How to save water at home (with 12 efficient tricks)
It is possible that the so-called global warming and its ravages is making us ask what we can contribute to improve the conditions of climate change and, for example, how take better care of natural resources or how to save water in our homes.
Today, we see that cities like Cape Town in South Africa are days away from reaching “day zero” in which will have run out of fresh water, due to the drought of its rivers and natural reserves of Water. In this article we show you how to save water at home, to help our planet and to lower the cost of your water bill.
How to save water at home?
There are simple things that you can change in your habits and routines that will not cost you anything, but instead will contribute to saving water and reducing the bill at the end of the month. In addition, each small contribution from all of us is a great contribution to taking care of the planet's natural resources. For this reason, learn how to save water at home easily with these tips that we have prepared for you.
1. Shower efficiently
In the bathroom is where we waste water the most. If you use a bathtub instead of a shower, switch to the latter, because with the bathtub you use an extra 150 liters of water. Now, when you are in the shower, turn off the tap while you are applying the shampoo, soap or whatever you apply. They are small moments that added together, achieve great results.
Many of us sometimes like to turn on the tap and wait for the water to heat up and stop there if we go to the shower. How to save water without having to freeze? You can start by calculating the seconds it takes for the water to heat up and not go over that time to get into the shower.
A very useful trick to save water is collect cold water in a bucket or carafe, which you can later use, for example, to water the plants, to wash the dishes or to clean the floor.
2. Choose products that pollute less
How to save water is in the small choices, for example, about the products you use. In this sense, one of the changes you can make is stop using shower gel and replace it with bars of soap. There are thousands of different scents and ingredients, some even with a delicious touch for the skin and exfoliating. Soap bars are less harsh on water than shower gel, which pollutes more.
But not only do you help save water and not pollute, but you also reduce plastic waste, since you will not be throwing away containers every so often. In addition, you will also help your pocket by saving money, since soap bars are more durable.
3. Save water from the sink
How to save water from the sink? It is as simple as in the shower. All you have to do is not leave the water running while brushing your teeth, cleaning your face, or washing your hands. These are small moments in which having the water tap closed implies much less liters of clean water consumed, and therefore, a lot of money saved on the water bill at the end of each month.
4. Use the dishwasher well
Another trick to save water is with the proper use of the dishwasher. This appliance is excellent for reducing house cleaning tasks by using little water, but if you don't use it properly you will, on the contrary, waste water.
Make sure to accumulate the utensils in the dishwasher until it is completely full to turn it on. It is preferable and less polluting to have a couple of plates or glasses more to light it half full. Also, now almost everyone the dishwashers have an "eco" wash cycle to save water use. Preferably select this type of wash.
5. Reduce consumption when washing clothes
The washing machine consumes a lot of water and energy when we use it. How to save water by washing clothes depends on the way we use it. What you should do is wait until you have enough dirty clothes to fill the washing machine, so every time you turn it on you will be giving it efficient use. If your washing machine has an "eco" wash cycle, use it.
Also keep in mind that you help save water and reduce its pollution levels when you avoid excess fabric softener. Some people think that the greater the amount of fabric softener you use, the softer the clothes will be. But this is false and the exact opposite can happen. Use just the right amount of fabric softener.
Bonus tip: if you do the 30 ° wash cycles instead of higher temperatures, you save water, but above all a lot of energy. Limit the use of the temperature to 90 degrees only for towels. Your clothes don't really need it.
6. Wash dishes and kitchen utensils saving
You can also save on manual washing of dishes. It's true that we all have different ways of washing dishes, but this is one of the tricks to save water that you can easily incorporate.
You just have to fill the sink or sink with water halfway, and put all the dirty utensils there instead of removing the remains with the open tap. If you dare, you can even rinse them in the same way.
7. Watering plants
If you have wondered how to save water in other ways, starting by watering the plants is a good option. Collect the rain in buckets and water the plants with that water. You can even use the ice that has fallen to the ground or the excess water that you heated and never drank for the same.
In any case, always do it with buckets or showers, never with a hose. In this last way a lot of water is wasted and you will be spending more money.
8. Wash the car
We know that it is necessary to wash the car every so often, but the truth is that the car does not need the same type of water as we do. If you wash it yourself, do not use the hose and instead use a single bucket of water and a cloth, you will see that it is more than enough. When you're done, water the leftover water from the bucket on the plants.
If instead you take it to be washed in service stations, now too there are eco ways to wash the car. Ask for this option.
9. Reduce water consumption in the sink
The new toilets have a double system of filling according to the discharge; but the old ones have only a discharge system and a very large storage tank.
If this is your case, fill a bottle with water (it can be collected from the rain, with which you cleaned the car or from the shower) and put it in the water tank. This is one of the best tricks to reduce water consumption, because what it does is that it takes up space in the tank and therefore is filled with a lesser amount of water.
10. The toilet is not a trash can
When we throw all the paper that we use in the sink we make many more downloads. Note that every time you pull the chain, between 7 and 12 liters of water are lost. How to save water then? Instead of the toilet, throw the paper you use to dry your hands, for example, in a trash can in the bathroom.
11. No water leaks
Another way is to make sure you don't have water leaks in your house. Many times we do not realize it, and there are pipes through which drops of water constantly escape or faucets that do not close perfectly. This is the most unjustified type of water waste and one that we must avoid. Your water bill at the end of the month will be reduced and your pocket will notice it.
12. Specialized methods to reduce expenses
If you liked these tips and want to go one step further, many sustainable design agencies have taken excellent products to the market that provide solutions to save water and they look great too.
For example, you can try that the sink is connected to the water tank of the toilet, so that the flushes are made with the water that you used when washing your hands.
One last tip. If you want to realize the effectiveness of these tips on how to save water, compare the liters of water that consumed in your previous bill, with those of the next bill from when you started to make the changes. You will notice its remarkable improvement after applying these simple changes. For a planet full of life!
