Looking for easy ways to be more sustainable around the house? This list of 8 easy swaps is specific to creating a more sustainable bathroom by swapping out single use plastic items for more eco-friendly alternatives.
I wanted to share eight easy ideas for creating a more sustainable bathroom. If you’re interested in learning more about making easy sustainable swaps, be sure to check out this post next! If you’re currently wondering how you can become more environmentally friendly, I hope this list of sustainable bathroom swaps will give you some inspiration of where to start!
By no means am I a sustainability or zero waste expert, but I do believe in progress over perfection when it comes to many things, sustainability included. When I googled “what room in your house generates the most waste,” I was shocked when “bathroom” came up in the #1 spot. I don’t know about you, but I was expecting the kitchen to be #1! Based on an article I found on Hello.com, 63.7% of the average home’s annual plastic waste comes from the products we use in the bathroom.
It’s safe to say, we can all benefit from incorporating a few of the sustainable bathroom finds I’ve shared below! I always like to say, we don’t need one person living zero-waste perfectly. Instead, we need a million people trying to live zero-waste imperfectly to really make a difference. If you’re interested & or able to make some eco-friendly swaps within your own bathroom, I hope the list below is helpful!
Easy Swaps for a Sustainable Bathroom
1. Shampoo & Conditioner
I love using my Beautycounter Shampoo & Conditioner, you can check out my review here! Not only do I love the way it makes my hair look & feel, but I also love that the bottles are refillable! Beautycounter is a company with a really amazing sustainability initiative & has a goal to make all of their packaging be either recyclable, refillable, reusable, or compostable by 2025! Their Daily Shampoo & Daily Conditioner is not only refillable but the bottles are 100% recyclable too, making it a much better choice in terms of sustainability & ingredient safety! As a reminder, Beautycounter formulates all products without the use of over 1,800+ harmful or questionable ingredients. Want to read more about ingredients to avoid in products? Check out this post!
Most shampoo & conditioner bottles are packaged in plastic bottles. In an effort to reduce plastic waste, Beautycounter uses a recyclable aluminum bottle with a reusable pump for both the Shampoo & Conditioner – as well as, their Body Wash & Body Lotion! When I run out of my shampoo or conditioner, instead of purchasing a bottle with another pump, I simply save my original pump & attach it to the new bottle! Purchasing a refill bottle without the pump, decreases fossil fuel use by an estimated 13%, making it a much more sustainable option.
2. Reusable Cotton Rounds
I don’t know about you, but I definitely went through a phase where I used cotton rounds for everything! Over a year ago, I made the switch over to reusable cotton rounds in an effort to create a more sustainable bathroom environment, & I’ve never looked back! Amazon has some great options for reusable cotton rounds at a great price point. I also really like these Bamboo Makeup Removal Pads from Credo Beauty.
New to using reusable cotton rounds? You simply use them in place of single-use makeup wipes, cotton balls, or cotton rounds. Reusable cotton rounds can be easily washed & used over & over again, making them a great sustainable find for your bathroom!
I love taking off my eye makeup using my cotton rounds using my favorite Cleansing Balm or Instant Eye Makeup Remover! If you prefer a larger option for makeup removal, I would definitely suggest the Makeup Eraser – they’re the BEST & another item you can keep reusing! I’ve had my Makeup Eraser for over two years!
3. Bamboo Tooth Brush
Switching to a bamboo tooth brush is one of the easiest ways to create a more sustainable bathroom. Not only are they better for the environment, but they are also free of BPA & are even anti-microbial. You can find a bamboo toothbrush pretty much everywhere these days as they become more & more popular! They will give you the same cleaning benefits of a plastic toothbrush but are a much better choice for our environment since single-use plastic, is incredibly difficult to recycle & takes a very long time to break down in our environment.
On the topic of sustainable products for the bathroom, I’ve even seen toothpaste tablets! The tablets come in a glass jar instead of a traditional toothpaste tube. I haven’t personally tried toothpaste tablets, I love using my Oral Essentials products, but if that’s something of interest to you, I’d check out this brand!
4. Zero-Waste Period Products
I’ve been using my menstrual cup for over three years now. I recommend them to EVERYONE. Seriously a game changer once you get the hang of how to use them – be sure to check out this post for more info regarding how to use a cup! Not only are they comfortable, convenient, & non-toxic, but they’re a tremendous option for sustainability.
Single use feminine care products (tampons & pads) create substantial waste. The average woman uses about 11,000 tampons in her lifetime (source). This translates to BILLIONS of tampons, applicators, & pads ending up in landfills each year! We have come a long way when it comes to zero-waste period products. If you haven’t yet swapped out conventional period products for more sustainable options, now is the time! I’ll share some great recommendations below!
As I mentioned, sustainable period products have come a long way over recent years. I absolutely LOVE my Lunette Menstrual Cup – check out my full review here! This is the one & only cup I’ve used, so I can’t speak from experience regarding any other menstrual cup on the market, but I have heard great things regarding the SAALT menstrual cup.
Period underwear or reusable cotton pads are another great choice for a zero-waste period. SAALT again has some great options for period underwear & Rael offers organic cotton reusable pads, as well as, period underwear.
5. Reusable Deodorant
Since deodorant is something we use on the daily, swapping it for a sustainable alternative is a great choice. Especially because most deodorant cartridges are not recyclable. I personally love the Clean Deo from Beautycounter because #1 it works, & #2 it’s refillable! By making the Clean Deo refillable, Beautycounter reduced its water use, fossil fuel use, & greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 47%! And since the plastic used within the entire component is the SAME plastic, it’s able to be easily recycled!
I’m not a fan of cardboard deodorants because they can get messy. I love having a plastic cartridge with a sustainable twist! Plus, the formula really works. Over the years, I’ve tried so many different brands of clean deodorant & nothing comes close to this Clean Deo. There’s a total of four scents available: Clean Rose, Soft Lavender, Fresh Coconut, & Crisp Sequoia! You can find them HERE! When you run out, you can grab a refill of any scent because they are all interchangeable!
6. Bamboo Cotton Swabs
Okay, in full honesty, I love a good cotton swab haha! However, plastic cotton swabs create a ton of waste. These Bamboo Cotton Swabs are a much more sustainable option to keep in our bathrooms. They come in a plastic free, recycled paper box, & feature natural organic bamboo cotton. Bamboo is a sustainable, renewable resource which is why you see bamboo being used in a variety of sustainable products.
7. Razor
I have been wanting to make the switch over to a more sustainable razor for a while now. However, I haven’t been able to get on board with the whole safety razor thing. I know people who love their safety razor & it’s definitely the best option in terms of sustainability but I can’t lie, I find them a little intimidating. So until I muster up the courage to give them a try, I found a happy medium with a razor from a brand, Preserve.
Preserve is a B Corp & a Climate Neutral Certified company who creates everyday household essentials (like razors), from 100% recycled plastic! I’ve been using my Preserve razor for over a month now & I absolutely LOVE it. It can be used by both men & women, features a handle made from recycled materials, & the blades can be replaced as needed, so you’re not left buying an entire new razor every time!
Since ingredient safety is very important to me, I also really like that the ingredients found within the lubricating shave strip are clean. Preserve uses cocoa butter & aloe in their shave strips. Most brands don’t disclose the ingredients in their lubricating strips & most of them include ingredients that I’m not comfortable using.
8. Bamboo Toilet Paper
When it comes to being more sustainable in the bathroom, toilet paper is definitely a good swap to make! Betterway is a great option for anyone who is looking for more eco-friendly toilet paper! They specialize in plastic free packaging, as well as, unscented, dye-free, & eco-friendly toilet paper made from all natural, non-GMO bamboo. They are also a carbon neutral company, based in the United States & the individual wrappers on each roll of toilet paper are compostable.
I hope this list of easy sustainable bathroom finds was helpful if you’re looking for ways to decrease your environmental footprint & decrease the use of single-use plastic items!
Which of these bathroom swaps will you try first?
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