There are so many ways you can start producing less waste at home, helping reduce your impact to our planet; next time you need to buy a new item for your bathroom, why not try one of these 10 zero-waste alternatives? They are environmentally friendly and, while some of them will be initially more expensive than their wasteful counterpart, they will make you save money in the long term. And they can all be easily implemented in your daily routine, without drastic lifestyle changes.

• buy soap in bars, and use it instead of shower and hand gels; you can even melt it with hot water and store it in a jar or soap dispenser, that way it will last longer and the sink won’t be covered with soap residues. Similarly, you can swap your bottles of shampoo and conditioner with similar products sold in bars. Bars are not really your thing? Look for refillable options for liquid soap bottles.
• try some zero waste alternatives for deodorant.
• try a plastic free bamboo toothbrush, it’s compostable; and eco alternatives to traditional toothpaste and dental floss won’t contain the chemicals usually found in these products.
• stop buying cotton pads and invest in some reusable make up remover wipes.
• use compostable bath sponges.
• invest in plastic free toilet paper (recycled, bamboo); it is definitely more expensive than the normal one, but you can sell your empty toilet rolls and make a neat profit!! Or you can even stop using toilet paper, and buy a bidet.
• invest in a reusable safety razor.
• a toilet brush might be considered not essential by many, but if you can’t live without one, consider choosing one made with sustainable materials.
• if you need a shower curtain, choose one made with cotton or hemp, or opt for a glass screen.
• traditional menstrual products are made of plastic and can take up to 500 years to decompose – choose reusable sanitary pads or a menstrual cup in those days of the month.
• try taking shorter showers, and invest in a water-saving shower head – you will waste less water and lower your bills in the process!

These are just some of the many swaps you can do to make your bathroom more environmentally friendly: what’s your next swap? Have you already tried any of these products?