7 Tips for a More Sustainable Bathroom

Today I wanted to zero in on one of the areas in our homes that provides us with lots of opportunities for living a little greener – the bathroom! I’ve got a few easy changes you can make to create a more sustainable bathroom, and I’d love to hear your suggestions as well.

7 Tips for a More Sustainable Bathroom | I Spy Plum Pie

1. Introduce plants

Indoor plants are amazing for purifying the air and bringing additional oxygen into spaces, and thankfully lots of them do particularly well in bathrooms. Adding some plants to your bathroom will not only add some gorgeous colour but will up the eco credentials of the room as well. Peace Lily’s and ferns are excellent bathroom plant options, and I’ve talked a little more about indoor plants in a previous post right here.

2. Use green cleaning products

Bathrooms tend to be where we turn to the harshest cleaning products, introducing all kinds of bleaches and chemicals into the room. There are plenty of natural, homemade cleaning products you can turn to instead which rely on a combination of vinegar, baking soda and essential oils. Removing harsh cleaning products from your bathroom will not only make the room much more sustainable but will save you a whole host of money too! I’ve shared my go to green cleaning products here on the blog before, so you can find them right here!

3. Reduce water use

Unsurprisingly the bathroom is responsible for much of the water use in people’s homes, so reducing that is an excellent way to create a more sustainable bathroom, and a more sustainable home. Showers are the obvious place to start, so try and keep them to 4 minutes or less, and use a timer if you find yourself losing track of time in there (I know I’m guilty of that one!). Turning off the tap while brushing your teeth is another easy way to save water, as well as installing low-flow shower heads and taps and using the half-flush function on the toilet. Each change is only small, but they all definitely add up to a huge reduction in water usage.

4. Avoid disposable items

Bathrooms can be responsible for a whole lot of waste if we’re not careful, as many of the products are designed to be single-use for ‘convenience’. Try and avoid disposable items like makeup wipes and cotton pads, and instead opt for a reusable face cloth to remove your makeup. Similarly, skip the paper towel or single-use cleaning cloths and choose microfibre cloths for your cleaning instead. And whatever you do, please avoid ‘flushable’ wipes which are most definitely not flushable!

5. Think about skincare, body & makeup ingredients

The products we use for our skincare, body and makeup can have a huge impact on how eco friendly our bathrooms are as not only do these ingredients end up on our skin, but eventually down our drains too. Choosing products that are free from ingredients like parabens, microbeads, SLS, petroleum, palm oil and synthetic fragrances is huge step towards a more sustainable bathroom, and these products are much better for our skin too! Some of my favourite brands that tick these boxes are Sukin, Nude by Nature & Lush, and I’d love to hear your suggestions too!

6. Choose bamboo & organic cotton

Switching your bath and hand towels to either bamboo or organic cotton options is an excellent way to bring some added sustainability into your bathroom. Not only are they normally excellent quality towels but you can be sure that the production of them had a much lower impact on the planet as well. Bamboo in particular is great due to its microbial and moisture wicking properties, so keep an eye out for them when you next buy towels.

7. Reduce & recycle packaging

All the various bottles and jars of products we all tend to have in our bathrooms means a whole lot of extra packaging and waste can be created, so an excellent way to create a more sustainable bathroom is to first reduce the amount of packaging you bring into your bathroom, then be sure to recycle everything you can.

Choosing bars of soap over liquid soap is one easy way to do this, as they tend to come in either no packaging or in some more easily recyclable cardboard. Similarly, try and choose toilet paper wrapped in paper not plastic (I personally use Who Gives A Crap toilet paper) and take advantage of any recycling programs for packaging offered by brands, such as the one through Lush. When my current shampoo & conditioner are finished I’m going to make the switch to solid shampoo & conditioner bars which will mean two less bottles in my bathroom with no real change to my life.

There we go, my top tips for a more sustainable bathroom. I’d love to hear your ideas as well!

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13 Comments on 7 Tips for a More Sustainable Bathroom

  1. merilyn
    February 10, 2016 at 3:36 pm (8 years ago)

    thankyou liz!
    always great ideas!
    tick! … i’m doing most of these!
    hope you are feeling better! love m:)X

    Reply
    • I Spy Plum Pie (admin)
      February 17, 2016 at 6:47 pm (8 years ago)

      I’m not surprised by that at all, you’re a superstar M xx

      Reply
  2. Moni | Thoughts of a Moni
    February 11, 2016 at 7:25 am (8 years ago)

    I’m just about to put in an order for Who Gives A Crap toilet paper!
    Also the Lush shampoo bars are amazing and they last for so long! I am a complete convert!
    Moni | Thoughts of a Moni recently posted…In My Kitchen – February 2016

    Reply
    • I Spy Plum Pie (admin)
      February 17, 2016 at 6:48 pm (8 years ago)

      Ooh glad to hear that, I can’t wait to give them a try!

      Reply
  3. Lilly
    February 13, 2016 at 6:05 pm (8 years ago)

    Ironically I was up last night cleaning out the clutter in my bathroom – products that have expired or never get used and trying to turn the morning ‘turn-around’ zone into something more palatable 🙂 I just read this and realised, for the first time in any of my many bathrooms through time, that there are no plants – will resolve tomorrow x

    Reply
    • I Spy Plum Pie (admin)
      February 17, 2016 at 6:49 pm (8 years ago)

      Glad to be of assistance!

      Reply
  4. Emma @ Life, kids and a glass of red
    February 14, 2016 at 10:55 am (8 years ago)

    Love Sukin products 🙂 Our ensuite and toilet gets really hot and a lot of sun, so we have succulents! May not purify the air as well as other plants, but they are thriving and look great. We have heaps of lilies and other indoor plants throughout the rest of the house.
    Emma @ Life, kids and a glass of red recently posted…Parenting is hard work

    Reply
    • I Spy Plum Pie (admin)
      February 17, 2016 at 6:50 pm (8 years ago)

      That sounds pretty perfect to me!

      Reply
  5. shannon @my2morrows
    February 15, 2016 at 4:28 pm (8 years ago)

    Great ideas. I’ve been meaning to get a plant in the bathroom for so long. Thanks for the reminder. Xx

    Reply
    • I Spy Plum Pie (admin)
      February 17, 2016 at 6:50 pm (8 years ago)

      Anytime!

      Reply
  6. Earth Lover
    May 26, 2016 at 6:51 am (8 years ago)

    Great tips! Your post is helpful especially when one has just started going green. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • I Spy Plum Pie (admin)
      July 19, 2016 at 5:58 pm (8 years ago)

      Glad to hear it was useful!

      Reply
  7. Aodhan: Melbourne waste services
    January 3, 2017 at 12:24 pm (7 years ago)

    Some good tips here. Agree with using more natural products – you will feel healthier and help the environment also.

    Reply

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