Four ways to be eco-friendly in the bathroom

Small choices you make at home can impact the environment, including power consumption, water usage and the household products used by your family.

Quick and easy swaps can make your bathroom more sustainable and have a positive impact on the environment.

Use a half flush when you can

If you have a dual flush toilet, using the half-flush button reduces your water usage, which helps the environment and saves money on your water bill.

Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (DISER) estimates up to 16% of household water is literally flushed down the toilet.

Every litre less in a flush will save a family of four, nearly 6kL and $17.50 each year in water supply charges (based on four flushes per person per day and water at $2.99/kL).

Replacing an old single-flush toilet (12L flush) with a Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) four-star dual-flush toilet (3.5L flush) will save 50kL and $148 each year on water bills.

Choose eco-friendly toilet paper

Every year thousands of trees are cut down to make products like toilet paper. Recycled toilet paper is made from post-consumer waste such as textbooks and office paper, meaning fewer trees are cut down.

Sustainability Victoria estimates recycled toilet paper uses 50% less energy and 90% less water to produce.

Look for recycled toilet paper made from 100% post-consumer paper, contains no harsh chemicals and is packaged in recyclable packaging.

Use non-toxic cleaning products

Everyday products from the pantry can become eco-friendly cleaning products.

The acid in white vinegar can kill mould, so use it to clean your taps, mirrors, shower floor and bath.

Baking soda can be used as a deodoriser to combat bad smells instead of bathroom sprays.

Efficient showers

A standard shower can use 20 litres of water a minute and accounts for up to 24% of household water use.

DISER recommends witching to a WELS level three or higher showerhead to reduce water usage an save you money:

For a family of four, replacing a showerhead that flows at 15L/min with:

• A WELS three-star shower at 9L/min will save 70kL and $210 each year on water bills.
• A WELS four-star shower at 6L/min will save 105kL and $315 each year on water bills.

Taking a five-minute or less shower is another way to reduce water usage and save on energy used to heat the water, which reduces your environmental footprint.

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