Zero-waste bathroom
Plastic is near enough everywhere nowadays. It’s almost impossible to escape it as you go down the aisles in your local supermarket, especially when buying products for your bathroom.
Toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, menstrual items and that’s not even tapping into shampoo, body wash, soap and other beauty items! All of this can seem a little overwhelming, and can easily add to the ever-growing feelings of climate anxiety. Especially knowing that one toothbrush will take hundreds of years to biodegrade and in doing so, shed microplastics into oceans and ultimately our food chain.
Myself and my partner Dan were feeling exactly like this when we set up our plastic-free shop and mobile refill service. Plus the bathroom was probably one of the most challenging areas to go plastic-free – not because of a lack of options but because there is definitely some trial and error involved when selecting some of the products. Just like you may not get on with a certain bottled conditioner or moisturiser, we tried and tested a lot of products before settling on our favourites and popping them on our online store.
However, what is most optimistic is just how many products on the market there are. Even mainstream brands are moving towards a more ethical way of thinking. Plus there are great alternatives to plastic items in your bathroom, and by supporting small and local independent zero waste stores, we can all switch to a more sustainable daily routine!
Join us in our Green Pear Podcast where we’ll be explaining how we transitioned to a plastic-free bathroom through a little coffee chat and how you can too. If you’re inspired to start on your own plastic-free journey, make sure to download our checklist to keep a track of how far you’ve come!
Let’s jump in…
Tips and tricks…
1. Shampoo and conditional bars
When you first switch to an all-natural shampoo and conditioner bar, it can take a short amount of time for your hair to get used to it. This is usually between a week or two depending on how often you wash your hair. Some shampoo bars need an ‘acid rinse’ to restore the natural PH of your hair. This can include a watered-down spray of apple cider vinegar (don’t worry the smell doesn’t last) before conditioning. It’s best to go for a transition free bar - like this one - to begin with as it takes less time for your hair to adjust!
2. Toothbrushes
The bristles on most wooden toothbrushes aren’t easy to recycle. That’s why we opted for beechwood toothbrushes from Georganics. Once your toothbrush is at the end of its life, simply snap the head off (use the handle as a plant marker!) and save. Once you’ve collected 10 heads, you can send them back via Freepost to Georganics who have teamed up with Terracycle UK to recycle them properly!
3. Reuse and repurpose
Always choose to reuse and repurpose where you can. Use your old plastic bottles at refill shops to reuse as much as possible. Try and stay away from single-use products like cotton wool pads and baby wipes and instead use reusable machine-washable items.
4. Plastic free cleaning
Finalise your eco-friendly bathroom routine by cleaning with natural and plastic-free products! Why not try a water-soluble ‘pod’ of concentrated cleaner over a new plastic bottle? Alternatively, you can use all-natural cleaners like vinegar and bicarbonate of soda!
5. Menstrual Pads
Menstrual items aren’t as scary as you’d think, switching to a ‘green’ alternative can not only save you money in the long run but can also save the environment and wildlife from discarded items. If you want a full breakdown of using plastic-free menstrual pads, we have a whole blog post on it here.
Even if you take small steps in your bathroom or home, you’re helping to make a difference and impact on the plastic pollution issue. Why not try one switch a month? This way you can still implement change but in manageable steps.
If you have any questions about how to transition to a plastic-free bathroom, please feel free to get in touch with us at hello@greenpeareco.com or via our social media channels @greenpeareco
Don’t forget to take a look at our handy checklist as a reminder of where you can reduce single-use plastic in your bathroom!
Green Pear Eco
Green Pear Eco is a zero waste shop, run by Dan and Gabs, stocking a range of plastic-free alternatives for everyday life. Their aim is to make eco-friendly living for everyone. If you’d like to check them out you can find them on www.greenpeareco.com or via socials @GreenPearEco
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