The Tell-Tale Sign You Need To Throw Away Old Condiment Jars

The refrigerator shelf and that storage closet in your home have a one major thing in common: They're full of items you probably should have gotten rid of a long time ago. While keeping that high school sports shirt you certainly don't wear anymore might be harmless, the same thing can't be said for the many open bottles and jars of condiments taking up fridge space.

Condiments are difficult to keep track of for a few reasons. First, you probably have too many. You bought a bottled dressing for one salad recipe you found online, then one day found it sitting, opened, with plenty of contents inside — and no recollection of when it was purchased. And second, they all last for different amounts of time; there is no one-size-fits-all expiration date, so how can you possibly know whether an item is still good?

If you've finally mustered up the courage to clean out your condiment shelf, there is one tell-tale sign that you should get rid of those open jars of who-knows-what that have been sitting there for ages.

There are three main ways to check a food's quality: its look, its scent, and its expiration date. When it comes to condiments, there is one easy way to judge; look for any water or liquid at the top of the jar. If you see any liquid (especially if it's paired with discoloration), then that condiment is long past its shelf life.

Though that's the most obvious sign, you might want to use other methods to check. In this case, make sure to look at the expiration date; if it's watery and expired, then you should definitely toss it. Take a whiff of the condiment, too. You likely know what it should smell like, and if there's any off-putting odor, it probably belongs in the trash.

Since we often use utensils to remove condiments from their jars, it's easy to cross-contaminate. One big way to keep condiments fresh for as long as possible is to use a specific knife, spoon, etc. for that condiment and nothing more, which will help limit how many bacteria get into the jar in the first place.

The shelf-life of a condiment changes depending on what it is, but the best way to keep track of these items' freshness is to have a basic understanding of how long they last in the refrigerator. The USDA gives a breakdown of how long you can keep certain jarred items in your fridge. Mustard has a long shelf life; it will stay fresh for up to a one year once opened. Ketchup, cocktail sauce, and chili sauce also have a decent shelf life, keeping for about six months before they start to go bad. Horseradish is up there too, comfortably withstanding up to four months in the refrigerator.

Mayonnaise's shelf life is actually fairly short — right around the two-month mark. If you don't use it frequently, you might want to buy a smaller jar to ensure none of it goes to waste. There is good news for hot sauce lovers: it's one of the longest-lasting condiments. Thanks to its vinegar content, hot sauce can last around two years in the refrigerator (and a whopping four years if it's unopened and left in the pantry).