Green Cleaning For Dummies
Book image
Explore Book Buy On Amazon

Water is becoming the world’s most precious resource, and changing your cleaning habits contributes to water conservation. Practice these clean and green ways to conserve water and reduce water waste at home:

  • Fix leaky faucets and running toilets immediately.

  • Get a low-flow showerhead that restricts water flow to a maximum of 2.5 gallons per minute or as low as 1.5 gpm.

  • Make sure that all sink faucets have aerators to reduce water flow.

  • When it’s time to update the toilet, go for a low-flow or dual-flush toilet.

  • Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth or washing up.

  • Choose a shower over a bath and save as much as 50 gallons of water per use.

  • Keep showers to five minutes or less.

  • Turn off the shower while soaping up or shampooing.

  • Capture wasted “warm-up” shower water in a bucket and use it for the toilet, garden, or washing machine.

  • Fill a 2-liter soda bottle with water and set it in the toilet tank to displace and save water every time you flush.

  • Replace your clothes washer with a frontload, high-efficiency (HE) model and cut water use 20 to 50 percent.

  • Update your dishwasher with a more efficient machine that uses less water.

  • Always wash a full load of dishes — the cycle uses the same amount of water and energy whether it’s a half or full load.

  • Place a rain barrel under your downspout and capture rainwater for your lawn and garden.

About This Article

This article is from the book:

About the book authors:

Elizabeth B. Goldsmith, PhD, is a professor and Fulbright Scholar with expertise in work and family, consumer economics, and healthy indoor environments.

Betsy Sheldon is a lifestyles author and editor with a passion for sustainability issues.

This article can be found in the category: