17 Eco-Friendly Swaps for a Zero-Waste Bathroom
It is remarkable that so many bathroom products take up so much space and produce so much trash. If you take a look around your space, you will quickly notice how many items will just end up being thrown out. I want to share my favorite zero-waste products to help you make your bathroom more eco-friendly. I took into consideration each item's lifespan and its impact upon disposal.
Please remember in order to reduce waste, it is very important to use up what you have in its entirety first.
Finding eco-friendly alternatives to bathroom essentials was easy for us. If you want to start somewhere, start looking for sustainable options of things you have in your bathroom.
Here are the eco-friendly swaps I made in my bathroom last year.
Swap shower gel for zero waste soap bars
Swap shampoo for zero waste shampoo (Everist), shampoo bars, or refillable shampoo
Swap single-use razor for safety razor
Swap toilet cleaner for refillable toilet cleaners
Swap cleaning solutions for Dr. Bronner’s Tea Tree soap
Swap toothpaste for refill toothpaste, zero-waste toothpaste or toothpaste tablets
Swap cotton rounds to bamboo rounds
Swap toothbrush to bamboo compostable brush or an electric brush
Swap sunscreen to zero-waste sunscreen
Swap towels to bamboo, hemp or cotton towels
Swap plastic toilet brush to bamboo toilet brush
Swap regular toilet paper for recycled toilet paper.
Add a bidet to your toilet
Swap floss to zero-waste floss
Swap mirror cleaner for water and vinegar cleaner
Swap paper towels for reusable rags, or unpaper towels
Swap your mop to a steamer
Now let me go into a bit more detail about each of the bathroom swaps I have made:
Swap shower gel for zero waste soap bars
Instead of watered-down, plastic container shower gels, I made the swap to soap bars that came in compostable packaging or without packaging at all. I use them with a little natural fiber soap bag to make the most of the bars once they get small and start to break down. The bag adds some natural exfoliation too which is nice.
Swap shampoo for zero waste shampoo (Everist), shampoo bars, or refillable shampoo
Similar to the soaps, many commonly found hair products contain over 70% water. There are a number of alternatives I have tested out over the past two years. Everist is a waterless shampoo and conditioner concentrate that ships carbon neutral, and comes in recyclable aluminum packaging — I reviewed my experience trying the products here.
I have also tried shampoo bars that look very similar to soap bars, you can lather them in your hands and apply the product to your scalp or rub the bar directly on your hair.
Lastly, if you have access to a zero-waste store or refill shop, you can bring your container directly to the store and refill your products to save on waste.
Swap single-use razor for safety razor
One of my favourite swaps, a safety razor that can permanently replace all of the wasteful plastic razors. After purchasing a solid razor handle, you can quickly and easily swap out the blade as often as you need. The razor blades are super cheap and come in large quantities so you can stock up for a long time.
Initially, I was nervous about the lack of protective gel or coating that many disposable razors have but I now see this ‘feature’ as obsolete. I found the safety razor really easy to use with my own shaving products and I won’t be looking back!
Swap toilet cleaner for refillable toilet cleaner
Instead of buying big plastic jugs of the bleach-filled cleaner every month or two, I now choose to refill my one bottle again and again at my local bulk shop. This saves a ton of waste over time and requires no extra effort. Another non-toxic swap is using Borax instead of the chemical-filled cleaners. It is an effective solution that has about the same toxicity level as table salt.
Swap cleaning solutions for Dr. Bronner’s Tea Tree soap
Dr. Bronner’s a multi-tasker dream product. It is made of organic pure Castile liquid soap that can be used for literally anything in a pinch. From laundry detergent and multi-surface cleaner, to face wash, and toothpaste it does it all. A little of this super-concentrated soap goes a long way. I like the tea tree one since it has the added benefit of the antibacterial qualities of tea tree oil, but there is a variety of scents to suit different sensitivities or needs such as almond oil, lavender, and unscented. You can use it on its own or add it to a spray bottle with some water to easily clean shower walls, tile, countertops, and more.
Swap toothpaste for refill toothpaste, zero-waste toothpaste or toothpaste tablets
Wasteful plastic toothpaste containers can easily be swapped out for a more sustainable solution. Many refill stores offer refillable toothpaste options, or similar to the Everest haircare, there is a natural aluminum packaged toothpaste called David’s that can be rinsed and recycled after use. Another low waste option is toothpaste tablets, which are vitamin-c like chewable tabs that foam into your mouth when they come into contact with saliva or water. Simply pop one in your mouth and chew, and then scrub away with your toothbrush before rinsing.
Swap cotton rounds to bamboo rounds
For makeup removal, I made the swap from disposable cotton rounds to bamboo rounds. I know some people choose to get rid of these altogether and use a towel or cloth, but personally, the bamboo rounds are super gentle around my eye area and I prefer them to facecloths. Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing sustainable materials that also breaks down really quickly so it is definitely a more eco-friendly swap to cotton.
Swap toothbrush to bamboo compostable brush or an electric brush
An electric toothbrush will last longer and produce less plastic because you only need to replace the head, but still produces a bit of waste. It is what I have and what works for my oral care routine so I will continue to use it. If you prefer disposable brushes, I would choose a bamboo brush with natural fiber bristles. When you are done using it, use tweezers to pull the fibers out of the brush head and compost them separately to ensure quick degradation.
Swap sunscreen to zero-waste sunscreen
Attitude has an awesome selection of mineral sunscreens that come in compostable, plastic-free packaging. This is a great choice over the plastic tubes that end up in the trash and contribute to the mass plastic waste on the planet. They have unscented sticks but I would recommend you check out their scented ones if you can the orange blossom is beautiful and so is the tropical one. It’s like perfume and sun protection in one!
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Swap towels to bamboo, hemp or cotton towels
Cheap towels containing polyester or other synthetic materials aren’t great for the environment. Switching to 100% bamboo, hemp, or cotton towels is the more sustainable choice. This is something that can be done over time as you need to purchase more. Your old towels can be cut up and used for cleaning or you could try your hand at making a DIY soap bag from my Green Living Projects blog post.
Swap plastic toilet brush to bamboo toilet brush
When it comes time to order a new brush, opt for a bamboo brush with natural fibers. That way when you are done with it, you can have peace of mind knowing it will easily be able to break back down into its natural environment.
Swap regular toilet paper for recycled toilet paper.
Instead of regular toilet paper, we made the switch to recycled toilet paper. The bidet probably does a bit more in helping the planet, but it is a step in the right direction. We rather use recycled goods than incur the expense of new materials. An alternative recommendation would be bamboo toilet paper — unfortunately, a lot of the fast-growing alternative TP brands do not yet ship to Canada, but if you have a zero waste or refillable store around you check to see if they have toilet paper. I buy mine from Monsieur VRAC in Charlottetown and it comes in a huge box that lasts for the whole year.
Add a bidet to your toilet
We have had a bidet for 3 years now and we enjoy it immensely. We ordered the one that has both cold and warm water and it worked great until the warm water pipe started leaking. Since then, we only used the cold water BUT we still love it. A bidet will save you a ton of water and toilet paper over time.
Swap floss to zero-waste floss
Traditional dental floss is a pretty terrible product. It should get the same hype and attention as plastic straws. Not only is it an environmental nightmare, but most drug store floss is also coated in a highly toxic substance called PFASs. I am not going to recommending silk floss because I know for a fact that it breaks easily. An alternative I would recommend though is this vegan floss made of bamboo and corn is durable, has a refillable container, and gets the job done.
Swap mirror cleaner for water and vinegar cleaner
Instead of chemical-filled glass cleaners, I have found a mix of water and vinegar in my amber glass bottle (to prevent vinegar degradation over time) works wonders with a simple rag. I mix 3 parts water and 1 part white vinegar. A bottle full will last a good few months thanks to the
Swap paper towels for reusable rags, or unpaper towels
Paper towels are expensive, wasteful, and just really unnecessary. They can easily be replaced by old clothing made of fabric that absorbs water well, try old cotton tee shirts or bedsheets. If you are looking for something a bit more visually pleasing on your kitchen counter, a set of unpaper kitchen towels works well and can go right over your countertop paper towel holder.
Swap your mop to a steamer
This has been my most recent swap, and I am so happy with it. The steamer can disinfect the floors, shower grout, and reach hard-to-reach areas without any harsh chemicals. Be sure to use distilled water to prevent any buildup in the device. Instead of needing to replace a mop head every so often, the steamer cloth can be continuously washed and reused for years to come.
Claudia’s Recommends…
If you are just getting started on your zero waste journey and are interested in finding all the basics in one place, I recommend you check out EarthLove’s subscription boxes. You can order them individually, or subscribe to receive a seasonally fitting variety of eco-friendly products and resources for you to try. I find they include a really great variety of practical items, unlike other subscription boxes where you might be left with things that you won’t really use. Go check it out, the boxes make great gifts too!
Hey, Claudia here
I am a senior graphic designer, a dog mom, an advocate for a zero-waste lifestyle, climate change, and sustainability. My articles are based on personal experience and well researched to give you the best source of information for all things zero-waste.
