Hey earth muffins! For the second installment of my “How to Zero Waste Your [insert room here]” series, I thought that I would tackle the bathroom. 😁 On my journey towards zero waste, I have found that this room has some pretty easy switches to reduce your impact, which makes it a great place to start when trying to make your home more sustainable. Let’s jump right into it!
Beauty & Bath Products
–Purchase bar products!: Instead of buying soaps, lotions, shampoos, conditioners, etc. in plastic bottles (in hideous bright colors I might add), try buying them in bar form! These can be purchased at LUSH, Ethique, and many local places… I have found that they work extremely well 👍
–Buy yourself a safety razor: This is super easy and will let you never use another disposable razor again! I was a bit scared at first, but shaving with a safety razor is incredibly easy.
–Basically, purchase things in glass or metal containers: Try to avoid plastics as much as possible when buying bath, body, and beauty products. If you feel comfortable, you can even DIY your own!
Shower Curtains and Other Bath Accessories
–Get an apartment with a shower door instead of a curtain: Most curtains are made of plastic and have to be replaced every once in awhile, so do the planet a favor and use shower doors! If that isn’t an option, there are some other options: organic cotton, hemp, and biodegradable curtains (but, these tend to be a bit pricey!
–Purchase a bar soap/product saver: Letting water eat away at your bar products is just wasteful, as you are losing valuable product. I personally have a soap container from Ethique that I absolutely love! It has openings in the bottom to let water out and air in (to dry the bars), and after a few years of use it is compostable 😍 I suggest purchasing a similar container, avoiding anything that is plastic.
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| You can purchase this soap saver for only $15! |
–Replace those loofahs: Loofahs are plastic (so avoid please), but you can find many sustainable alternatives! Try getting a natural loofah or a bamboo brush (or refrain from using a loofah in general, which is what I do).
Cleaners
–Avoid plastic toilet wands: Just like with loofahs, there are many bamboo alternatives that can be composted after use. 🎉
–Make your own cleaners or use natural brands: The chemicals that are used to clean bathroom are both smelly and bad for you (and the environment), so try something a bit more natural! There are so many DIY cleaner recipes out there, as well as brands that strive for low impact (like Seventh Generation and Mrs. Meyer’s).
Toilet Paper
–Use natural and unbleached toilet paper: Toilet paper is bleached to be white, which makes you poor butt exposed to some pretty harsh chemicals. Look for unbleached toilet papers (like Who Gives a Crap) and try to use a decent amount instead of ten squares each trip to the restroom.
–Try a bidet: If you are super ambitious, try getting a bidet attachment to replace toilet paper completely! 😉 I know this might not be for everyone, but it is super sustainable!
Towels and Bathmats
–Use towels from relatives: Many people buy way too many towels in their lifetime, so see if any friends and/or family are about to replace theirs. This is cheap and extremely low waste!
–Buy natural fabrics: Organic cotton, hemp, and any other sustainable fabrics are what you should look for. Also, don’t buy more towels than you actually need!
General Water Usage
–Take short showers: I have mastered a full shower in about 6 minutes, which leaves me more time to do other things when I am getting ready for the day or getting ready for bed!
–Don’t run the faucet when brushing your teeth, etc: I feel like this is pretty self explanatory…
–Use the saying, “If it’s yellow let it mellow” in regards to flushing: This might not be everyone’s style, but for someone who lives alone this would totally save water!
What are your tips to reducing waste in the bathroom?
