8 things you should stop storing in your bathroom, according to experts

Our experts independently review everything we recommend. If you buy through our links, we may earn commission.

Logically speaking, it makes sense to store things in the room where you use them. Bathrooms are the rare exception. That's right, your steamy showers do more than just fog up a mirror; they can damage makeup, medication and other everyday essentials.

Heat and humidity are the chief culprits here. It's how you end up with tarnished jewelry, oxidized serums and mold growth on retainers, among other things. This doesn't mean you have to clear out your bathroom and put everything elsewhere. Nope, I rallied a group of experts — a cosmetic chemist, dentist, orthodontist and jeweler — to nail down a list of the products that are most at risk. Here's what the pros say should be removed from your bathroom pronto (and where you should store them instead).

Medicine cabinets belong in the bathroom, but that doesn't mean your medication belongs in them. Sounds pretty contradictory, doesn't it? Blame heat, humidity and moisture, which create a perfect storm, according to Kelly Dobos , a cosmetic chemist at the University of Cincinnati.

"Bathrooms experience frequent fluctuations in temperature and humidity from showers and baths, and those conditions can accelerate the degradation of some active ingredients over time," she says. Over time, moisture can also cause tablets and capsules to "soften, swell, or break down before their expiration date."

Vitamins and supplements aren't quite as sensitive, but Dobos warns that "excessive heat and humidity can still reduce potency or affect physical quality, particularly for products in tablet, capsule, or gummy form."

A cool, dry spot in your house, such as a dresser drawer or linen closet, is your best bet. "Always be sure to follow any specific storage instructions on the package, as some medications require refrigeration or special handling," Dobos adds.

Divvy up your daily medications and supplements into these daily containers, then pop each one out of the larger organizer so you can take just what you need when you're away from home. Each container — which holds six fish oil pills, nine capsules, eight vitamins and 18 round pills — is divided into two, making it easy to keep morning and night medications separate.

Getting ready in front of your bathroom mirror is one thing; storing your makeup in your bathroom is another. "While cosmetics are formulated to be reasonably robust under normal conditions, repeated exposure to steam and warm temperatures can gradually affect texture, stability, fragrance and preservative performance," Dobos says, adding that humidity may "increase the risk of contamination" each time a product is opened and used.

Liquid-based products — namely, foundation, concealer and mascara — pose the highest risks, whereas pressed powder, blush, bronzer, eye shadow and lipstick "tend to be more stable because they contain little or no water."

Keep your makeup collection away from heat, humidity and direct sunlight. Dobos recommends carving out a spot "in a bedroom vanity drawer or cabinet," but a tabletop organizer will do the trick if needed.

Lacking drawer space? Keep all of your makeup products contained in this two-drawer organizer, which lets you stand foundations, setting sprays and fragrances upright. It also keeps lipsticks, eye makeup and other smaller staples out of sight (but not out of mind).

Your skin care products need a little TLC too. Yep, retinol and vitamin C can be a bit finicky, so you're better off storing them outside the bathroom to help keep their formulas as potent as possible. According to Julie Pefferman, cosmetic chemist and founder of Cosmeta , a change in color can be a sign of oxidation. "Discoloration is the first thing you will see," she says. "However, just because it goes brown (from clear or pale yellow) doesn't mean it's fully oxidized; it just won't be fully potent."

The right packaging is key here. Look for opaque bottles, airless pumps or aluminum tubes when shopping for vitamin C serums, since Dobos says they "provide better protection than clear jars or transparent dropper bottles." Retinol serums aren't quite as high-maintenance, but Dobos points out that "retinol is generally less stable than some newer retinoid technologies."

Close bottles tightly after each use, then stash them somewhere cool and dry. Like a linen closet or tucked inside a drawer, perhaps?

Pfefferman says "adapalene is more stable overall under all conditions." Differin contains 0.1% adapalene, and it's our top pick in our best retinol serums guide. Our tester raved about the "potent, effective, collagen-instigating, wrinkle-softening" gel.

"I could steer you toward a luxury retinol serum with all the bells and whistles, but for my money, this is the best retinoid on the (over-the-counter) market. And — bonus — it's not only effective but satisfyingly affordable," our tester glowed.

Our best-tested vitamin C serum also checks the packaging box: Drunk Elephant's C-Firma comes in an opaque outer container, one of the packaging types Dobos recommends.

Our tester raved that this serum is basically made of gold — and by that, she meant a 15% concentration of L-ascorbic acid. "The formula arrives in two parts — a liquid serum along with an accompanying vial of pristine vitamin C powder. You mix the two just before your first use, maximizing the stability of the vitamin C molecules and thus ensuring freshness," our tester wrote, adding that "the product remains potent for three to six months."

Most whitening gels, strips and trays contain either hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide as the active ingredient. Hylan says proper storage is important for keeping at-home whitening products effective.

"Patients tell me that at-home whitening products didn't work at all for them," says Dr. Brad Hylan , a dentist based in Cleveland, Ohio. "In reality, they stored the product in a warm bathroom, causing it to go bad well before the expiration date and rendering it ineffective."

Remove whitening products from the hot, humid environment and stick them somewhere "cool, dark and dry." Hylan's recommendation? "A drawer in a bedroom or a linen closet separate from the bathroom, but check the box first since some will even tell you to store the product in the refrigerator."

Crest makes an at-home teeth whitening kit that uses hydrogen peroxide and has earned the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance.

"I usually recommend Crest Whitestrips because they use hydrogen peroxide, and it is tested, effective and [they've] been around longer than other companies," says Dr. Fatima Khan , a Houston-based dentist. Research shows that hydrogen peroxide is more effective at removing stains and whitening natural enamel than other whitening agents, including baking soda and sodium chlorite.

Taking jewelry off near a sink is risky business, but you know what's even worse? Storing your favorite pieces in a hot, humid bathroom in the first place. According to Nishit Mehta, founder and CEO of La Joya Jewelry , diamonds and solid gold jewelry can typically handle the heat and moisture, but pearls, sterling silver and plated jewelry "will suffer immediate, irreversible damage."

The reason? Mehta says the shower's steam "will literally eat away the pearl's luster," cause sterling silver to "tarnish at an accelerated rate" and "break down the base metals" beneath gold-plated jewelry.

And if you want to stay on the safe side, Mehta recommends keeping all of your jewels — especially your engagement ring — out of any room with constant temperature fluctuations since that causes metals to expand and contract. "Although this change is microscopic, over time, it can compromise the settings, causing you to lose a stone," he adds.

You guessed it: Jewelry is best kept in cool, dry and dark places, like a fabric-lined jewelry box that is kept away from direct sunlight and high humidity.

Once you've moved your jewelry out of the bathroom, a tiered box with separate compartments can help keep your most prized pieces organized and separated. Here, you can lay out your necklaces and bracelets in the two drawers, then store smaller pieces — earrings, rings and brooches — in the top layer with the clear window.

Sunscreen can be sensitive to heat. "Repeated exposure to heat and humidity can cause instability of the base formula and active ingredients over time just like any other cosmetic," Dobos says, noting that "sunscreen products undergo rigorous stability testing."

"Storing sunscreen in a cooler location helps preserve the product as intended," Dobos advises. Sure, this applies to your steamy bathroom, but it should also be top of mind when you're out and about. "Leaving it in really hot sun or in a hot car would be a really bad scenario," she warns, adding that "the interior temperature of a car can easily exceed 130°F within an hour when parked in the sun."

The American Academy of Dermatology Association says to ditch any spoiled sunscreen with an obvious change in color, a different or foul odor, signs of separation or a dry and flaky consistency.

Whichever sunscreen you use, proper storage matters. If you're looking for an affordable option to keep on hand, Neutrogena earned high marks in our testing for the best sunscreens — the dermatologist-backed favorite is water-resistant, fast-absorbing and has a non-greasy matte finish

You're already doing one thing right if you're wearing your retainer or mouth guard every night, but Dr. Karin Grinbaum, an orthodontist and owner of Smiles + Grins in New York City, says you should take things one step further. Yep, take your retainer or mouth guard out of the bathroom altogether. "If left in a humid environment, then moisture can encourage mold," she tells me.

Not to mention that, as Grinbaum points out, toilets disperse bacteria with every flush. "It's best to keep things that are meant to go in your mouth covered or in a case away from these aerosol droplets," she adds.

Make sure it dries completely, then place it in a well-ventilated case, Grinbaum says. Store it in your nightstand, in a linen closet or somewhere away from the steam. Another tip from Grinbaum: "Make sure to keep the case clean as well, not just the appliance."

This case checks the boxes Grinbaum recommends: Vent holes on both sides allow for airflow, and it's dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning between uses.

Is your signature scent smelling a bit off? Humidity probably isn't the main culprit here, but fluctuating temperatures can affect your fragrance over time. "Perfumes are carefully balanced mixtures of volatile aromatic compounds, and exposure to heat, sunlight, and oxygen can gradually alter the scent profile," Dobos says.

Always keep your fragrances in their original bottles and make sure they're tightly closed between spritzes. Stow them somewhere cool and dark — "a dresser drawer, closet shelf, or cabinet away from windows is generally ideal," suggests Dobos. And while some serious collectors swear by refrigerating their bottles, Dobos says it's unnecessary unless you plan on holding on to a rare or valuable fragrance for decades.