Zero waste washrooms are a new trend in the bathroom industry. They offer an eco-friendly and sustainable way to go about your bathroom needs.
You can reduce your bathroom waste with the following:
Smart showerheads to minimize water consumption
Plastic-free shampoos
Bar soaps
Organic oral care products
Low-waste makeup and skincare products
No unnecessary products
Safety razors
Lukewarm and short showers
Reusable containers
Eco-friendly toilet products
Sustainable flushing to reduce water waste
Zero-waste washrooms eliminate excess packaging by using bulk products and reusable containers. Consider using plastic-free cleaning options like bar shampoos instead of liquid soaps.
Thus, the whole notion behind the zero-waste practice is to keep only what you need most. In a way, it helps you to reconsider things you can live without. Additionally, you should recycle or compost anything that might end up in landfills.
As a result, you can reduce the carbon emissions released into the atmosphere. You can also conserve finite resources. Therefore, switching to a zero-waste bathroom can improve your impact on the ecosystem and its biodiversity.
This article is a comprehensive guide to help you make your bathroom waste zero one small step at a time.
Let’s dive in!
Consider smart showers for minimum water consumption
Sustainable showers are a growing trend among eco-conscious individuals. By investing in an innovative and sustainable shower, you can reduce water consumption and minimize liquid waste. Modern intelligent showers like Oasense dispense the right amount of water and ensure there’s no wastage by limiting water flow when you step away from the shower.
Since one-fifth of the world suffers from water shortages, installing a smart showerhead becomes more a responsibility than a hack for a zero-waste bathroom. Therefore, such eco-friendly showers are the way forward for a more thoughtful and sustainable world.
If you’re not sure whether your showerhead is water-efficient, here is a simple test to find out. If your showerhead takes less than 20 seconds to fill a gallon of water, it’s time to change your showerhead.
Since the idea is to make your bathroom zero-waste, you can’t allow the water to spill away. So, look for a smarter option that saves up to 50% water with advanced sensor-based technology.
A smart showerhead may seem like a bigger investment, but it’s worth the price. In the long run, you’re saving quite some bucks on your water bills.
Try plastic-free shampoos
Plastic-free shampoos can reduce your impact on the environment and promote a more sustainable life. Going plastic-free can help save space in landfills, prevent hazardous chemicals from entering our waterways, and reduce long-term health risks.
Single-use plastics are among the worst things for the environment. They take hundreds of years to degrade and often fill up landfills and eventually end up in our oceans, where they kill millions of animals each year.
With more people becoming eco-conscious and “green” initiatives gaining momentum, environmentally friendly shampoo is almost mainstream.
For instance, you can switch to dry shampoos. Dry shampoo is a very convenient product. Spray it on your head and let it sit for several minutes before combing.
Shampoo bars are another alternative to shampoo in a plastic bottle. They come in many varieties and use different ingredients like coconut oil, almond oil, or other plant oils. Moreover, you can find them at most natural food stores and online retailers. You have to rub a shampoo bar on your hair and then rinse it out with water after lathering up!
Some companies also offer recycled plastic packaging, which effectively means zero waste.
When you opt for such solutions for shampoos, there will be less or no waste left after the shampoo finishes. Therefore, it takes you one step closer to a zero-waste bathroom.
Say yes to bar soap
Bar soaps are a great way to go green because they are less wasteful and more economical.
The benefits of using bars of soap over other products include:
They're priced better than most personal care items.
They come in more natural scents like lavender or peppermint.
They don't contain any artificial ingredients (like parabens) that could irritate your skin.
Natural toothpasafer and better than commercial toothpaste. It’s free of artificial flavors and dyes, fluoride, antibacterial agents, preservatives, and other harmful chemical s.
Some brands are now focusing on vegan and zero-waste bar soaps that leave no residue at all. They have fully biodegradable packaging and no harmful chemicals in their formula.
On the other hand, if you’re a soap dispenser fan, look for refill options. This way, you won’t have any waste bottles once the soap finishes. The small change will help you reach your goals for your zero waste bathroom.
Consider organic products for oral care
Natural toothpaste is safer and better than commercial toothpaste. It’s free of artificial flavors and dyes, fluoride, antibacterial agents, preservatives, and other harmful chemicals. Similarly, organic toothbrushes are great for your health. They help reduce inflammation, are eco-friendly, and are more comfortable to use than regular toothbrushes.
Oral care demands a sophisticated choice of material. While plastic is already bad for oral consumption, many popular brands manufacture toothbrushes, toothpicks, and other oral products made out of plastic.
You might have a plastic toothbrush in your bathroom right now. However, it’s time to shift to some organic substances like wood.
With bamboo toothbrushes, you can contribute to the recycling process once they wear out. Bamboo toothbrushes are fully biodegradable and vegan-friendly. Since they are BPA-free, you don’t have to worry about adverse health effects.
So, removing plastic toothbrushes, dental floss, and toothpicks from plastic should be your next step towards a zero-waste bathroom. There is an average of three toothbrushes in every house in the US. You can imagine the impact if everyone switches to eco-friendly toothbrushes!
Nowadays, you’ll also find zero waste floss alternatives in the market like Lucky Teeth Floss. They’re made from bamboo fibers. Or buy cordless water flossers like Waterpik that tend to last a long time.
How about low-waste makeup and skincare products?
Your makeup kit and skincare products contain a hefty amount of non-recyclable material. Anyhow, you don’t need to sacrifice beauty as there are many low-waste, high-quality brands that offer sustainable products.
As consumers and makeup enthusiasts become more aware of the changing world and how it impacts our environment, living a zero-waste lifestyle is becoming increasingly popular. The market for zero-waste makeup products is growing tremendously due to this growing preference for sustainable products.
Several different brands sell zero-waste makeup. So you’ll find everything from vegan skincare to organic foundations. The majority of their packaging is also either glass or plastic resin. The latter is manufactured from renewable sugarcane technology.
Contrarily, purchasing organic products from a store can be too expensive for some people. While shifting to all-organic alternatives may seem custom and daunting, it’s easier to try making these products at home. With the right ingredients and a couple of hours, you can create your organic body wash, deodorant, toothpaste, and even lipstick.
As you embark on a journey to zero-waste living, it’s essential to eliminate unnecessary packaging by opting for homemade products.
Do you have unnecessary products?
It’s best to combine similar items for a more streamlined bathroom. For instance, you can make your bathroom waste zero by using a bar of soap for both the body and face. Find bars with all-in-one formulas to minimize the need for multiple products in your bathroom altogether.
Likewise, use an all-purpose body lotion for moisturizing. You can even make one at home.
Making your own lotion has many benefits: more healthy ingredients, less packaging, and you can even reuse those empty bottles.
Here are the easy steps:
Take equal quantities of olive oil, coconut oil, and shea butter.
Mix all the ingredients.
Similarly, you can also make homemade deodorant and put it in a used container.
Perfumes, toners, serums, and creams are some of the other items you can prepare at home without any hassle.
The idea is to cut down multiple products and use all-in-one solutions wherever you can. This way, you will have less stuff to look after and more space to manage things. On top of that, it takes you a few steps closer to your zero-waste bathroom.
Try safety razors for recurring use
Safety razors are more than just durable, super-efficient blade holders. They also take you closer to your zero-waste bathroom goals.
One-time razors are wreaking havoc as plastic waste. It’s devastating to see a five-minute use product go to waste and pollute the environment for hundreds of years. So, safety razors become a good option for recurring shaves.
In addition to being reusable, these razors are much safer and protect you from nicks and cuts.
Moreover, many of these come in eco-friendly packaging and compostable materials. So, even if you were to trash them, they won’t cause adverse effects to the environment.
Go for short and lukewarm showers or baths
A lukewarm shower will result in less water usage for the same amount of time in the shower than a hot shower. Moreover, a short shower uses less water, which takes less energy to heat the water. You can save even more energy by taking shorter showers (aim for two minutes).
The calculation doesn't just apply to showers, but baths, laundry, and other tasks that take longer than five minutes.
Here’s a quick tip to help reduce your bathroom’s footprint: instead of running the bath on full blast, turn it down to lukewarm water for half-hour stretches each day.
In addition, a decent showerhead will take less time to reach the desired temperature. Therefore, it spills less amount of water before you eventually reach the perfect spot. So, an intelligent showerhead like Oasense is ideal because it only produces 10% water flow while you wait for the temperature to rise.
Could you recycle your containers?
If you buy bathroom products with containers, recycling them instead of sending them to a landfill is the most efficient thing. Alternatively, there are many ways to repurpose your containers, including using glass jars to store food ingredients or potting plants.
Moreover, recycling also helps you to buy the same products without the containers. For instance, you can take plastic shampoo bottles for a refill instead of buying a new bottle.
If you’re ambitious and creative, you can even try some extravagant adventures by creating plastic bricks to build something unique. You can also contribute to initiatives that promote recycling plastic and similar products for green and eco-friendly projects.
Recycling is among the most effective ways to tackle waste problems to help turn your bathroom into a zero-waste space. When you recycle used containers, you keep your bathroom clutter-free.
Consider eco-friendly toilet products
For a sustainable bathroom, look for products with minimal packaging made from renewable and eco-friendly materials. Choose products with no packaging and toilet paper made from recycled paper to reduce your waste.
