Nothing lasts forever. However, for the sake of your wallet and the planet, we try to recommend items that won’t break quickly and end up in the landfill. But many household essentials need to be replaced regularly. Some of them trap germs and bacteria over time, while others lose effectiveness as they age. Here’s a helpful guide to when and why you should swap out some Wirecutter picks that you probably use every day.
Replace every few months
Toilet brush: You should replace your toilet brush every few months or when you see the bristles start to bend, whichever comes first. Regularly spraying your brush and its holder with a disinfectant or bleach solution extends its life, but bacteria buildup isn’t the only reason to swap your brush for a new one. 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.
The OXO toilet brush has the best bristles of any brush we tested, with an attractive base that conceals the brush while still letting the head dry out. And its brush head is replaceable, which helps reduce waste.
Water filters: Filters keep your drinking water clean from contaminants and impurities; to make sure they keep doing that job well, these filters need to be replaced regularly. Faucet-mounted water filters typically last three months (or for 100 gallons of use), and most pitcher filters should be swapped every two months.
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