Spring cleaning in the home pharmacy

Every household has a home pharmacy. But what should it include? It's time for spring cleaning, so now's a good time to clear out the old and bring in the new in line with our checklist of tips.

The windows have been cleaned, the shutters dusted off, and the bathroom scrubbed. Your home has taken on a fresh shine. But there's one more item on the cleaning schedule: the home pharmacy. And there's a lot to consider.

Tips for the home pharmacy

• Check the expiry dates. Tablets in blister packs should no longer be used after the expiry date. For creams, ointments and drops, on the other hand, the date of opening is key. Unopened, they remain usable for some time after the expiry date.
• Check at least  once a year if the home pharmacy contains everything that's important for you – and stock up if necessary.
• Store prescription drugs separately to prevent them from being mistakenly taken by another person.
• Note that the purpose of the home pharmacy is essentially first aid. If wounds are deep, very painful or dirty, you should consult a doctor in any case.
• Keep your home pharmacy in the bedroom, hallway or a storage room. In the kitchen and in the bathroom, air humidity is often too high, which damages the medication.

Disposing of medication

Expired medication is considered to be hazardous waste - in other words, it doesn't belong in the normal refuse sack. You can find a suitable disposal center in your region here. In addition, various pharmacies and drugstores accept medication for proper disposal.

While you're at the pharmacist, take the opportunity to stock up on supplies. Before you buy, consider what you really need (see Checklist). This helps you save costs and no medication is wasted. Nowadays, it is no longer worthwhile hoarding lots of medication at home in case you get sick with influenza, colds and the like. There are some online pharmacies that deliver medicines to your home, such as "unseredrogerie.ch" and "Zur Rose." Often, neighborhood pharmacies also offer a delivery service to your home, saving you the trip outdoors.