There are some areas in the home where water can simply go down the drain. Here’s a few easy challenge ideas that can make a huge difference towards your water saving efforts.
Bathroom
1. Take shorter showers – no longer than four minutes.
- Challenge: Time your shower with a song, we’ve created our Bathroom Beats playlist just for this!
- Challenge: Use dry shampoo, so you don’t have to wash your hair as often.
- Challenge: Have you heard of a submarine shower? Initial 30 seconds to get wet, water off to soap and scrub, rinse off for a minute or less.
2. Don’t waste the cold water while you wait for it to heat up.
- Challenge: Collect it with a bucket and use it to water plants.
3. Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth.
- Challenge: Clean your teeth in the shower.
4. Place a plug in the tub before you turn on the tap.
- Challenge: Bath the kids together.
5. Fill the sink to rinse your razor and face when shaving.
- Challenge: Go one better and use a cup.
6. Use the half flush on the loo where you can.
- Challenge: If it’s brown flush it down, if it’s yellow let it mellow.
7. Check for leaks in your toilet.
- Challenge: Place a few drops of food dye into the cistern. After 15 minutes check the bowl, if you see the dye, you may have a leak.
Kitchen
1. Only do full loads in the dishwasher.
- Challenge: Keep a bucket handy for rinsing off dishes throughout the day.
- Challenge: Don’t have a dishwasher? Wash up in a half-full sink then add a little extra for rinsing.
2. Use one glass a day for drinking water.
- Challenge: Try a reuseable water bottle.
3. Cook or boil foods in as little water as possible.
- Challenge: Save time and nutrients and consider steaming.
4. Fill up a jug of water and pop it in the fridge.
- Challenge: Stock up on a few glass bottles with stoppers so you can chill more than one.
5. Thaw your foods in the fridge instead of using the cold-water method.
- Challenge: Plan ahead on your meals as some larger items may take longer than overnight.
6. Use a bowl of water to rinse fruits and vegetables instead of under the tap.
- Challenge: Repurpose the water on your lawn or plants.
Laundry
1. Only do full loads in the washing machine or match the water level to the load.
- Challenge: Wear your clothes more than once.
- Challenge: Use the ECO setting on your machine if you have one.
2. Plug the sink or fill a bucket for hand-washing items.
- Challenge: Do multiple items, use the sink for washing and a bucket for rinsing.