The cost of living is increasing every year, putting pressure on almost everyone's wallet. No wonder why cutting down unnecessary expenditures is the need of the hour. And the easiest way to do that is to stop wasting things, whether food, energy, or water.
In this article, you will learn about a few essential bathroom fixtures and utilities that pay for themselves by helping you save up on your water and energy bills. They are straightforward products that require very simple or no alterations. Yet, they offer significant savings on resources and money without making you compromise your comfort or luxury.
Here is how you can create a low-bill bathroom.
Replace your toilet tank cover with Sink Twice
Sink Twice is one of those bathroom products that can pay for itself within just a few months by significantly reducing your water bill. It is a toilet tank cover with an inbuilt faucet and sink.
How does this bathroom product pay for itself?
Sink Twice is designed to store the water you use for handwashing in the toilet tank so it can be used for flushing. You need to connect its faucet to the inlet valve of the tank. When the toilet is flushed, the inlet valve will redirect the clean water into the faucet instead of storing it. The used soapy water will then flow into the toilet tank for storage. You can use clean water for handwashing.
Flushing is the biggest water hog in every household. You can't avoid it, but by using recycled water, you can minimize your water consumption, especially if you live in an old house. The older toilets use about 5 to 7 gallons of water for flushing. In contrast, the new ones use about 1.6 gallons which is the EPA standard. On average, a person uses the toilet at least 5 times a day, so the gallons add up quickly. That's why Sink Twice can pay for its price sooner than you may expect.
Start using a foam soap dispenser
Foam soap is quite popular in hospitals, hotels, and other public areas. It can reduce water wastage by 45%. That's because you can start scrubbing your hands without needing water from the faucet. You will turn on the faucet only when you are done scrubbing. Further, foam soaps have less soap content, so you will need less water to wash it off.
Foam soap, however, has two major issues. It is said to be less effective than standard liquid soap or soap bars. But don't worry; it is suitable for home use where we don't have a lot of harmful bacteria and viruses around us. The second thing you may not like about foam soaps is that the good quality ones could be more expensive than a soap bar or liquid soap.
Thankfully, you can create your own foaming soap by diluting your liquid soap with water and using a foam dispenser. A 1:1 ratio is good, but you can adjust the amount of water or soap as you like.
Ditch the toilet paper and install a bidet
Toilet paper entered the spotlight during the recent pandemic when people started stockpiling the rolls. It was then we realized how much it means to us.
You may have yet to realize that you spend about $180 annually on toilet paper. So, if you are a family of four, you are flushing down about $800 a year!
No, reusable toilet papers are not a good alternative. They are less environment-friendly than they claim to be because you will have to store all of them until you have a full load and then wash them. Would you really be interested in washing toilet paper in your machine?
A decent-quality bidet will cost you about $700 to $1000, and you may have to spend another $200 for installation. So, the bidet is one of the best bathroom products that will pay for itself within a year. Yes, it will need water but not as much as the washing machine does. Plus, it is more hygienic than using reusable (or even use and throw) toilet paper.
Install a thermostatic shower
This type of shower stores hot water in a small compartment and mixes it with cold water to achieve the desired temperature before dispensing. It can help you save a lot of water (and minutes) that you waste fine-tuning the shower handle to achieve the perfect balance. It will also save you from scalding or freezing yourself when you are in a hurry.
A thermostatic shower is a one-time investment that can pay for itself within a few months. Plus, it can help you step into the shower with more confidence.
Add aerators to all your faucets
It is the least expensive thing on this list of bathroom products that can pay for themselves. An aerator is a small end piece that you screw into the faucet head. It has a mesh screen that helps mix water with air to reduce flow. Additionally, aerators provide a streamlined water flow so you can get the job done quickly and effectively.
Aerators are easy to install, and you can use them on almost all the faucets in your home. Imagine how much water (and electricity) you can save!
Invest in SmarterSink
SmarterSink is a self-cleaning sink. When you are done brushing or shaving, you need to press the auto-clean button located on the sink or wave to activate the infrared mode. The sink will automatically disperse the necessary water all over its surface for a thorough cleaning.
When you manually clean your sink, you run the faucet for about 20 to 30 seconds. SmarterSink reduces this time by 2.5 to 5 seconds, thereby saving gallons of water every day. By helping you save on your water bill, Smarter Sink pays for itself.