# Re stocking up on a multi-year supply of toothpaste, shaving cream, shampoo. Is there a shelf life?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-stocking-up-on-a-multi-year-supply-of-toothpaste-shaving-cream-shampoo-is-there-a-shelf-life/521971>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 20, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-stocking-up-on-a-multi-year-supply-of-toothpaste-shaving-cream-shampoo-is-there-a-shelf-life/521971 "2009-12-20T17:58:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-stocking-up-on-a-multi-year-supply-of-toothpaste-shaving-cream-shampoo-is-there-a-shelf-life/521971/1 "2009-12-20T17:58:09Z")

</div>

If a batchelor got tired of buying shampoo, toothpaste and shaving cream every so often and came across this amazing sale and decided to stock up with a multi-year supply, how long with these items stay good in a regular residential closet?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![St.Anger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@St.Anger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Anger)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-stocking-up-on-a-multi-year-supply-of-toothpaste-shaving-cream-shampoo-is-there-a-shelf-life/521971/2 "2009-12-20T19:57:52Z")

</div>

I dont have the exact answer, but I have used both shaving cream and shampoo that was at least 3-4 years old and it was fine.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ChrisBooth12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@ChrisBooth12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChrisBooth12)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-stocking-up-on-a-multi-year-supply-of-toothpaste-shaving-cream-shampoo-is-there-a-shelf-life/521971/3 "2009-12-20T20:05:06Z")

</div>

I dont think any of those things can go bad per se, just become less effective.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-stocking-up-on-a-multi-year-supply-of-toothpaste-shaving-cream-shampoo-is-there-a-shelf-life/521971/4 "2009-12-20T20:43:51Z")

</div>

[Expiration time of most household stuff.](http://www.organizeyourlife.org/Expiration.htm)