The Eco-Friendly Bathroom (Easy)

Can you have a Beautiful AND Eco-Friendly Bathroom?

(Today’s Guest Post says Yes!).

An eco-friendly bathroom does NOT mean hard towels and low water pressure! There are a variety of ways to be eco friendly in the bathroom without becoming too overwhelmed by the number of features on the market today. The following are some helpful tips to help you achieve a beautiful and eco-friendly bathroom.

Begin with Surfaces

Using eco-friendly materials in your bathroom will not only help you improve the décor, but you are also creating a healthier place to live. The latest materials are made to be environmentally safe and sound. Manhattan real estate offers perspectives on great ways to use bamboo* – for example, you could use bamboo in the bathroom as a countertop. Bamboo is a strong material that is antimicrobial, and it’s pliable to use for flooring also. **

If wood isn’t an option, you may want to think about other eco-friendly materials – natural linoleum for example. Natural lino not the nasty plastic and rubber stuff) is made from wood, cork, pigments, jute and linseed oil.  It has the same characteristics as bamboo, is free of toxins, easy to maintain, and it’s biodegradable. It’s also extremely durable and long-lasting.

Add Brilliance to Your Vanity

Your vanity is the perfect location to add your own unique touch to an eco-friendly bathroom. Instead of going out and buying brand new cabinets, you can be eco friendly instead and reuse old furnishings.

• You can find an old chest at an antique store or on eBay to add vintage flair to your room.
• You can even refurbish old furniture to add a different look and color to the bathroom.

Tip: Top it with a coat of organic paint (VOC free) or stain to keep your vanity in prime condition.

Conserve Water

The most prominent and eco-friendly update you can give your bathroom is to use water-efficient fixtures. This will not only help in water conservation, but it will also be a great way to help the environment. Begin by switching your showerhead to a more efficient model that will still give you a powerful force of water pressure, while using considerably less water.

Bathroom faucets should allow the water to flow at 1.5 gallons per minute or less, to save water and money.

Finish Your Beautiful Eco-Friendly Bathroom with Green Accents

You can even go green when choosing your bathroom accents. A plastic shower curtain or rubber mat can be hazardous to your air quality.

For a shower curtain, avoid plastic and use natural fabrics such as cotton or bamboo. Hemp is another great option, and it’s resistant to mold and mildew. Alternatively, invest in a glass screen or door for your shower.

Another way to go green in your bathroom is to pick out organic cotton for your rugs and towels. Organic cotton is a hypoallergenic material that is grown without chemicals.

These eco-friendly materials are easily available and ready to help you show you care with an eco-friendly bathroom.

* Bamboo is very eco friendly – it grows very quickly (it’s the fastest-growing plant on earth) without pesticides or chemicals and is a renewable material.  Like all plants it absorbs CO2 and produces oxygen, and bamboo forests help prevent erosion. 

** Just make sure you purchase bamboo without formaldehyde glue.

Guest Author Bio:  Sam Marquit is a entrepreneur, home improvement specialist, and part time blogger. Connect with him @fmarquitv

Photo Credits –

Bathroom by Arc-Tic

Cork bathmat by CraftyNest