With the new year comes house cleaning for a lot of people, and experts said that should include cleaning out the medicine drawer or cabinet.

KMBC's Kelly Eckerman reported that when going through medicines, keep in mind that they all have expiration dates. Check the dates and when in doubt, throw it out.

"You just may not get as much effective relief and some medications actually do turn toxic once expired -- some of the antibiotics. So you just want to dispose of them when not using them," pharmacist Leslie Stach said.

Even when purchasing medications, check the expiration date on the packaging, but especially check the ones that have been in your cabinet awhile.

"Look at the integrity of the medicine. Make sure it doesn't look unappealing or look like there's something wrong with it, especially with topical creams and ointments. If you see them look chunky or not right, discard them even if the expiration date isn't up yet," Stach said.

Pharmacists do not recommend stocking up or buying in bulk because medications expire and can lose their effectiveness faster if not stored properly. They do recommend keeping a fever reducer and electrolyte solution on hand in case of dehydration.