Great Green Idea: Green Living: 5 Tips to Cut Down Water Consumption in Your Bathroom

5 Tips to Cut Down Water Consumption in Your Bathroom

Water consumption in the bathroom is probably the highest, when compared with other locations in the house. Depending on the number of people living in a household, the water consumption in the bathroom may be very difficult to monitor, because of the varying frequency of how the people living there may use the bathroom. If you want to cut down water consumption in your bathroom, try the following tips in order for you to save up on your water bills.

* Use food color as a leak indicator

Your toilet tank may be leaky and you may not even notice this, which can cause you to pay for up to a thousand gallons of water every month. In order for you to avoid this, do a routine toilet tank leak check by putting food color into the toilet tank. If the water in the toilet bowl stays clear, it means that your toilet tank has no leak and you can rest assured that you are not wasting up to a thousand gallons of water every month. However, if the food color seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, it indicates that your toilet tank is leaky and needs to be repaired as soon as possible.

* Conserve water when brushing

Some of us have the bad habit of leaving the faucet open when brushing our teeth. Letting water run while you do your dental hygiene, can potentially waste hundreds of gallons every month. Make it a habit to turn off the faucet when you brush your teeth. It is also advisable to get a glass of water when brushing in order for you to use only the necessary amount of water.

* Dispose of your trash properly

Do not throw used napkins, tissue paper, and even cigarette butts into the toilet bowl. Flushing these things can waste up to 6 gallons per flush. Provide a trash bin inside the bathroom and throw away these things there.

* Showers over baths

Take a shower instead of taking a bath from time to time. Showering takes lesser time and consequently requires fewer gallons of water. It will also help you cut down on your bathroom water consumption if you turn the shower off while you apply shampoo to your hair and while you apply soap to your body. Turn on the shower once you are ready to rinse.

* Check for drips and leaks

Oftentimes, when we are in a hurry, we do not properly turn off the faucet which can lead to water dripping from it. Make it a habit to always check for drips and leaks from the faucet before going to work and before going to bed in order to avoid unnecessary water consumption in your bathroom.