How to Have a Truly Green Bathroom

The topic of turning homes into eco-friendly places has been increasingly popular lately. This is perfectly understandable given the ecological state our planet is in and the fact that every individual contribution means a lot in improving things. Bathrooms are often places that come at the bottom of the green up list, which is an utterly wrong way of looking at things since there are great improvements and contributions to be made in various aspects of bathroom use. Let us guide you through the roads leading to a truly green bathroom.

How to Have a Truly Green Bathroom:

A low-flow toilet

One of the most important improvements that can be made in any bathroom is minimizing the use of water without jeopardizing any regular activities and requirements. The fact that toilets, with almost 27% of water used, are at the top of the list of major household water consumers surely points out that something needs to be done. Low flow toilets use a fraction of the water traditional toilets do and are a well-worth investment that will start saving water immediately and very soon pay off.

Shower concerns

The easiest way to save water while showering is to limit the time spent in the shower cabins to 5 minutes, which is more than enough to get thoroughly cleaned up. On the other hand, if you cannot make it within 5 minutes or like to indulge yourself in long showers, make sure you install a low-flow shower head. It will only take about 10 minutes and save between 2.5 and 5 gallons of water per minute of showering. Multiply that by the number of times you take a shower and the difference will be astounding.

Regular inspection and maintenance

When it comes to reduced water consumption, regular inspection and maintenance are of extreme importance. All technological improvements that help you put water misuse under control are futile if there are leaks anywhere in your plumbing system, advise experienced plumbers. Therefore, make sure your entire plumbing system is regularly checked for any faults and leaks and the regular maintenance performed. In case of some serious issues it is always recommended that you call a professional to resolve them instead of trying to fix them yourself and risk creating greater damage. Going green by regular inspection and maintenance is so easy.

Lighting

It goes without saying that natural light is the greenest solution possible. It does not require any energy to be produced or used and is practically infinite in reserves. However, making the most of it by expanding your window surfaces and improving the reflection by adding mirrors solves half of lighting concerns since artificial light still needs to be used. Luckily, there is a very convenient and easily applicable improvement there, as well. By simply changing your incandescent light bulbs for LED ones you can start going green with your lighting which will make a dramatic difference in electricity consumption and energy efficiency since LED’s use only 10% of energy incandescent bulbs use and have a 30 times longer lifespan. Adding a dimmable control will save even more energy by allowing you to easily control the level of luminosity.

Colors

Although it may seem insignificant compared to other green improvements, the color used to paint walls contributes to the overall eco–friendly environment, both when it comes to preserving the environment and improving the health of your family. Among other reasons to use green paints is the fact that they are VOC free and that their production is completely natural, less toxic, efficient and chemical free.

Green bath products

Every bathroom is filled with a variety of bath products regularly or less regularly used and each one of them has a green version available. Start going green by using recycled toilet paper, move on to bamboo towels instead of synthetic ones and finish by opting for nature based toiletry products and cleaning aids. Try DIY  natural cleaners!  By doing this you will not only instantly reduce chemical use but support the entire circle of people who care about the environment, from researchers and manufacturers to sellers.

This is one of rare situations in life where you can take several different roads without risk of taking the wrong one. What is more, all of them are worth taking. Use this opportunity and make your bathroom a truly green and eco-friendly environment will make a healthier place for you and the environment, as well.

About the author

Marla

Website

Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog! I believe in living green, organically, and natural in every aspect of our lives. My mission is to help educate you on how to live green, help save our environment and to help you and your family live a happier, healthier life!