We’re continuing our efforts to cut down on plastic waste with monthly plastic-free challenges. The challenge for this month was to find ways to get rid of plastics in the bathroom. Or more specifically, ways to get rid of the single-use, plastic, personal care products. One of the strategies we used to meet this goal was to swap out single-use plastic items for their plastic-free counterparts. We also made a beginner-friendly knit washcloth/soap sack/ modified wash-mitt to replace plastic loofahs. We even found several DIY beauty care recipes.
Based on personal experience, one of the best ways to get rid of single-use plastics in the bathroom is with product swaps.
I wrote an article previously with budgeting tips for eco-friendly swaps and I’ve included the link in case that is something you’d like to know more about.
Swaps to help get rid of plastics in the bathroom
Below are some plastic-free product swaps you can find for the bathroom, either online or at stores that carry eco-friendly products.
Personal care product swaps:
- Shampoo bars
- Conditioner bars
- Body wash bars… aka soap
- Face cleanser/wash bars
- refillable handsoap dispensers
- Safety razors
- handmade washcloths
- Toothpaste tablets
- Bamboo toothbrushes
- Bamboo hair brushes
- Biodegradeable dental floss
- Deodorant in a cardboard tube
Plastic-free cleaning products for the bathroom
- Toilet cleaner tablets or fizzy bombs
- Just-add-water cleaning solution(s)
- Cloth shower curtain/liner
It’s nice to see how many alternatives there are for going plastic-free in the bathroom! I’m also super fortunate that there is a zero waste store near me with most of these items. If you don’t have a local zero waste store, food coop, or bulk food store that carries these items, I highly recommend checking out the The Source Zero store link.
Other ways we were able to get rid of plastics in the bathroom
Beginner-friendly crafts: the washcloth
The craft I thought would best meet our plastic-free goals this month, was the washcloth and/or soap sack. These are beginner-friendly knitting patterns and they’re relatively quick to make.
I’ve loved using this month’s knitted washcloth and its variations because they still get nice and sudsy like a loofah. I’m also looking forward to making the washcloths and modified wash-mitts as gifts for family and friends.
DIY face cleanser resources
We didn’t really do a recipe this month, but we did cover different types of face cleansers that don’t rely on plastic packaging. We also reviewed a few books that have DIY face cleanser recipes.
Challenges trying to get rid of plastics in the bathroom
Those three categories cover this month’s strategies to get rid of plastics in the bathroom. Each strategy has its own difficulties depending on personal circumstances. I’ve been steadily swapping out plastic products on a monthly basis for years now. So, I already had the product swap strategy completed for this month. I did need to restock some refills though.
It can take awhile to get items swapped out. Especially, if you’re like me, and you prefer to get the plastic alternative once the conventional item runs out.
Where I struggled the most this month was with the DIY face cleanser recipes. While the recipes are pretty simple, I wasn’t able to find some of the ingredients at my local stores. Which is why I ran out of time to make and test the recipes for this month’s challenge.
What’s next month’s plastic-free challenge?
Next month is going to be a tough one, we’re going to be focusing on another food category. This time we’re going to work on plastic-free snack strategies. Wish me luck and see you next month!
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