With bathrooms accounting for a staggering 66% of household water use, creating an eco-friendly bathroom is one of the most effective ways to build a sustainable home. The good news? You don’t need a full renovation to make a difference. From simple swaps like installing water-saving taps to bigger projects like choosing VOC-free paints, there are 11 practical ways to transform your space.
Not only will these sustainable bathroom upgrades reduce your environmental impact, but they’ll also cut your water bills by thousands of litres annually and improve your home’s air quality. Whether you’re planning a complete green remodel or just want to make smarter daily choices, these solutions adapt to any budget while making a real difference for the planet
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- Take smarter showers
- Change your bathroom fittings
- Source reclaimed materials
- Rely on recyclables
- Be smart with your hot water use
- Install a smart home device
- Switch to energy-saving lightbulbs
- Choose quality bathroom fixtures and fittings
- Buy British bathroom fittings
- Choose zero-waste personal care products
- Minimise materials that release VOCs
With pressing warnings about water shortages in the future, now is an especially good time to focus on your bathroom design.
1. Take smarter showers
You probably already know that showers and wet rooms are less wasteful than baths. That’s true – a medium-sized bath uses about 150 litres of water, but did you also know a ten-minute power shower has around the same usage?
One way to keep your showers at an eco-friendly level is to install an aerating shower head. These work by mixing water with air, restricting the water flow while still delivering the pressure of a power shower. An electric shower is an economical alternative too, as it saves energy by only heating the water you use.
Another simple water-saving change you can make to your showering habits is turning off the water while you lather up with soap. It’s the same concept as turning the tap off when you’re brushing your teeth – the water doesn’t need to run during that period because you aren’t using it, so you might as well turn it off! This will save the world precious water, and will also reduce your utility bills! Now you can’t argue with that.
2. Change your bathroom fittings
According to the Energy Saving Trust, the average household uses around 350 litres of water a day. However, there are lots of simple and cost-effective steps that you can take to reduce your water waste. That includes:
Dual flush toilets
Toilets, particularly older types with large cisterns, use a huge amount of water with every flush. If you haven’t already, think about switching to a dual-flush design. They give you the option of a half flush, which significantly cuts out a whole lot of unnecessary water usage.
Automatic taps
One of the easiest ways to save water in the bathroom is to turn off the taps when you’re brushing your teeth. You can take this one step further by installing automatic taps, also called sensor taps, on your sink basin. Not only do these touchless taps turn on precisely as and when you need them, but they usually have a low flow rate that minimises your water usage, too.
Cistern displacement devices
A cistern displacement device (CDD) is a very simple device that is placed in the cistern and displaces around one litre of water every time you flush. That can produce savings of up to 5,000 litres of water a year. What’s more, most water companies provide them for free.
Dripping taps
If unresolved, a dripping tap could waste up to 5,500 litres of water a year. The most common cause of a dripping tap is a washer that needs replacing, which is something that you can easily do yourself.
3. Source reclaimed materials
To improve the sustainability of our bathrooms, we need to get past the notion that everything has to be new to be nice. That couldn’t be further from the truth. When creating a more eco-friendly bathroom, think about using reclaimed sanitary ware or repurpose furniture rather than buying brand new. For example, antique metal bathtubs are incredibly fashionable at the moment and you can create this show stopping centrepiece without buying a product that has been created from new.
If you’re looking for a project, then a salvage yard can be a great source of materials, with timber beams, stone, handmade tiles and much more all up for grabs. If you don’t have the time or inclination to do the refurbishing yourself, specialist suppliers that sell fully restored items such as vintage sinks, Victorian baths and reclaimed wood flooring could be a better choice for you.
4. Rely on recyclables
Sustainability doesn’t just come from reclaiming or reusing old products and materials. If you want to buy new, then always try to find recyclable products. For example, our ceiling panels are practical and stylish but also 100% recyclable.
Flooring and accessories made from cork are an excellent choice for eco-friendly bathrooms as no trees need to be cut down to produce the cork and it can be fully recycled. Rubber and engineered wood are also eco-friendly bathroom flooring options that are manufactured sustainably and can be recycled after use.
5. Be smart with your hot water use
Heating water guzzles energy – it accounts for 20% of a UK home’s power use (Energy Saving Trust). These tweaks cut bills fast:
Hot water hacks:
Insulate pipes – Foam tubing from B&Q reduces heat loss.
Lower boiler temp to 60°C – Still hot enough to kill bacteria, but more efficient.
Shower off-peak – Avoid 4-7pm when energy demand (and prices) peak.
Tip: Place a bucket under the tap while waiting for shower water to warm up – reuse it for plants or cleaning!
6. Install a smart home device
Smart devices are giving us more control in our homes and many are improving our eco-friendly credentials at the same time. Most relevant to your bathroom is a smart thermostat, like the Nest Learning. Installing this type of smart device gives you more control so you can keep on top of your energy usage, particularly when heating water. That makes it an effective way to reduce your bills and save the planet at the same time.
7. Switch to energy-saving lightbulbs
They cost a little more in the first instance, but LED lightbulbs use 90% less energy, making them far more cost-effective than the conventional bulbs in your home. There are all kinds of customisable LED lights out there, so you can create the desired atmosphere in your bathroom while boosting your eco-friendly credentials.
8. Choose quality bathroom fixtures and fittings
If the sustainability of your bathroom is a priority, then it’s important to buy quality fixtures and fittings that will stand the test of time.
Bathroom fittings can be incredibly energy-intensive to produce, which is why you should buy high-quality products in the first instance that will often last a lifetime. If you’re on a budget, it might be attractive to spend less on cheaper fittings, but they’ll need to be replaced more frequently and will inevitably end up being incinerated or in landfill. The cost of replacements also means that buying cheaper products is often a false economy.
9. Buy British bathroom fittings
For a more eco-friendly bathroom, you should buy your fixtures, fittings and furniture as locally as possible. With the range of quality bathroom products available in the UK, it’s perfectly possible to create a super-stylish bathroom that’s kind to our planet, too.
Very simply, the fewer miles your bathroom fixtures and fittings travel, the more eco-friendly they’re likely to be. Checking where bathroom products have been produced before you decide to buy will help to reduce our reliance on polluting lorries, container ships and air freight and allow local businesses to thrive.
10. Choose zero-waste personal care products
One of our planet’s biggest polluters is not our bathroom fixtures and fittings but the personal-care products we choose to use and the plastic packaging they come in. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, more than 8 million metric tonnes of plastic enters our oceans every year.
By making a few simple changes, such as buying bamboo toothbrushes, switching to shampoo bars and choosing zero-waste cleaning products, we could drastically reduce the amount of plastic we pile on the environment.
Whether you’re starting a new bathroom design from scratch or just looking for a few sustainable changes, these are a few of the simple and cost-effective steps you can take to create a more eco-friendly bathroom.
11. Minimise Materials That Release VOCs
Many standard bathroom materials secretly pollute your air. Paints, sealants, and vinyl flooring often contain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) – chemicals linked to respiratory issues and environmental harm.
For a healthier, greener bathroom:
- Pick zero-VOC paints – UK brands like Earthborn or Little Greene offer durable, eco-friendly options.
- Avoid PVC vinyl flooring – Choose natural stone, ceramic tiles, or FSC-certified wood instead.
- Ventilate during renovations – Keep windows open for 48 hours after installing new fittings.
Whether you’re starting a new bathroom design from scratch or just looking for a few sustainable changes, these are a few of the simple and cost-effective steps you can take to create a more eco-friendly bathroom.
FAQs
How can a bathroom be sustainable?
A sustainable bathroom reduces water waste, energy use, and plastic pollution. Key upgrades include:
- Low-flow taps & showerheads
- Dual-flush toilets
- LED lighting
- Recycled/reclaimed materials
- Plastic-free toiletries (e.g., shampoo bars).
What makes a toilet sustainable?
- Dual-flush systems(saves up to 67% water vs. old toilets).
- Composting toilets(zero water use).
- Cistern displacement devices(free from UK water companies).
- Bamboo or recycled toilet paper(or bidet attachments).
How to clean a bathroom in the most eco friendly way?
- DIY cleaners: White vinegar + baking soda (deodorises limescale) or tea tree oil (kills mould).
- Reusable cloths: Bamboo or microfiber instead of disposable wipes.
- Plastic-free tools: Loofah sponges, wooden brushes.
Is it more sustainable to take a bath or shower?
- Short showers(5 mins with low-flow head) use less water (≈50L) vs. baths (≈150L).
- Electric showers heat only what’s used, saving energy.
- Turning off water while lathering saves extra litres!