There is a common misconception that doing your part to save the environment has to be expensive. To bust that myth, we are sharing eight affordable ways you can have a sustainable bathroom.
Reduce your shower time
One way you can start using your bathroom more sustainably is by looking at how much water you use daily, like when you take a shower.
If you take a long time in the shower, you should reduce the water you use. It won’t only be more sustainable that way, but you’ll save more money in the long run too.
If you want, you can also install low-flow showerheads that will still help you shower freely, but the amount of water you use is controlled. That way, you still feel like nothing has changed with your water habits, you’re still clean, but you didn’t end up using a lot of water to achieve that.
Wash your hair less often
As mentioned before, being more mindful of how much water you use in the bath can help you reduce water usage. Washing your hair less often (not your body!) is an excellent way for you to use less of your water resource while still benefiting your hair.
Aside from being a more sustainable way to use your bathroom, did you know that washing less often can make your hair thicker? Plus, reducing how often you bathe your hair can help make it less dry, significantly longer hair. Given all these benefits, there are good reasons for you to start washing your hair less often.
Ditch single-use bottles
As much as possible, try and get rid of any single-use plastic bottles for your toiletries. From your shampoo and conditioner to your lotion and soap, you should try and eliminate single-use items or packaging as much as you can.
There are shampoo and conditioner bars that help in combating the use of single-use plastic bottles.
However, if you use specific products and can’t skip them, you might as well purchase them in bulk. That way, you can save money over time while reducing plastic as much as possible.
Replace your shower curtain
Many cheap and mass-produced shower curtains that people have easy access to are likely made using polyvinyl chloride or PVC.
As time goes by, PVCs tend to release chemical gases and detectable odors, which can harm the environment. Aside from that, PVC is not recyclable, so they’re not very sustainable.
Given the harmful effects of using a PVC shower curtain, make sure that you choose to buy PVC-free plastic shower curtains. They’re easy to find and widely available.
An even better alternative would be to get a shower screen instead of a shower curtain since these are long-lasting and recyclable.
Use an eco-toothbrush
There are now many eco alternatives to many of the everyday items that use plastics in them.
For example, your toothbrush has single-use plastics in them that you can easily replace for a greener alternative. Bamboo toothbrushes are a better and more sustainable alternative for that.
Do you prefer to use electric toothbrushes? Luckily, there are also greener alternatives to electric toothbrushes. Therefore, there’s no excuse not to have an eco-toothbrush in your sustainable bathroom.
While you’re at it, get some eco-friendly toothpaste as well to match your eco-toothbrushes.
Use organic washcloths
Many of the traditional cotton washcloths use harmful chemicals to make them. Thus, when you’re trying to change your bathroom to be greener, make sure that you don’t neglect to change your washcloths, towels, and so on.
Look for organic cotton towels that say that they don’t use pesticides with their cotton. Using organic towels and washcloths, you don’t expose your skin to unnecessary chemicals and toxic materials.
Switch to non-toxic cleaning products
You can also make your bathroom greener without spending a fortune by replacing your cleaning products.
Opt for homemade or natural and cruelty-free alternatives. That way, you can still clean your bathroom without damaging the environment.
You can either purchase green cleaning products or make them yourself with household items.
Recycle!
Instead of having just one garbage bin inside the bathroom, opt to have a smaller container for recyclable materials as well.
We likely place our recycling bins in places like the kitchen. But that makes us lenient and miss the recyclables when we use particular items in the bathroom.
Adding an extra small recycling bin inside the bathroom can help you be more responsible with your recyclable materials. It also removes the need to sort your trash.
Final Thoughts
Doing your part in saving the planet need not be expensive and grand. Often, the solution is in your surroundings.
From DIY bathroom cleaners to reducing your shower time, there are a plethora of cost-effective ways to have a green bathroom. And you can always refer to this post if you are looking for eco-friendly ideas.
