The Environment Site Green Living Guides
Eco Friendly Lavatory CleanersBicarbonate of soda and vinegar are often suggested as loo-cleaners. But according to Which? magazine they cost three times as much as Ecover and require paper towels or cloths to remove stains, which would eradicate their benefit. 
Blue loo deodorisers - which turn the water blue and have a powerful, cloying smell - are on a par with air fresheners on my eco-horrors list. They're unnecessary, and if you have a push-button loo they could even be corroding the valve and making it prone to leak.
Many of us feel uneasy using bleaches and loo-cleaning fluids. However, they don't contaminate the sewers because when they encounter bacteria, they disintegrate. On the other hand, stains in your loo attract germs. So bleaches may not be so bad.
Comments (3) 14.05.2007. 10:01 4 tips for saving water in your bathroom1. Install a low-flow showerhead
Showers account for 32 percent of home water use. The law now requires that all showerheads sold be low-flow models. Low-flow showerheads deliver no more than 2.5 gallons per minute compared to standard showerheads that release 4.5 gallons per minute. A family of four using low-flow showerheads can save about 20,000 gallons of water per year. NexTag and The Shower Head Store are great if you're in America. I'm still trying to find British suppliers so will report back as and when I find some.
2. Install an ultra-low-flush toilet or a toilet displacement device
 Toilets are water hogs. About 40 percent of the water you use in your home gets flushed down the toilet. That amounts to more than 4 billion gallons of water in the U.S. each day. That's why the law (Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999) now mandates that all new toilets installed for residential use be minimal-flush toilets using around 4.5 liters. Conventional toilets generally use 3.5 to 5 gallons (sometimes more) of water per flush, while low-flush toilets use 1.6 gallons of water or less. If you're not building a new home, you can still benefit by installing one of these toilets. Still have an old toilet? You can save more than 1 gallon of water per flush with a displacement device -- a brick or plastic milk jug filled with water or pebbles placed in the toilet tank to reduce the amount of water used per flush. Elemental Solutions are a leading name in new low-flush toilets. If you are looking to make your existing toilet more water efficient then InterFlush are our choice.
3. Install flow restrictor aerators
Placing these inside faucets saves 3 to 4 gallons per minute when you turn on the tap. Of course, you can also help out by doing simple things such as not running water in the sink while soaping your face or brushing your teeth. For American readers NexTag offer numerous products at great prices.
Repair leaks
Fix those leaking and dripping faucets as soon as possible. A dripping faucet can waste up to 20 gallons of water per day. A leaking toilet can waste up to 200 gallons every day.Comments (3) 23.10.2006. 01:49
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