It's nice to finally crawl into bed at the end of a long day, but how often do you consider the expiry dates of pillows and other items that makes up your bed?

MOLLY MAID previously provided household product expiry dates for the bathroom and kitchen. Now it's time to conquer the bedroom.

Pillows

Expiry Date: 2 years

Dust mites and dead skin cells are only a couple of the treasures found in your pillow. Microorganisms feed off of each other and multiply as time goes on.  Investing in a new pillow every few years is a good idea. Use a special pillow cover as well.

Mattresses

Expiry Date: 8-10 years

A high quality mattress should supply proper support for many years. To assist in the longevity of your mattress, flip it twice a year and rotate bottom to top.

Sheets

Expiry Date: 1 week

Changing bed sheets should be done on a weekly basis. Naturally produced body oils can build up on sheets and pillow cases and can actually result in breakouts or skin irritation. Of course, the sheets themselves can last many years when properly washed. Plus, there's nothing like crawling into a freshly made bed.

Making sure that the products you use and the foods you eat are safe can be a challenge.  The professional cleaning experts at MOLLY MAID recommend these guidelines:

Dishcloth

• Expiry Date: 1 day
• Bacteria use damp dishcloths as a breeding ground so you should change your dishcloth every day.  Microfibre clothes are a great alternative to a traditional dish cloth. Click here to find out why.

Cutting Board

• Expiry Date: As soon as deep grooves or cracks develop
• When deep cracks or grooves develop it is difficult to properly clean and sanitize your cutting boards, and that can allow a build-up of food particles and bacteria.

Leftovers

• Expiry Date: 2- 4 days
• Leftovers shouldn't sit in your fridge any longer than a few days. They need to be kept at a temperature of 4 degrees Celsius or colder.

• Mustard Expiry Date: 1 year
• Ketchup Expiry Date: 6 months
• Mayo Expiry Date: 2 months
• Remember, the law only requires expiry dates on products with a shelf life of 90 days or less, so not all products will be marked with a 'best before' date.

The general - and safe - rule of thumb is: "When in doubt, throw it out".  The above mentioned guidelines are recommendations only.  Refer to the manufacturer's guidelines for exact dates of individual products purchased.

You use certain bathroom products every day, but how long should you continue to use the same item before you replace it?

MOLLY MAID provides these guidelines for expiry dates of household products you often use in the bathroom. Of course, you should always look for the manufacturers' guidelines as well.

Toothbrushes

• Expiry Date: 3 months
• The Canadian Dental Association recommends tossing your toothbrush every three months - to avoid a build-up of bacteria and because of wear.

Makeup

• Mascara Expiry Date: 3 months
• Powders, lipsticks, eye pencils Expiry Date: 6 months
• Makeup is exposed to bacteria on your face, and that's why you want to follow these guidelines to limit the accumulation of germs.  If makeup hasn't been opened it has a shelf life of about two years if stored in a dry, cool place.

Razors

• Expiry Date: As soon as dullness appears (usually after 10-15 uses)
• If your razor is dull you will experience pulling and irritation when shaving.  This can cause cuts and 'razor burn' on your skin and that can feel quite uncomfortable.  The quality of razor used can help improve its lifetime.

Check back in the coming weeks to learn about the expiry guidelines for kitchen items and bedroom items.

You do laundry every week, but when was the last time you actually cleaned the laundry room? 

The laundry room is one of those areas in the home that often gets overlooked. When you only have so much time, it seems more important to keep the kitchen and bathrooms clean.  Plus, you can always just close the door to the laundry room... and keep that dirty little secret, a secret!

But once in a while, the laundry room does need a good cleaning. MOLLY MAID, Canada's number one residential cleaning service, recommends this quick and easy plan to clean it and keep it that way.  

1. De-clutter:Collect any lose mats and shake them out outside. Collect garbage as well as random odd socks that may have been left behind. (Keep in mind that a great way to reuse odd socks is as dusters... all you have to do is slide your hand inside and the sock becomes a great duster for cleaning blinds, shutters and other odd surfaces.)

2. Clean:Put a microfibre cloth on the end of your broom handle to reach any cobwebs that have accumulated in the corners of the laundry room.  Rinse a microfibre cloth in a bucket of warm soapy water and squeeze it out... and wash the tops, sides and front of the washer and dryer. Wash all other flat surfaces in the room as well as light switches. Sweep and mop the floor, and let dry.  If there's a washtub, use the warm soapy water from your bucket to wash it out - so empty the bucket and swish the water around; then rinse everything clean.

3. Organize:To make it easier for the next time, organize the laundry room so everything has a place. Have one bin for dryer lint (it can be composted) and another bin for used dryer sheets (they are coated with chemicals and must be thrown into the garbage). But to cut down on waste, re-use dryer sheets - one is often enough to help diminish static for at least two dryer loads. Use a basket to keep your laundry soap, fabric softener and stain remover all in one place.

There you have it: three easy steps to a de-cluttered, cleaned and organized laundry room!

Struggling to find your favourite recipe?

Keep your favourite recipes in a file organized into sections, suggest the house cleaning experts at MOLLY MAID.

The system may sound ridiculously simple, but it will save you hours of searching when you're looking for that all-time favourite cake recipe or need inspiration for a midweek meal menu.

Think about how recipe books present recipes in different sections. For example: appetizers, soups, salads, side dishes, main courses, desserts, brunch, parties.

This idea also works brilliantly for recording dinners you have already served at previous dinner parties. Record the menu, the guest list and comments... so you avoid serving the same meal to the same people twice but you also keep track of recipes and dishes that your family and friends loved!