Lady LUX

Your bathroom is likely a huge guzzler of water, brimming with environmentally harmful cleaners and bath products. But with these 8 eco-friendly tips, you can turn your bathroom into a lean, green machine. From dual-flush toilets to homemade cleaning products, we show you how to green up your toilet, shower, personal care products and more.

Make Your Toilet Eco-Friendly

Toilets are responsible for 27 percent of the water used in a home, more than the washing machine, shower or any other appliance. Installing a high-efficiency toilet can save you 90 bucks a year for a family of four. Low-flow toilets can use less than 1.3 gallons a flush, while older toilets expend at least 3.5 or even as high as 7 gallons. You can even buy a composting commode. If you don’t have the inclination or the cash to purchase a new toilet, try installing a controllable flush handle. Place pebbles in the tank to eliminate some of the water that would have filled the tank. Or mount a dual-flusher that allows you to choose whether you are flushing liquid waste or solid waste (available for about $20).

Clear the air

Save the environment by eliminating mold before it begins, cutting down on your use of bleach and other harmful cleaners. Mold needs moisture to grow; mold is caused by excess humidity – especially a problem when you shower. So create some ventilation: open the windows, add in exhaust vents, use a fan. You can also clean the air by bringing in some plants, which lower humidity and absorb air pollutants, purifying the air and producing oxygen.

Use a Low-Flow Shower Head

A low-flow shower head can cut water use by up to half. A conventional head runs through 5 to 8 gallons of water a minute, but a low-flow version cuts that to at least 2.5 gallons. This tip also saves energy from heating your shower water, saving you hundreds of dollars per year.

Purchase Green Items

Recycled toilet paper saves trees and energy. We bet you can’t tell the difference. Go with an eco-friendly shower curtain: Vinyl ones release more than 100 toxic chemicals into the air, some of which are cancer-causing. Try a bamboo toothbrush over a plastic one. Poke around the see what you can find. There is even a living moss bath mat.

Make Your Own Cleaning Products

Conventional cleaning products are harsh on the environment and on you. Make the switch to homemade cleaners with simple ingredients from your kitchen pantry. Just pour a bit of baking soda on the dirty area, add a dash of white vinegar, let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, and then scrub down. Add three parts water to one part vinegar for an easy all-purpose spray. And essential oils such as tea tree, lavender and eucalyptus are antiseptic and antibacterial.

Watch Your Water Use

This one’s a no-brainer. There are all sorts of ways to conserve. Leaving the faucet off when brushing your teeth can save up to 240 gallons per month. Switching to showers from baths also helps: Five minutes in the shower uses just 14 percent of the water you would use taking a bath.

Go With LED Lightbulbs

LED bulbs last 25 times longer than conventional ones and use about 80 percent less energy. Functioning at a lower wattage but with the same light quality, one LED bulb can save you hundreds on your energy bill.

Choose Organic & Eco-Friendly Bathroom Products

From hand soap to shampoo, make sure all your bathroom products are environmentally friendly as possible. Not only does this lower your eco-footprint, but organic products are better for your body and skin. Conventional bath care products are full of petrochemicals and harmful preservatives such as parabens that wind up in the water supply and absorbed by the body. Plus, it’s another chance to support organic farmers.

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