It happens to all of us.

We go to clean out the cupboard every few years and find some spices in the back that no doubt cost a pretty penny but which we nevertheless used just once and then forgot about.

Or maybe you bought a spice rack and noticed the stuff that came “free” in the jars just doesn’t pass muster.

There’s a reason we have beautiful open-air spice markets around the world – because even when they’re dry, fresh herbs are best.

Of course, you don’t always have to trust that expiration date either.

If your spices look fine (that is, nothing is growing in there with them and they haven’t experienced a color change) and smell like they’re supposed to, the worst that can happen in about 4 years is that they don’t pack the punch they used to. In those cases, you can often just use more.

But if your fancy spice is truly spent and you don’t like to see it go to waste, there are some other ways to repurpose those old spices. Give one of these a try:

1. Make sachets

Storing your winter clothing and want it to emerge smelling like the holidays? Create a sachet of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to throw in your storage container. (Do the same in Spring with herbs that remind you of new life.)

Dirty gym clothes leaching their odor into your car? Stick a sachet full of old mint inside to help neutralize the odor.

While you might not be able to add flavor with expired spices anymore, they do tend to keep releasing at least some scent that you can use to your advantage.

2. Deodorize your carpets

Vacuuming only does so much and no one has time to deep clean their carpets every week.

So why not use some old spices mixed with baking soda to get a fresh, clean scent instead of sprinkling commercial deodorizer inside your home?

Simply pick your favorite dried spice/herb, mix it with some baking soda (2 parts baking soda to 1 part herb should do it), and sprinkle it into your carpet.

Let it sit for a bit, then get to work. Once you vacuum it up, you’ll pick up all the pieces but leave the fresh scent behind.

3. Make potpourri

Time takes the taste out of spices, but you might still be able to use them for their scent.

Find your favorite long-expired spices and create a mixture that makes sense to your senses (cinnamon sticks and cloves, for example). Then put them in a pot of water and slow-simmer them throughout the day.

The only problem is your house will smell so good you might get hungry!

4. Get crafty by using them as a dye

Humans have long used colorful spices to dye fabric.

Tumeric and saffron, for example, will both give you a vibrant color you can use to make things bright and bold or give a natural hue to your DIY tie-dye experiments.

5. Make some scented soap or bath bombs

Don’t want to fork over $15 on Etsy for a naturally scented herbal soap or bath bomb? Make your own using your expired spices!

From methods that start from scratch to simple mix-and-pour solutions (that don’t require you to work with lye), you can be exfoliating with spices in no time.

Here are some basic bath bomb instructions as well if you’d rather get fizzy.

6. Fight fungus

Cinnamon can be used as a fungicide that will stop that fungus right in its tracks – and that includes slime mold and some mushrooms too.

Simply stir some cinnamon into warm water and allow it to sit overnight. Then strain it into a spray bottle and lightly mist the problematic plants. Gardeners say it’s also safe on seedlings.

7. Repel insects (maybe)

There’s no decent scientific evidence that herbs help repel household pests, but some people insist that it has worked for them.

Peppermint, sage, and cinnamon may help repel bugs from doors and windowsills.

Even older spices may still emit enough scent to do the job. There’s only one way to find out!

8. Make a “green” cleaner

Prefer to clean your house with a rinse-free vinegar solution? It just requires ½ cup of white distilled vinegar for every half gallon of warm water.

But vinegar isn’t a scent the most people enjoy, so try adding some of your old spices.

The best way to do this is to add them to your vinegar and let them infuse for about a week. Then strain your vinegar before you mix it with water to create your DIY surface cleaner.

9. Color Easter eggs

Just like cloth dyeing, you can color your Easter eggs the natural way by using vinegar and spice instead of store-bought coloring kits.

Tumeric, curry powder, thyme – the sky’s the limit. Just use what you have.

10. Create your own paint

Cooped up with the kids and running out of craft supplies?

Spices like turmeric, paprika, nutmeg, and cinnamon added to a small amount of water work great as a natural paint.

Just remember they’ll stain too!

11. Get ornamental

Old cloves, anise, and cinnamon sticks can last for decades on Christmas ornaments.

They may not continue to provide scent, but the look alone will make you feel more festive.

12. Heal your aching body

Cayenne pepper and ginger, for example, might have some pain-relieving properties.

Instead of tossing them in the trash, try making a salve using a carrier oil and beeswax to rub on your body (but do your research on recipes and skin reactions first!).

13. Make incense

Want to get in touch with your spiritual side? Or just do some meditating or relaxing?

You can make your own incense that smell…well, less “funky” than the store-bought ones by using old herbs and spices.

We like these instructions for the amount of detail they give, but if you want something less intimidating, try this link.

14. Light ’em up

Rekindle your spice’s lost potential by using it to make a scented candle.

Here are some instructions for making candles (and you can also try making an essential oil for an oil heater as well to get the same effect).

Now you can mix and match your own scents!

15. Toast ’em

Some herbs and spices can be revived with a bit of heat.

Try throwing a handful of spice into a dry frying pan right before you want to use them. If you can smell them coming back to life, go ahead and use them (provided they’re not years past their expiration date).

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Most of us simply can’t use up the bottles of more obscure herbs and spices we buy.

But that doesn’t mean you have to throw them in the trash!

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