PLASTIC-FREE LIVING

Tips And Swaps For A Low Waste Bathroom

Written by Natalie Henderson, Marketing Associate @Blueland
Published: January 5, 2021
Updated: November 6, 2025

It’s time to talk about bathrooms. Many of us hold our bathroom routines dear, from nighttime skin care to shower thoughts, and we create a lot of waste in the process. The small bathroom trash can can get filled pretty quickly with single-use items that end up in landfills and oceans. It’s time to clean up your bathroom with these low waste tips!

How Much Plastic Are You Wasting In Your Bathroom?

Surprisingly, more than you think. Here are some of the items that contribute to bathroom waste:

• Toilet Paper: Producing toilet paper can take up to 9 million trees each year. Consider how much you really need.
• Single-Use Makeup Wipes: Most makeup wipes aren’t recyclable due to their synthetic fibers. One study estimates that 20 million pounds of single-use makeup wipes are used annually.
• Disposable Razors: With 2 billion razors and razor blades thrown away each year in the U.S., consider the waste created by disposable razors.
• Single-Use Menstrual Products: An estimated 5,000-15,000 tampons and pads are used over a lifetime, generating substantial waste.

Swaps For A Low Waste Bathroom

• Toilet Paper Swaps: Consider using recycled toilet paper or a bidet to reduce paper waste.
• Cotton Swab Swap: Replace disposable cotton swabs with a reusable silicon version from LastObject.
• Makeup Wipes Swap: Use washable cotton or bamboo makeup pads instead of disposable wipes.
• Reusable Razor Swap: Invest in a reusable razor to decrease waste from disposable ones.
• Menstrual Product Swap: Try reusable menstrual cups or washable period underwear like those from Thinx and Rubylove.

More Low Waste Bathroom Tips:

• Recycle and compost: Set up recycling and compost bins in your bathroom for easy waste management.
• Start with simple swaps: Use up existing products before transitioning to reusable or alternative options.
• Learn more: Check out other resources on beauty routines and toothbrushes to further your low-waste journey.

Refill is the New Recycle

The perfect way to start cutting out single-use plastic from your home.