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Do you know what mysterious bottles and tubes of medication lurk on the shelves of your medicine cabinet? If it has been more than six months since you took a look at what medications you have, it may be time for an inventory. Follow these steps:

1. Take all medications, including prescription and over-the-counter drugs, out of your medicine cabinet.
2. Check the expiration dates on all bottles and tubes.
3. Set aside for proper disposal, all medications that have expired.
4. Set aside any medication that is not in its original container. Without the original label, you may not know what the medication is or if it is outdated.
5. Set aside liquid medications that are cloudy and tubes of ointments or creams that have become hard or cracked, even if they have not expired. If you have any doubt, throw it out!
6. Safely store the medications that you are going to keep.
7. Properly dispose of all medications that you have set aside. Do not flush them down the toilet.