5 Easy Eco-friendly swaps for your bathroom
If you are wanting to take a few steps to a more sustainable home and lifestyle, your bathroom is a great place to start. Most of the products and toiletries we use are wrapped in plastic, single-use or disposable, and many of them can’t be recycled. So introducing some eco-friendly bathroom swaps is an easy way to make a big difference in the amount of single-use plastic you use.
Start by reducing unnecessary products, avoiding impulse buys, and using what you already have in your bathroom. When those bottles and tubes are empty, try some greener alternatives.
Here are my five favourite, and easy, swaps for a more eco-friendly bathroom:
Switch to solid soap
Although liquid soap is convenient, they usually come in a lot of plastic packaging that can’t always be recycled. Swapping liquid soaps and their dispensers is one of the easiest changes you can make. Soap bars are just as effective as liquid soap, and many times come in paper packaging that can be recycled or composted.
Consider using solid shampoo and conditioner
Even the most minimal shower routines are likely contributors to the shampoo bottle problem. According to mashable.com only a very small amount of the 552 million shampoo bottles, that are sold in the U.S. each year, actually get recycled.
Shampoo bars are a great way of cutting back on single-use plastic. Not only are they plastic-free, but they also take a lot less water to produce. Most shampoo bars are made without sulphates and other harsh detergents that are common in their liquid counterparts making them a much healthier option as well. They are also great value. One bar should last as long as three bottles of shampoo.
Shampoo and conditioner bars have a come a long way since their humble beginnings. While the less-waste aspect has not changed, the improved versions now cater for different hair types and needs. If you are running low on your usual shampoo and you are looking to switch to a more eco-friendly alternative, I’ve got your back. Read more about shampoo bars and my favourite brands here.
Washable crocheted facial rounds
Crocheted facial rounds are a great alternative to cotton balls that contain plastic and usually come in plastic packaging. They are ideal for removing make-up and can be used repeatedly. When they get grubby just give them a quick wash with soap and warm water and they are good to go again. They are easy to make at home if you can crochet, but if crocheting is it not your thing you can buy them on line from Natural Life. Natural Life have a cotton and hemp option.
Opt for a bamboo toothbrush
Throwing away a plastic toothbrush once in a while might not seem like a big deal. But consider for a moment that your toothbrush will take up to 400 years to decompose. And that worldwide one billion toothbrushes are thrown away every year. That’s a huge amount of plastic contaminating our soil and water for a very long time. So why not try a bamboo toothbrush? Bamboo toothbrushes work just as well as their plastic counterparts and can be popped in your compost heap when you have done with them. Simply Bamboo and The Kind Brush both have a great products.
Chewable toothpaste
Toothpaste tablets are not only easy to use, but far more eco-friendly than their tubular counterpart. Most toothpaste tablets are technically not toothpaste at all. They are compressed powder made of ingredients like xylitol, calcium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate. Read all about the pros and cons of using chewable toothpaste here.
I love these swaps. They are great for the planet. But I also love the simplicity they have brought to my bathroom. My bathroom is less cluttered and feels calmer and cleaner somehow.
xxx
Images: Madison&West Lifestyle
