We ran an article a little while ago about easy swaps for everyday plastic items including straws, coffee cups and wrapping paper. Hopefully you’ve had a read and implemented some changes to your lifestyle – if not, you can read the article here.

We thought we’d delve a little deeper and look at how to make your home more environmentally friendly in general, starting in your bathroom! We’ll suggest a few more plastic swaps, as well as some ideas that will help the environment and your pocket.

Bathroom bars
In our previous article, we mentioned swapping bottles of soap, shampoo and conditioner for bars, plus swapping make-up wipes for a facial cleanser and muslin cloth. We’ve since discovered cleanser bars as opposed to bottles, as well as reusable cotton pads as an alternative to muslin cloths. When it comes to these sorts of products, personal preference comes into play. Have a look around the internet or your local shops to find the products that work for you, as this will help to make sure you swap for good and don’t revert back to plastic.

Toothbrush and toothpaste
Dentists recommend changing your toothbrush every three months, which means the average person could get through more than 300 toothbrushes in their lifetime! That’s an awful lot of plastic ending up in landfill and our oceans. An alternative to these is Bamboo toothbrushes. Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on earth, making it a sustainable alternative material to plastic. Just pop it in your compost bin when you’re done with it! You can also now purchase toothpaste in a jar instead of a tube. There are an increasing number of businesses selling these items so do your research to find your preferred product.

Cotton buds
Many of you will have seen the photo of the seahorse holding a plastic cotton bud. The first step in ensuring we don’t see anything similar again is to make sure you throw the cotton bud in the bin instead of down the toilet. The UK Marine Conservation Society reported in 2016 that cotton buds were the sixth most common marine litter item. The second step is to switch to paper cotton buds. Though these may still end up in the sewage system, according to Fidra, a Scottish environmental group, “they will become waterlogged and settle out of wastewater, never reaching our beaches”.

Toilet paper
Who Gives A Crap toilet roll is 100% recycled, free from plastic packaging and the company donates 50% of profits to build toilets around the world in developing countries. They’ve also branched out into tissues and paper towels – great for starting to make your kitchen more eco-friendly. Visit their website to read more about the company and the impact they’re having around the world.
https://uk.whogivesacrap.org/pages/our-impact

Dual flush toilets
These toilets are becoming more and more popular due to their ability to save water as well as money on utility bills. There are two triggers – one for liquid waste and one for solid waste. The majority of flushes need the lower volume of water, meaning you could use up to 70% less water every time you flush. Spending a penny just became a whole lot cheaper!

Low-flow shower head
Another way to save water and money is to install an aerating low-flow shower head. Implementing one in your shower can reduce your water consumption by roughly 40%, without compromising on pressure. They function by mixing air into the water stream, which helps to maintain a constant pressure throughout the duration of your shower.


When it comes to implementing these changes, don’t feel like you have to do everything overnight – you don’t want to feel overwhelmed and give up at the first hurdle. Changing one product at a time is better than not starting at all, but remember to use up old products before replacing them. Throwing away a half-used item contributes more to waste than finishing it and then finding an environmentally-friendly alternative.

For great plastic-free product inspiration, check out www.plasticfreedom.co.uk