17 ways to reduce single use plastic at home – Mummascribbles

When I look around my house, I am pretty horrified by the amount of single use plastic that there is. Plastic bottles in the bathroom and kitchen full of shower gels and cleaning products. Plastic toys in their dozens. Food wrapped in plastic. I mean it’s just everywhere.

Over the past couple of months I have joined a couple of plastic free Facebook groups and I started to make a couple of small changes. And then after seeing everyone talking about it, I finally got around to watching The War On Plastic, and OH MY GOD –  it is just horrifying. It made me realise that there is plastic in practically everything! Even stuff I hadn’t known about. Like baby wipes. Honestly! I knew they were bad for the environment but I had NO IDEA of the fact that they mostly contain plastic. And now I think about all of the baby wipes that I have used over the years and it’s awful. Because they are so handy aren’t they? I mean I used one just a few minutes ago to wipe peanut butter off of Zach’s mouth when he got out of the car. And thanks to the campaign images that they were using to highlight the plastic baby wipe issue in the programme, every time I use one, I see myself wiping whatever it is I am wiping, with a plastic bag!

For me to stop using baby wipes at this stage of parenting, is going to be pretty damn tough! But I really am going to try and at least cut down, and slowly cut them out forever. Oh baby wipes I will miss thee but you are quite simply, BAD!

I am making other changes as well though. Slowly replacing things that contain plastic, with things that are plastic free. So I thought I would share with you what I am doing, along with some other ideas I am thinking about doing. And I’ll try and remember to update you a little further down the line with how I am getting on with it all.

I can’t promise that this won’t cost you money – it has so far for me! There is a reason that plastic is used so frequently and that’s because it’s cheap. But it is ruining our environment. Ruining our oceans, damaging the animals, and also the very air that we breathe in.

Here are 17 ways to reduce single use plastic.

Shop clever

If you are lucky enough to have shops that sell plastic free items then use them! With most fresh fruit and vegetables, there is just no need for them to be wrapped or stored in plastic. Take your own containers or bags and fill them up with the fresh goodness. I remember the days of greengrocers fondly, and sadly they just don’t seem to exist much anymore. But where they do, they are a great way to go plastic free. If you do only have a supermarket to use, you could try removing the product from the packaging and leaving the plastic with the shop! People are starting to do this and it is a bit hit and miss, but well worth a go!

Buy a reusable shopping bag

I try hard to remember to take shopping bags to the supermarket with me and I have definitely gotten better at not buying them at the checkout. A great option is to have a big shopping carrier that is pretty funky too. I love the one that the lovely Alex from Ada and Alfred has designed and I am totally going to buy it at some point in the very near future!

Grab a reusable bottle/coffee cup

How many times do you pick up a bottle of water when you are out? Or pop into your local coffee shop and get a takeaway cup (with a plastic lid), or in the hot months – a cool drink in a completely plastic cup? Buying a reusable bottle or coffee cup and taking it out with you for a ‘just in case’ is a really good idea. Fill it with water before you go, or just have it handy to fill up as and when. And you can totally ask the staff in your local coffee shop to use your own reusable cup for your drink 🙂

Use a milkman

This is something else I am desperate to do but at the moment,  but I cannot justify the cost. We get through so much milk each week and the milkman really does cost double the amount. But, if you are willing to spare the expense, then the old school milkman is your way to go. They deliver milk and juice in glass bottles which you then leave out for them to re-use – meaning no more plastic bottles of milk. I have seen that Milk & More is very popular, but there are many more milkmen (or ladies) around the Country so have a look for who delivers to you.

Buy reusable face pads

Are you a cotton wool user?

I was! I used at least one piece every single day and didn’t ever consider the harm it was having. They may not have plastic in them but they are always in plastic packaging – the type that cannot be recycled. Not only that, but they are in fact harmful to the environment because of the amount of chemicals that are used in non-organic cotton farming.

Reusable face pads are your answer to this. And you know what? They are fab! I bought some a couple of months ago and have been using them every day since. I wash my make up off each night with one, pop it in the little string container that came with it, collect them in there for a few days and then pop them in the washing machine. They come out as new and are ready to use all over again! I bought a pack of 16 which is more than enough, and even my Mum bought some afterwards!

Use bamboo ear cleaners

Just as I was using cotton wool pads on a daily basis, I use cotton buds too. I am an avid ear cleaner – even though I know I shouldn’t! I wanted to keep using them but not to be using the plastic ones – which are being banned anyway! So I now have some bamboo ones which are also 100% organic cotton, meaning no pesticides. This means I can pop them in our composter rather than throw them away and they will eventually just disappear.

Use bamboo toothbrushes

Every toothbrush in our house is made of plastic. We all have electric ones, but with the boys ones, once they have died, we throw them away. Clearly this is not good and I need to change it. With our toothbrush, it’s rechargeable but we still change and throw away the plastic heads when they need replacing.

If you don’t use an electric toothbrush then the switch to bamboo is easy – you can just grab a normal bamboo one and no more throwing away plastic. If like us, you have rechargeable ones, it IS possible to get bamboo heads, but it takes a bit of searching for them. Have a Google and see what you can find out there!

Use natural deodorant

I am not wholly sure how I feel about this one yet, but natural deodorant is an option if you are looking to go plastic free. Many are made in plastic free containers, with natural ingredients, palm oil free, and cruelty free too. I think it can be tricky to find the right one for you, just like it is with normal deodorant really. But it’s got to be worth it in the long run if you are trying to cut down your plastic purchases!

Switch to reusable nappies

I wish I had used reusable nappies with both of our boys. It was just something I hadn’t considered until it was too late. I always thought they were too much of a faff, and whilst they do take more work than a disposable, I think about the amount of nappies that I have used over the years and shudder! Again, I knew that nappies were bad for the environment, but I did not consider that they had plastic within them. To think I have been putting them on my boys precious bums makes me shudder.

We are at a point now where it’s too late for us. Oscar will be toilet trained soon so shelling out money on reusable nappies would be silly. But if you are just starting out on your nappy journey, I would definitely try them out. I know our local council have a scheme where they give a first set out for free so that you can test them before you buy. So it’s worth seeing if your local council do the same. And even though they are an expensive outlay, they will save you a small fortune over the two to three years that you will be using nappies.

Use reusable wipes

The less spoken about baby wipes the better. Because as I mentioned in the introduction, I am horrified that I did not know that baby wipes contain plastic. But it’s not just baby wipes. It is all wipes. Bathroom wipes, kitchen wipes, floor wipes, glasses wipes. There are SO MANY of them on the shelves and we all buy them because they are so blinking handy! But they are so very bad for the environment and are a massive case of the single use plastic that we all need to avoid.

In terms of the reusable baby wipes, I bought some from Cheeky Monkey that are really lovely. You use them, pop them in the washing machine, and then use them again! Simples! I haven’t used them on bums though – because I am so used to using baby wipes, it’s like a second nature! I might just not buy any and see how I get on!

With cleaning wipes, why not simply revert back to using a solution based cleaner instead?! I mean they clean far better than the wipes anyway!

Grab some eco-friendly cleaning products

Arrrrgh, washing up sponges. Not only do they contain plastic but they are DISGUSTING aren’t they. They sit there festering away with germs on until we throw them away and leave them to rot in the waste. It wasn’t until I saw a targeted Facebook Ad for the Hygiene Hero from Must Have Ideas when I even thought about how horrendous they are. And of course, I was suckered in and bought them (they are half price at the moment).

They are antibacterial, can be used in a multitude of ways (including washing up, washing sides and brushing up pet fur), they can be cleaned in the dishwasher or microwave, last for years, and most importantly, are made of 100% food-grade silicone which means they are completely plastic free. With these, there is no need to buy another washing up sponge or jay cloth again. These arrived a couple of days ago and so far I am pretty impressed – it hasn’t been through the dishwasher yet though!

And some reusable cleaning solutions

This is something I really want to get a grip on but there aren’t many options out there as yet. I recently bought some Method cleaning products for the kitchen and bathroom, and whilst they are far more environmentally friendly as they have no toxic chemicals in; they are still in plastic bottles.

You can of course make your own cleaning products, but I don’t have time for all that! There is a company called Splosh who makes refillable cleaning products. So you order the initial full up bottles, and then you order refils when you are running out. Of course the initial bottles are plastic – there is no getting away from that. But this is reducing the amount of bottles we throw away by being able to re-use them time and time again. And if your bottle breaks at any time, then they will replace it for free.

Whilst there is still plastic involved in this, it really does cut down the use of single use plastic that we are using, and I for one think it’s a great alternative. They do a huge range of cleaners, including washing up, laundry detergents, shower gels, and floor cleaner. I can’t wait to finish my Method ones and give these a go!

Switch to bars of soap

Something I have been wanting to do for ages is replace the many bottles of hand soap we have in the house with bars. I have never been the biggest fan of the bars but if it means I am doing my bit for the environment then I am willing to give them a try. I found some on One Little Company made by Cosy Cottage Soaps that look lovely. They arrived speedily and I am looking forward to trying them out when our current bottles have run out.

And bars of shampoo and conditioner

Again, just like the hand soap, I have been wanting to try shampoo and conditioner bars. Not only because they are plastic free, but also because they also have no rubbish in them that ruins our hair. I grabbed a shampoo and conditioner bar from Cosy Cottage Soaps when I grabbed my hand ones, and so far, I won’t lie, I am finding it a struggle. I am not sure this is the soap for me as it is leaving my hair feeling like Worzel Gummage. However I do believe that the right soap is out there so I will give another ago before I give up and revert back to Head and Shoulders!

Use bamboo soap holders

With the purchase of the above products, I of course needed some soap holders – but not plastic ones. Luckily they sell bamboo ones at One Little Company, so I ordered four. They even have little slots for the water to drain through, so they shouldn’t go all manky and gross.

Buy eco friendly toilet roll

I mean it’s not something you really think of. Toilet roll doesn’t contain plastic so why do we need to be aware of how we can change it. The thing is, more often than not, it is wrapped in plastic. And again, it’s the kind of plastic that cannot be recycled. If you are a family like us, you buy the big family packs, or even the packs of nine. Both of which are wrapped in plastic that cannot be recycled. And you buy them often. Meaning you are throwing away a lot of non recyclable plastic. And of course, it’s not cost efficient to buy the packs of four which are wrapped in paper! Andrex did bring out an eco version but you’ll be lucky if you can find it anywhere!

The answer to this problem is Who Gives A Crap! I am desperate to get my hands on this, and I fully intend to shortly (I really need to spread these changes out so that I don’t skint myself all in one go). They are fully recycled tissue, wrapped in the funkiest recycled paper that you could totally re-use yourself (I know that people use them as wrapping paper). People think they are super expensive, but actually, they are double the size of your standard brand of toilet roll which means they last longer. I have heard people say they have ordered a box of 48 which has lasted them for six months! I buy a pack of 16 toilet rolls every couple of weeks!

When I do buy these new rolls, I will ensure that people know to use it sparingly to make sure it lasts. We all know how kids and Dads like to use lots of toilet tissue – and it will not be for blowing noses! But it is definitely something that I am willing to invest in. If you are interested, I noticed the other day that they actually have a free trial set if you are dubious about it. You just pay delivery.

Try reusable sanitary towels / period pants

I have been thinking about buying some period pants for a few months now but I never get around to it because they are blooming expensive. Not as expensive as sanitary towels are in the long run, but a lot of money to shell out in one go. They look and sound fab though, and as soon as I am brazen enough to, I will be hitting the Modibodi website and buying some!

If they aren’t your kind of thing, you can also get your hands on reusable sanitary towels. A bit like reusable nappies in a way – use them, wash them, use them again! I don’t know how much plastic is in a standard sanitary towel, but owing to how much they irritate me throughout my whole period, I’m going to guess a lot!

I am sure there are so many other ways to reduce single use plastic, but I am going to leave it here for now. These are all either things I have already done, or they are things that I am planning to do. For the clarity of disclosure, none of the companies I have mentioned have asked to be included in this post, I haven’t been paid anything, and I haven’t even included any affiliate links (because there would only be a coupld and I couldn’t be bothered). Every company I have mentioned, I have either already bought from, or intend to buy from in the very near future.

I would love to hear your plastic free purchases so that I can be inspired with other ideas to make our home even more plastic free in the future!

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