Whenever I go to the dentist, they compliment me on my clean teeth. I tend to stick to the trusted triad of toothbrush, toothpaste tube and floss and am leery to make any changes that might affect my dental health. This means I still have a ways to go when it comes to reducing bathroom waste.
Yet we know that the bathroom is a space that generates a lot of waste—just think of all the disposable tubes, tubs, caps and bottles!
Here are some swaps we can all try to cut down on waste in the bathroom!
How much waste is generated in the bathroom?
The amount of waste generated in the bathroom depends a lot on your habits. In general, though, the answer will be high, given all the single-use, plastic items. According to one estimate, the average person in the UK generates 512 kilograms of bathroom waste over their lifetime. According to the same article, people in the UK only recycle 50% of packaging in the bathroom.
When looking at specific items, one billion toothbrushes are thrown away each year in the US; the average woman uses 11,000 period products over her lifetime; and 42 million tons of toilet paper are used globally per year. These items require resources to produce and take a long time to decompose. For example, a plastic toothbrush can take over 400 years to decompose. Find out the impacts of other bathroom products in this interactive article.
Sustainable bathroom swaps
Thankfully, there are low-waste alternatives to many common bathroom products. Some of the swaps may require a few changes to habits, but they will help you stay clean without polluting the planet!
Toothpaste tablets or tooth powder
Replaces: Toothpaste tubes
Traditional toothpaste tubes are typically not recyclable. It’s also hard to get the last bit of toothpaste out! Instead, try using either toothpaste tablets or tooth powder in a glass jar.
To use a toothpaste tablet, chew the tablet, then brush as normal. For tooth powder, dampen your toothbrush, dip it in the powder, then brush normally. If you’re feeling ambitious, try making this homemade tooth powder from Going Zero Waste.
I have not personally used either toothpaste tablets or tooth powder, so if you have experience with either, let me know how they’ve worked out for you!
Bamboo toothbrush
Replaces: Plastic toothbrush
As I mentioned earlier, plastic toothbrushes can take hundreds of years to decompose. In the meantime, they’ll sit around in landfills or the environment. You could use reuse old toothbrushes for cleaning, but you might as well use a natural, biodegradable product instead!
The handles of bamboo toothbrushes are compostable, while the bristles are not. This is a very easy swap since you use the toothbrush in the exact same way!
Biodegradable and refillable floss
Replaces: Plastic floss in plastic packaging
If you think about it, you just use dental floss for a minute then throw it out! Floss is typically made of plastic and comes in a plastic container that may or may not be recyclable.
If you’re going to be flossing (which I’d recommend), there are a few options to produce less waste! Try using a biodegradable floss made of silk, or bamboo or corn for a vegan option, which will take much less time to degrade. You may also be able to get floss in a refillable glass or stainless steel container.
Bar soap
Replaces: Liquid soap, shower gel
Liquid soap and similar products like shower gel typically come in plastic bottles. Plus, you have the same issue with toothpaste tubes of it being hard to use the last part!
Instead, use good old bar soap. You can often find bars of soap packaged in cardboard or paper. Alternatively, you could try making your own soap, which is a bit more work.
You can use bars of soap for most situations, including handwashing and showering. Wondering what to do with the little bits of leftover soap? Try combining them like in this recipe.
Shampoo and conditioner bars
Replaces: Bottled shampoo and conditioner
Shampoo and conditioner bottles are often not recyclable. Instead, try using shampoo and conditioner bars! These are a similar concept to bars of soap.
You can often find shampoo and conditioner bars in either cardboard or paper packaging. To use the bar, get it wet, then rub the lather into your hair. I’ve found shampoo and conditioner bars to be just as effective as the bottled kind.
Bars of shampoo and conditioner are more concentrated, so they last longer. Indeed, one shampoo bar lasts for over 50 washes. A bonus is that shampoo and conditioner bars are easier to transport when travelling since you don’t need to deal with the little bottles.
Refillable or natural deodorant
Replaces: Deodorant in a plastic bottle
Deodorant is another product that comes in a single-use dispenser. Check whether you can find refillable deodorant bottles or deodorant that comes in biodegradable packaging.
Another option is to use natural deodorant or to make your own. That way, you know exactly what’s going on your body!
Bamboo or recycled toilet paper
Replaces: Standard paper toilet paper
Did you know that 712 million trees are cut down every year to produce toilet paper? Though using toilet paper (or an alternative) is unavoidable, there are a few options that are more sustainable.
Look for toilet paper made of bamboo, which grows much faster than trees, or of recycled paper. You may also be able to find toilet paper that’s packaged in paper instead of plastic. Every bit helps!
Reusable pads, menstrual cups or period underwear
Replaces: Disposable pads and tampons
Using pads, tampons or another similar product is something else that us menstruating people can’t avoid. If you think about how many times you’ll be on your period over your lifetime, it really adds up!
There are a few reusable alternatives to consider. I’ve been using reusable pads, which I find works well (and is not as gross as you’d imagine). Alternatively, you may prefer to use menstrual cups or period underwear (learn more here).
You’ll figure out what works best and is most comfortable for you. Even using reusable products some of the time helps reduce waste!
Low-waste bathroom swaps
From floss and toothpaste tubes to shampoo bottles, the waste in a bathroom can really add up if you’re not careful. Try a few of these swaps to reduce your bathroom waste and stay sparkling clean while you’re at it!
I want to know: What swaps have you tried to reduce waste in the bathroom?
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One could also ditch shaving creams in plastic and aerosol containers, and use shaving soap in bar form and with a shaving brush. This option did not appeal to me, in part because traditionally the brushes were made with badger hair. However, it turns out that vegan brushes are now available. As is brushless shaving soap in bar form, e.g.: https://well.ca/products/well-kept-shave-soap_344447.html
That’s a great tip for those that shave regularly! I’m glad there are now vegan brushes available!
I will look into getting myself a bamboo toothbrush soon. I didn’t know they existed. When I was looking up your recipe for the toothpaste, it brought back a memory for me. David may possibly remember it as well. I swear that our mom had us clean our teeth with baking soda occasionally. It really made the teeth feel very smooth and clean. And got rid of tea stains too I think.
I often cut the ends of my tubes of makeup, sunscreen and moisturizers so I can get everything out of it. I use duct tape on the end to keep it sealed until the next time I use it. I usually have to keep cutting away the length of the tube so I can get to the very end. I can usually get another week or so out of the product by doing that.
For my shampoo, when it’s near the end I always add a little bit of liquid and give it a shake so I don’t waste anything.
I did try making the bar of soap out of my old ends but wasn’t very successful. I will try the tip mentioned above. I always hate throwing away the scraps.
Great! Bamboo toothbrushes work well! It sounds like your mom had a similar idea with using baking soda for cleaning teeth.
That’s a great trick to get the last bit out of tubes and bottles! I will have to try that!
Pleased to report that I am already on board for bamboo tooth brushes. Re toilet paper, the Finns have come up with a handy way to do without (if this is not too much information): https://stories.oras.com/en/oras-bidetta-a-finnish-national-treasure . Many other cultures also eschew TP.
Excellent!
That sounds similar to a bidet (which I also have not tried).
We need Oras Bidettas in Canada. What a brilliant idea. 😂