Your bathroom is the first place you go in the morning, and the last place you visit at night.
How ironic is it that the place we frequent so often and spend so much time in, is usually filled with toxic chemicals and harmful substances? Not to mention the waste. Excessive toilet paper use, unnecessary running water, and disposables, are a few of the ways our little bathrooms can turn into the planet’s nightmare.
Fear not! With small habit changes and forethought, you can ‘green’ your bathroom and make it a space that cares for your body and the environment.
Here are five easy ways to green your bathroom.
1. Assess your utilities
First things first: evaluate the structures and appliances in your bathroom, and investigate how they can be upgraded to save resources and money. For example, shower heads with aerators reduce the amount of water used by up to 30%.
Check your tap faucets and showerhead to make sure they don’t drip, swap your light bulbs out with energy efficient LED bulbs, and ensure your toilet is fully functioning without long flushing times.
2. Use your toilet wisely
This may sound like a funny one, but changing your toilet habits can have a big impact! Make sure your toilet paper comes from a sustainably-friendly source like Who Gives A Crap or Green Cane.
Implement the ‘if it’s yellow, let it mellow’ rule, and monitor how many squares of toilet paper you really need (I did this recently and was surprised at how long it now takes to get through a roll of toilet paper!). Close the toilet seat lid when you do flush, to stop the spread of germs and need for more cleaning. Instead of a plastic toilet brush, opt for a wooden brush, and use an eco-friendly toilet cleaner too.
3. Save your water
There are several ways you can save water in the bathroom, and your water bill will thank you later too. When showering, place a bucket in the shower to collect the cold water wasted as you wait for the water to heat up. This water can be drunk by your plants later. Turn the shower off when you’re applying shampoo/conditioner, and do the same when brushing your teeth too.
4. Switch to reusables
Evaluate every product in your bathroom, and find eco alternatives to switch to. Places like Biome and The Clean Collective have amazing ranges of bathroom products to choose from which are affordable and stylish. Consider a safety razor, rather than a plastic disposable, and make the easy switch to a bamboo toothbrush.
5. Go natural
Natural beauty and bathroom products are so readily available, there’s no excuse! Consuming cruelty-free, plant based products will reduce the risk of chemicals escaping into the water ways, and unhealthy reactions on your skin and body. Doing a bit of DIY and mixing lemon with vinegar to create a cleaner, can also help to freshen up the place and keep germs at bay most cost-effectively.
If DIY is out of the question, natural cleaners can be readily found online (Biome and The Clean Collective), or go for the best option by refilling your bottles at your local bulk bin store such as The Source.
Your bathroom needs to a be a space of health and serenity. Those moments prepping yourself for the world, and cleansing your body after a long hard day, should be spent in a haven, not a toxic mess.
Images via Who Gives a Crap & Style at Home
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