Low Waste Home Tips
Over the years I have slowly started to reduce the amount of waste I produce. I read the Zero Waste Home book and was inspired but ultimately decided I would strive for a more balanced approach, meaning I will try my best to reduce where I can but am not going to attempt completely zero waste. Hence, my use of "low waste".
Here I will give some examples of items and products I use to reduce my plastic consumption and use, but this post is unsponsored (one item is gifted and is noted) so I would encourage you to get inspiration from these but do your own research before buying! There are often multiple different brands making similar products, so don't feel like you need to buy the specific products listed in this blog. Also, many of these items were purchased on Amazon before I decided to stop buying from them last October.
Also, I mentioned I made these changes over time and I mean it. I started buying low waste things about 3 years ago, but did not buy them all at once. I would encourage you to buy an item here or there and as things run out. You don't need to completely transform overnight! Also - I am not totally oblivious to the fact that systemic change needs to happen in order to curb climate change, so please vote if you are able to do.
*NOTE: I also wrote this largely before COVID-19 hit the US. I would strongly suggest prioritizing your health and safety over low-waste, so if that means using more disposable wipes and cleansers in this time, I support that. I know my waste has gone up during this time. But this might be a good time to experiment with trying recipes for cleansers and such.
Cleaning
DIY non-toxic All Purpose Cleaner
This is probably my #1 fave thing. I haven't bought a single surface cleaner in a plastic bottle in many years. It's so easy and I love knowing what I am using to clean my house with (and that it's safe for my fur babies)!
Materials required:
- Spray Bottle - I got a glass bottle from Amazon, but you can use any bottle (including re-using your most recent bottle of all purpose cleaner
- Castile Soap (I use Dr. Bronner's and many bulk stores / co-op's have castile soap available in the bulk section)
- Hot water
- Essential Oils or fresh herbs (optional)
- Rubbing Alcohol or Vinegar (optional, alcohol recommended if disinfecting)
Step 1: Add one tablespoon of castle soap
Step 2: Add 1/2 cup of Rubbing Alcohol (optional, but recommended if you are wanting a disenfectant) or Vinegar (not CDC approved)
Step 3: Fill the rest of the bottle with hot water (ratio should be about roughly 1:5 soap/alcohol to water)
Step 4: Add a couple drops of the essential oil of your choice - I generally omit this step because I use a lavender scented Dr. Bronner's castile soap
Step 5: Shake!
Floor Cleaner
I used to love wet jet Swiffer but hated the waste with the disposable wipes, so I found this great alternative a few years back. It looks/feels like a Swiffer, but has washable pads that Velcro on the bottom, as well as a refillable canister for cleaning solution (brand is Rubbermaid).
My floor cleaning solution is similar to my All Purpose Cleaner, but I do add vinegar to help dry more quickly on my wood floors.
In the canister, I add: 1 teaspoons Castile soap, and fill the rest with vinegar and hot water at a 1:1 ratio.
If you have wood floors, I recommend using the mop mixture sparingly as it's not great for the floors to be wet for long periods of time.
Hand Soap
So, most people recommend simply using bars of soap instead of liquid to cut down on the waste, but if you are like me and prefer liquid I thought I'd offer another alternative.
I like to simply use Castile soap and dilute with water at about a 1:4 ratio (soap:water). I would also mix in essential oils of your choosing if you are using unscented soap. This mixture results in a very watery consistency, so one solution is to put it in a foaming bottle for extra sud power (pictured below).
I have been reusing these foaming bottles for 3 years now and have had no issues! I would recommend cleaning them periodically, as they can get a little gunky after a while.
Flossing
Instead of using traditional floss, I switched to this water flosser and I love it. I was always so bad at flossing because I feel like I have a small mouth and couldn't quite reach my molars. The water flosser is a game changer!
It does take a couple weeks to get used to, but have seen amazing results that my dentist even noticed. And once you purchase, there is no more waste as you just simply fill the back up with water and go! Mine is rechargeable so there are no battery waste here either.
Shower
I started using Lush's Shampoo bar, Soak and Float a couple years ago and haven't looked back. It works really nice for my dry scalp, but they have quite a few to choose from. There are also plenty of other brands that make shampoo bars now, so you may want to do some research on what would work best for you.
Up until very recently, I could not find a conditioner bar that actually worked for me. However, the newish Lush bar American Cream works really well for me.
As for body wash, there are many options - you can use straight up Castile soap, Lush has bars/package free soaps, and plenty of brands make bars nowadays.
One other thing I like to mention about Lush - if you ever end up buying something from them (like face masks) that come in their little black pots, you can save them up and exchange 5 for a free face mask in store. It's a great way to get items that are harder to find package free like lotion, shaving cream, etc.
Dry Shampoo
I was so happy to find a low-waste alternative to the dry shampoo I was using, and actually I love it more than any other kind I've tried. The Earthling Co. reached out and offered to let me try a product from their site, so I went for the dry shampoo specifically for people with dark hair! I love how it doesn't turn my hair white and is much easier to blend into my hair. (This product was gifted). This brand also has many other low-waste products as well if you are looking for a non-Amazon site to purchase from.
Deodorant
I have used natural deodorants for some time, but have been less than impressed with the actual effectiveness. I sort of just accepted that I would be stinkier.
But I wound up trying this Humankind deodorant that is refillable, and the refills are made with cardboard so that I can compost them! And I actually really love it. I get the eucalyptus scent and it lasts all day.
Just a note, I am mildly sensitive to baking soda but I do not have as severe of an allergy as I know some others have. This deodorant does have baking soda in it currently, but it is lower down on the ingredient list and I haven't noticed any issue with using it on my skin! But perhaps look for something else if you have a severe allergy, or maybe they will make a sensitive formula soon.
Skin Care
Skin care can be tricky because a lot of lotions and face washes are sold in little plastic tubes. I have found a couple of alternatives but keep in mind that I don't have acne-prone skin and that I can get away with a minimal skin care routine.
I switched over to using The Ordinary serums for my face a couple years ago and really love them! I use about 3 different serums daily and they all come in glass bottles that I can recycle. They are also really cost-effective. I also use a naked face scrubby from Lush (Gritty Politti) to exfoliate my face once a week. However, my daily face cleanser is from The Ordinary and does come in a plastic bottle.
For lotion, I like to use the Lush lotions that come in the black pots because you can recycle those back to Lush and get a free face mask when you bring in 5!
Laundry
I switched to using TruEarth laundry strips about a year ago and love them! They are essentially naked laundry detergent strips, which you tear up and put into your washer. They are compatible with my HE washer and I can put them in the soap area like traditional laundry. They ship in a small cardboard envelope, so that I can recycle that and then store in a re-used glass jar next to my washer.
I do get the fresh scent and it is quite strong in the strip, but my laundry comes out very lightly scented. I love them! So much easier and cheaper than liquid detergent (which is mostly water anyway!).
Kitchen / Food
I have not purchased a single roll of paper towels or napkins since early 2017. Instead, I use re-usable rags. I keep them in a kitchen drawer and also keep a small crate in the kitchen to throw the dirty ones in and will do a load of laundry of just dirty kitchen rags! I also use reusable napkins (dozens are available via Etsy, or you can easily make some yourself with an old 100% cotton/linen shirt or sheet or fabric). This is a great way to repurpose old clothes that are stained or falling apart.
For food storage, I have 4 or 5 Stasher bags, which I love. They are silicone bags that replace sandwich/ziploc baggies. I use them for everything from storing a half cut onion, for chips or nuts to take on the go, and even to use for my liquids when I fly on an airplane. I bought them one at a time over the course of 6 months in 2017 and haven't purchased a single box of plastic baggies since! If you are trying to store something on the counter or in the fridge that is quite large, I tend to just use a clean rag to cover a plate or bowl instead of plastic wrap.
When grocery shopping, I do try to buy as much as I can in bulk using cotton bulk bags. I bought some online that have the tare weight printed on (so you can have your cashier remove the weight of the fabric). I also have mesh cotton bags for produce.
If you are like me and hated cooking dried beans because of how long they take - I did invest in an Instant Pot a few years ago to solve for this issue. Now I can cook dried beans in less than an hour without soaking! Using this pressure cooker has been a game changer for me to cook with more dried foods that I can easily find in the bulk bins.
*Since COVID19, I have been buying more canned and packaged goods. Again - this is temporary and necessary in my opinion.
Hand Sanitizer
I have not been one to use a lot of hand sanitizer previously, but I thought I would include a recipe here in case you are looking for that.
I typically prefer a spray bottle with rubbing alcohol (70% or more) and some essential oils (I am a lavender person). You can spray your hands with this as well as packages or other items you may want to disinfect.
If you want something more soothing for your hands, you can mix with aloe vera and put into a small jar or repurposed squeeze bottle. See full recipe here.
That's all for now - I may be forgetting other swaps I do at home, but feel free to leave a question or comment below if you are wondering about something specific. I am not an expert, but happy to help with suggestions.
Good luck and be safe!