Freshness Date

[SW_PA_Couple]

My wife gets crazy about expiration dates and freshness dates. She reads Feb. 7 on a carton of milk and dumps the content owing to the fact that it is Feb. 8. Now she has discovered that the big box of condoms I bought for scattering around the house for couples parties has condoms whose wrappers say 200806. She wants me to toss all of the out. I insist that they are OK. What do you guys know about this?

~M

[LikeMinds321]

Originally Posted by SW_PA_Couple

...Now she has discovered that the big box of condoms I bought for scattering around the house for couples parties has condoms whose wrappers say 200806. She wants me to toss all of the out. I insist that they are OK. What do you guys know about this?

~M

Ah heck, that's nothing.

We have a few condoms in the glove compartment that expired in 2006.

With the heat build-up in the SUV I'm betting they went "sour" in 2005.

LM

P.S. Sorry M, I just had to post that tidbit we discovered. We threw them out immediately and no longer keep condoms in the SUV. I don't think there would be a problem going past the expiration day by a year (maybe two) if they were always stored in a cool, dry, dark place. But I'm no expert.

[two4youinswva]

With milk, you can do the Sniff Test, and see if it's still good. Lots of times it still is good a couple days or more after the date.

I don't think the Sniff Test works on condoms, so I'd rather play it safe and toss them, since the worst thing that can happen is a lot worse than the taste of spoiled milk.

[2inSanDiego4u]

If it's 6 months past the expiration date, I would say toss 'em. Costco has a 40-pack of condoms for $9.99.

[LFM2]

I'm one that doesn't throw the milk out until at least 7 days past expiration, I would say that condoms should be the same way, but -- there's always a but, isn't there?

Since the latex in condoms can break down, I'd toss em and buy new. Cheaper than an STD or an unplanned pregnancy.

[Chicup]

Condoms are not a gallon of milk.

Based on the seriousness of a broken condom, I'd be rather pissed if one broke, I saw the exp date, and then found out you decided they were 'good enough'.

On the other hand I wouldn't provide them for a house party I was hosting. We are all big boys and girls and should know to bring our own, which are not expired, and to our liking.

[Greg & Sheryl]

Condoms can become weak and brittle with time, so it's a good idea to throw away expired condoms. That's what we do for the condoms we provide at our parties. Otherwsie, we would feel like negligent hosts.

[amid]

Don't throw them away! Donate them to your local prison system.

[qreskupl7476]

Condom USA .com Get your free condoms. Secure and private condom shopping environment. Bulk packs, name brands, dirt cheap, delivered in an inconspicuous plain brown wrapped package. No excuse for taking a risk with outdated goods when you can pick up a hundred fresh ones for 20 bucks. Best of all they sell variety packs with something for everyone.

I don't work for them, and this isn't an advertisement, but we have ordered from them and were quite pleased. Just trying to illustrate that the minuscule cost of new condoms aren't worth the risk. Go to Wal-Mart, get a helium tank, blow up the old ones, and make balloon bouquets out of them for your next party. Or as someone mentioned, donate them to your nearest prison.

[SW_PA_Couple]

For the record, we now have a supply of new condoms. I think, however, that we freaked this young woman while we were having a discussion in front of the prophylactics display about which kinds would be best for which people and which situations.

~M

[LFM2]

I wish I could have seen the look on her face.