Expert reveals how long you should keep sheets, non-stick cookware and your couch

You should be replacing your sheets and towels every two years, according to an expert homemaker, who says we are all holding onto our possessions for too long.

The expert, who posted her thoughts on a homemaker website, says people should be keeping a list with the ‘used-by’ dates of their appliances, furniture and linen.

The expert’s list includes 14 everyday items that should be replaced ‘more often’ including couches, electrical appliances and bathroom accessories.

Sheets and towels should be replaced every two years, even if they are washed well and often.

The exception to the two-year sheet rule is high-quality linen, according to bedding websites, which can be kept for up to five years if they don’t appear stained or worn-out.

Towels should be washed every two or three uses, or when they cannot dry fully between uses, experts say.

The more often they are washed the less they will absorb. When towels stop absorbing water easily it is ‘time for a new set’, this is typically around the two-year mark.

Other bathroom accessories on the list include toilet brushes which should be replaced every six to 12 months, shower curtains which experts believe should be swapped over every three months and bath mats which should be replaced yearly.

Most people are ‘guilty’ of holding onto their kitchen sponges for too long, according to the expert, who claims they should be put in the bin once they look worn or begin to smell.

You should be replacing your sheets and towels every two years, according to an expert home maker, who says we are all holding on to our possessions for too long

Other kitchen tools that should be added to the used-by list include non-stick pans which she says last about five years before the surface begins to deteriorate.

Small appliances like toasters and blenders or coffee grinders can last between ten and 12 years, depending on how often they are used.

Things like filters need to be checked more often though, and should be changed every six months. There are often filters in vacuum cleaners and microwaves. 

Soft furnishings like doonas, cushions, pillows, mattresses and curtains also made the hit list.

According to the expert doonas have the longest life span and can be kept for 15 years if they are used with a cover.

Pillows that are used every day should be replaced every one or two years while decorative cushions should be thrown every five.

Mattresses should be replaced every seven or eight years, especially if they are being used every night.

This depends on the quality of the mattress, who is using it and the climate – as it can be the perfect host for nasty bacteria.

Doormats are the final ‘forgotten’ household item, she explained, and should be replaced once the bristles become worn out.