Greener Choices for the Bathroom

The Soap Composter™

Rand Hill Naturals has developed a green way to make the most of your bar soap - The Soap Composter™.

Soap composting is a natural process carried out under aerobic conditions, and with The Soap Composter™, all you have to do is collect those little slivers of soap in the 100% natural fiber sack.

Knead the sack in your hands (the aerobic condition that leads to composting) and work up a sudsy lather. This will help extend the life of your soap, saving you money and creating less waste. The Soap Composter™ is made in the USA and is unbleached and unprocessed.

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Mr. Steam Steambath

According to the EPA, about 75% of indoor water use is attributed to the bathroom. In fact, showering alone makes up about 17% of residential indoor water use in the U.S. (that's about 1.2 trillion gallons of H20).

Mr. Steam has developed a way to reduce water usage with steambaths. A residential steambath uses only 1 to 5 gallons of water to create a half-hour steam bathing session, compared to a whirlpool bath that can use about 80 gallons per bath.

A steambath is truly a luxury, spa experience that has water-saving benefits, too.

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EverClear Drain

The EverClear Drain is a cool device that helps eliminate the need for nasty chemical drain cleaners that are bad for the environment.

EverClear takes the place of your current bathtub drain - no tools are necessary to install it.

Here's how it works: After it's installed, hair collects in the grate (don't worry, this is hidden from view). Next, push down on the EverClear with your hand or foot and a plunging action chops hair that's collected in the grate.

Once the hair is rendered small enough not to clog the drain, it flows away and the EverClear Drain is pulled back into the open position. That's it - no more clogs!

When you consider the carbon footprint (not to mention the safety hazard) of chemical drain cleaners, the installation of 1 million EverClear Drains equates to planting 225 trees.

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Deluxe Water Green House EcoKit™

Niagara Conservation developed a line of EcoKits™ available at It's Easy Being Green to make going green easy and fun for the whole family (the reusable "house" packaging is great for kids).

The Deluxe Water EcoKit™ is perfect for fixing up your bathroom and offers annual savings of up to $288.

It includes a 1.5 GPM Earth® Massage Handheld Showerhead, a 1.5 GPM Dual-Spray Kitchen Swivel Aerator, 1.0 Bathroom Faucet Aerators, a Toilet Water Diverter, a Water Leak Detection Kit, a Flow Meter Bag, a Water Conservation Wheel and a Toilet Tank Bank™.

Everything in the kit comes with easy-to-follow installation instructions and offers savings of energy and water.

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HydroRight™ Dual Flush Converter

Even if you use a low-flush toilet, your water usage is probably a lot higher than you might expect.

The HydroRight™ Dual Flush Converter from MJSI, Inc. is proven to reduce water usage by up to 70% for liquids and paper and works with just about any standard flush valves.

Installation takes less than ten minutes - sans tools or removing the tank. The HydroRight has two buttons: the first is the Quick Flush setting that uses lower water volumes, and the second is the Full Flush button that uses the normal amount of water.

HydroRight™ also eliminates the most common problems in toilets - the flapper, chain and handle. It's available at most home improvement retail locations and online.

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More Water Saving Tips

• Get Your Eco Fix(tures) - In addition to shortening showers, save water by installing low-flow showerheads which restrict the flow to less than 2.5 gallons per minute. For example, GROHE WaterCare® shower products save up to 30 percent water.

• Fill It Up - Instead of running dishwashers or washing machines with just a few items, wait until you have full loads to maximize water use. Likewise, fill a pitcher of water to keep chilled in the refrigerator. You won't waste tap water waiting for it to reach the desired cooler, refreshing temperature.

• Landscape with a Greener Thumb - Reduce consumption outside of the home, too, by selecting native plants requiring less water and time for maintenance. Avoid evaporation by watering in the cool, morning hours and by surrounding vegetation with mulch which helps hold moisture.

Courtesy of MJSI, Inc.

Simple Flush

Brondell's Simple Flush is another dual-flush device that helps save water and money - up to $100 per year. On a 3.5 gallon toilet, Simple Flush reduces water use to about 1.7 gallons.

It has easy, DIY installation and a one-time "set and forget" full/half flush volume setting.

It has a hydro-powered lifter for precise flapper control, and one set of 4 AAA batteries will last for 20,000 flushes.

The Simple Flush fits most pilot-style and ball-cock fill-valve systems and all flapper sizes (2" to 3.5").