Green Living Tip Tuesday: Green Your Bathroom Routine

Greening our bathrooms is one of the first things we should do. We spend a significant amount of time in this room, even though we don’t like to admit it, and this is where the most water and energy waste occurs, not to mention all these harmful chemicals we use to pamper ourselves or the cleaning supplies that eventually end up down the drain.

First of all – water.  During the hot and muggy DC summer, you can’t wait to shower in an attempt to cool down and refresh. To minimize the usage and waste of water, please have in mind these easy tips.

• Install low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators – they can save as much as 50% of water.
  
• Take shorter, cooler showers – you will save energy and feel even more refreshed.
  
• Try to recycle the water after your bath – you can wash your clothes, your car, or even give a bath to your dog.

Another thing to consider is energy. As we all know, a lot of energy is used to heat the water – so make sure to set your thermostat appropriately as well as gradually train yourself to take cooler showers – showering under cold water has proven benefits not only for the environment, and your pocket but also for your health!

Bathrooms usually have brighter light bulbs than any other rooms – we need that light to better see ourselves in the mirror while applying make-up (ladies), or shaving (men). So don’t forget to replace those bulbs with energy efficient ones and use natural light as much as possible. You can substitute blinds by gluing  privacy film on your window

And, of course, cleaning. To cut on washing towels – hang them to dry and reuse.  Open the window to allow moisture, which promotes mold, to escape. You’ll cut down on cleaning.

Use only natural cleaning products, or even try baking soda as a scrub and white vinegar as a shower rinse and glass/ceramic/mirror cleaner.

And pay attention to your beauty products. Read those labels, be an educated consumer and don’t let them green wash you! The less impact your beauty products have on the environment the less likely they are to harm you.

Photo Credit: Flickr CC User Thristian