10 of the Best Eco-Friendly Bathroom Solutions
With careful selection of products, you can make your bathroom more resource-efficient, minimize waste, and recycle what’s left over to reduce the amount of materials ending up in landfill.
Eco friendly bathrooms don't just help to save water; with the latest technology such as underfloor heating and smart showering systems, you could also save on your electricity and water bills.
Check out this guide to building a sustainable and eco-friendly bathroom.
1 Upgrade Your Tapware
Low-flow faucets, toilets, and showerheads help you save water. The showerheads are designed to aerate the water so you get the same sort of water pressure that you’re used to without using a ton of extra water.
It is also worth making sure your tapware has a good WELS star rating - the more stars the better. All tapware sold in Australia comes with a WELS star rating label which indicates water efficiency for consumers.
2 Change from a bath to a shower
If you can, switch your bath for a shower, or a shower over bath combination. Average showers use 62 litres, while an average baths use 80 litres - which shows how much you can save every time!
3 Green Cleaning
Most of us go straight for the ammonia or bleach-based products when it comes time to clean the bathroom because of their antibacterial and antifungal properties. While they work well, they’re not exactly the greenest option.
Instead of using bleach or ammonia, opt for some more natural cleaning products. You can even make your own cleaning products using white vinegar and lemon, or choose green-friendly cleaning products if you’re not a fan of the smell of vinegar.
4 LED Lighting
The bathroom is often the last place in the house to be switched to LED or more eco-friendly lighting options. Older lighting fixtures or halogen bulbs use excessive energy in comparison. LED lighting is a superior option, especially in the bathroom.
5 Toilet Upgrades
Upgrade your toilet to an efficient alternative. Most modern toilets are now dual flush, letting you control how much water you use when flushing. There are government guidelines around installing water efficient toilets in Australia: If you’re building a new home, you will need to install a WELS 4 STAR rated toilet. If you’re doing a minor renovation or replacing an existing toilet, you can use a 3 or 4 STAR suite.
6 Heating
Instead of having a heater in your bathroom, use heated towel rails or underfloor heating. This is energy efficient and will also save on your power bills.
7 Toilet Paper and paper towels
Buy recycled toilet paper and paper towels. Many companies now offer recycled toilet paper options, with companies like Who Gives A Crap also wrapping the rolls in recycled paper instead of plastic.
8 Environmentally friendly personal hygiene
Look for green alternatives for shampoo, conditioners and soaps to make sure that whatever is washed down your drain is harmful to the environment and are unsustainably produced. Look for products that don't use palm oil or sulfates. Consider switching to shampoo or conditioner bars, which are more highly concentrated and don't come in plastic bottles. You can also swap your plastic toothbrushes for bamboo alternatives, that are biodegradable.
9 Green, Clean and Dry
Choose towels and mats made out of sustainable materials like organic cotton, organically grown bamboo, hemp – they grow fast and have a smaller carbon footprint than other materials like cotton or polyester.
10 Recycle and refill
Ditch single-use bottles for refillable containers. If you're attached to liquid soap and shampoo, use refillable glass jars or containers that will last longer and won't end up in landfill.
Contact Us
For advice on green plumbing solutions for your home or business, including rainwater tanks and tapware or toilet upgrades, contact the Expert Plumbing & Gas team today.
