [Toothbrushes and toothbrush heads]( Most of us forget to change our toothbrushes often enough, but dentists recommend getting a new brush or brush head roughly every three months. (Replacement heads for [our top pick electric toothbrush]( are cheap!) Replace every few years [An assortment of surge protectors shown in a pile on the floor.]( Kyle Fitzgerald [Surge protectors]( If your [surge protectors]( lack an auto-shutoff feature, replace them every three to five years. Also keep in mind that you should replace surge protectors after any large event—like multiple outages in rapid succession or a lightning strike nearby—regardless of how long you’ve had them. [Car seats]( [Infant car seats]( typically have [an expiration date]( of six or seven years from their manufacture date. [Convertible car seats]( and [booster seats]( both typically expire after 10 years. And if you’re in a significant car accident, you should [replace the car seat immediately]( no matter how long you’ve had it. (By the way, if you’re due for a new booster seat, we found a deal on our top pick. [Snag the easy-to-use and versatile Chicco KidFit for 20% off here]( [Plastic cutting boards]( Frequently used [plastic cutting boards]( should be replaced about every two years. You’ll know it’s time for a replacement when a sponge snags on deep cuts or scratches along the board. [Sunscreen]( [Sunscreen]( breaks down over time, and most bottles are labeled with an expiration date that’s no more than three years from when you buy it. If your bottle has no date, the Mayo Clinic recommends that you trash it after [three years](. [Air purifier filters]( Purifier manufacturers typically recommend [yearly HEPA filter replacements]( but this advice can vary from brand to brand, so always check the owner’s manual. That said, we’ve also found in our testing that HEPA filters continue to perform almost like new after a year of constant use. The world won’t end if you’re a few months behind schedule. [A First Alert smoke detector shown installed on a ceiling.]( Michael Hession [Smoke detectors]( All [smoke alarms]( whether or not [they are smart]( need to be replaced 10 years from the date of manufacture—not the date of installation. You can find the date your alarm was made printed on the unit itself. If a smoke alarm doesn’t have a date, that means it was manufactured before 2000, when expiration dates weren’t legally required to be printed on the unit. You’ll definitely want to replace that one. Replacement time varies, but keep an eye on these items [A few different types of pillows in a pile on top of a rug.]( Michael Hession [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 under a cycling helmet’s plastic shell has been compressed in an accident, it can no longer do its job. [Pillows]( “There’s no firm lifespan for [pill]( because bodies, pillow fillings, and sleep habits are different,” says senior staff writer Jackie Reeve. “But if you start noticing over time that you’ve got new neck, shoulder, or back pain when you wake in the morning, or if you start getting headaches in the night, these are all good signs that your pillow might need replacing.” [Mattresses]( The typical warranty for a mattress is 10 years. However, just because the warranty says the mattress will last 10, 15, or 20 years, that doesn’t mean it will be in good condition for the entire time. You might notice body impressions within just a few months. These indentations could be deep enough to be annoying and yet not deep enough to be covered by the warranty. If your current mattress sags visibly or has a permanent indent in the shape of your body, it’s likely time for a new one. You can read more about this in [our guide to buying a mattress](. For more advice on how to take care of everything around your house, [sign up for our weekly Clean Everything newsletter](. [View email in browser]( You are receiving this email because you signed up for Wirecutter’s Newsletter. Getting too many emails from us? To stop receiving these, [unsubscribe here](. Wirecutter, Inc. 620 Eighth Avenue. New York, NY 10018 [Privacy Policy]( | [California Notices]( | [Terms of Service]( [Contact Us]( [Privacy Policy]( [California Notices]( [Terms of Service]( [Contact Us](