The Correct Way to Store Medications at Home
The bathroom cabinet is the worst place to keep your medicine! Learn common mistakes in storing medications and how to avoid them.
3 min readDo you keep your medications in the bathroom cabinet, or leave them in the car on a hot summer day? If so, your medications may have lost their effectiveness or even become toxic.
Proper drug storage is no less important than taking it on time. Heat, humidity, and light are enemies to any chemical formulation.
Why are the bathroom and kitchen bad places?
The bathroom cabinet experiences drastic changes in humidity and heat with every hot shower. The kitchen is also a hot place due to the stove and oven. These conditions accelerate the breakdown of chemicals in the medicine. Aspirin, for example, degrades into vinegar-like compounds in a humid environment.
How to dispose of expired medications?
Do not flush medications down the toilet or sink, as this pollutes groundwater. The correct way is to take the medicine out of its container, mix it with an undesirable substance (like used coffee grounds or dirt), and place it in a sealed plastic bag before throwing it in the trash.
Benefits of Proper Storage
- Ensuring full efficacy of the medicine until the last day of its expiry
- Preventing accidental poisoning in children and pets
- Saving money by not ruining expensive medications before they expire
- Preventing chemical substances from turning into harmful compounds
Ideal Storage Conditions
- Store medicines in a dry, dark, cool place (like a drawer in the bedroom)
- Keep medicines entirely out of children's reach in locked boxes
- Liquid medicines (like children's antibiotics) need refrigeration immediately after mixing with water
- Leave the cotton inside pill bottles, as it absorbs excess moisture
FAQ
Can I use a medicine one month past its expiry date?
The expiry date is the only guarantee of the drug's effectiveness and safety. Past this date, the safety of the chemical structure is unpredictable. Discard it immediately.
How do I store Insulin injections?
Unopened insulin should be kept in the fridge (between 2 to 8°C and never frozen). The insulin currently in use can be kept at room temperature away from heat and light for up to a month.
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