17 Zero Waste Bathroom Swaps for a Plastic-Free, Eco-Friendly Bathroom

Share It!

Creating a zero waste bathroom doesn’t mean throwing everything out and starting again. In fact, the most sustainable approach is the slow, intentional one.

A zero waste or plastic-free bathroom is built over time by using what you already own, then choosing more eco-friendly bathroom swaps as items naturally need replacing. This reduces waste, saves money, and avoids the common trap of “green overconsumption.”

By gradually swapping disposable and plastic bathroom products for reusable, low-waste alternatives, you’ll move closer to a healthier, more sustainable bathroom — without the overwhelm.

In this guide, I’m sharing 17 practical zero waste bathroom swaps to help you transition at your own pace, plus a simple zero waste bathroom checklist at the end to make the process easy and realistic.

💡 This post may contain affiliate links (including eBay and Amazon Associates). If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I trust.

---

Zero Waste Bathroom Swaps

SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING
❌ Plastic is made from fossil fuels (think coal, natural gas and crude oil), meaning it’s not a renewable resource.
✔️ A renewable resource can be used repeatedly. Examples: glass, stainless steel, wood, cardboard.
✔️ Bamboo and hemp are great paper replacements as they are extremely fast-growing. A dedicated bamboo plantation for paper products is much more eco-friendly than cutting down virgin (native) forests.
✔️ Corn starch (fermented plant starch) is a great plastic replacement and is much more sustainable than petroleum-based plastics.

Zero Waste Oral Care Swaps

Oral care is one of the easiest places to reduce plastic waste, with simple swaps that eliminate disposable items you use every day.

Toothbrushes

Plastic Brush → Bamboo/ Corn Starch Brush

Bamboo toothbrushes are a fast-growing trend, and for good reason. They’re way more eco-friendly than the old plastic counterparts we’ve all grown up with.

The great thing about bamboo toothbrushes is their end of life. Once you’re done, you can pull out the bristles with pliers (unfortunately, they’re not biodegradable… yet) and throw them into the bin. The bamboo brush handle can be tossed into your home compost or burnt with your other firewood.

For those who don’t like the wood feel in their mouth, check out the biodegradable cornstarch toothbrushes. Again, remove the bristles and throw them into the rubbish, then compost the handle.

	ZERO WASTE TOOTHBRUSHES
Made From	Bamboo or Corn Starch
Has Very Little	Plastic (only the bristles)
Disposal	🗑️ Bristles – remove and discard 🌿 Bamboo handle – compost or burn 🌿 Corn starch handle – compost
Where to Buy	• Bamboo Toothbrushes (eBay) → • Bamboo Toothbrushes (Amazon) → • Cornstarch Toothbrushes (eBay) → • Cornstarch Toothbrushes (Amazon) →

---

Toothpaste

Tube Paste → Tooth Powder/ Tablets

The eco issue with toothpaste is the tube. Generally, they are made from layers of plastic laminate, with a thin sheet of aluminium. As yet, I haven’t found a zero waste toothpaste option on the supermarket shelves. However, there are other options available.

Lots of individuals and small earth-friendly businesses have seen the problem and are taking it upon themselves to solve the issue.

	ZERO WASTE TOOTHPASTE
Made From	Coconut oil, baking soda, essential oils, stevia, activated charcoal
Has No	Plastic or preservatives
Disposal	♻️ Jar – recycle or refill ♻️ Other packaging – compost or recycle
Where to Buy	• Zero Waste Toothpaste (eBay) → • Zero Waste Toothpaste (Amazon) →

---

Floss/ Dental Picks

Plastic Floss → Eco Floss in Glass/Metal

Most dental flosses are made from nylon (a silk-like thermoplastic), which comes housed in a plastic container and more plastic packaging for the shelves.

These days, there are lots of great companies making eco floss.

What the hell is eco floss? Think normal floss, but made from compostable fibres such as bamboo and corn. The floss is coated with a natural wax like candelilla, making the whole thing fully compostable.

Your floss with be stored in a cute little glass jar with a metal lid, as opposed to plastic. Refills are generally packaged in cornstarch bags or recyclable/ compostable cardboard.

	ECO-FRIENDLY FLOSS
Made From	Compostable fibres (bamboo or corn) & natural wax
Has No	Plastic
Disposal	♻️ Jar – recycle or refill ♻️ Cardboard – compost or recycle
Where to Buy	• Zero Waste Dental Floss (eBay) → • Zero Waste Dental Floss (Amazon) →

Reusable Personal Care & Hygiene Swaps

These everyday hygiene items are often single-use by default, but can be easily replaced with reusable or low-waste alternatives.

Cotton Tips

Plastic Cotton Tips → Bamboo Cotton Tips/ Stainless Ear Picks

Cotton tips have long been a bathroom staple. But with each little stem being made from plastic, you can imagine the long-term environmental ramifications for something we literally use once.

	ECO COTTON TIPS
Made From	Stainless Steel or Bamboo
Has No	Plastic
Disposal	🔄 Stainless Ear Picks – wash in soapy water & reuse 🌿 Bamboo Cotton Tips – compost or rubbish
Where to Buy	• Stainless Steel Ear Picks (eBay) → • Stainless Steel Ear Picks (Amazon) → • Bamboo Cotton Tips (eBay) → • Bamboo Cotton Tips (Amazon) →

---

Band-Aids

Plastic Strips → Bamboo Strips

Okay, band-aids are tricky, as they’re not something that you can wash and reuse once you’re done. They need to be disposed of.

Thankfully, there are a few brands making bamboo band-aids and bandages.

Alternatively, depending on the injury, you may be able to just use a tissue with a bit of medical tape.

	ECO BAND-AIDS
Made From	Bamboo, biodegradable paper, recycled cardboard tube
Has No	Silicone, parabens, latex or thimerosal
Disposal	♻️ Cardboard tube – recycle ♻️ Paper – compost or recycle ♻️ Bandage strips – compost bin or bury in soil to break down naturally in weeks
Where to Buy	• Bamboo Band-aids (eBay) → • Bamboo Band-aids (Amazon) →

---

Deodorant

Plastic Bottle → Eco Packaging/ DIY

Deodorant from the supermarket is awful stuff. It stinks, comes in plastic and is riddled with toxic chemicals, which frankly, get smeared way too close to breast tissue for my liking.

,I make my own natural deodorant and it’s honestly the only stuff that works for me.

If you’re not keen on making your own deodorant, there are plenty of options available that do come in sustainable packaging.

	ZERO WASTE DEODORANT
Made From	Natural oils, butters, & powders
Has No	Plastic or toxins
Disposal	♻️ Cardboard – recycle, burn or compost ♻️ Metal – recycle 🔄 Jars – repurpose or refill
Where to Buy	• DIY Deodorant – FREE • Zero Waste Deodorant (eBay) → • Zero Waste Deodorant (Amazon) →

---

Hair Removal

Plastic Products → Safety Razor/ DIY Wax/ Laser

It’s no surprise that hair removal is one of the biggest culprits of bathroom rubbish. Plastic, throw-away wax strips and disposable razors are the most common types of hair removal in our modern culture.

However, fear not. There are a range of ways you can be hair-free without it costing the earth.

🌿 READ: 5 Eco Hair Removal Methods →

• Swap a disposable razor for → stainless steel safety razor & blades
• Swap plastic wax strips for → DIY sugar waxing
• Remove hairs from the roots with an → epilator
• Permanently remove hair with → laser hair removal
• Pluck small areas with → metal tweezers

	ECO HAIR REMOVAL
Made From	Natural ingredients/ stainless steel/ laser or epilator machines
Has No	Disposable plastic
Disposal	♻️ Metal razor blades – recycle 💦 Sugar wax – bury in garden or dissolve down the drain
Where to Buy	• Safety Razor (eBay) → • Safety Razor (Amazon) →

---

Hair Brushes & Combs

Plastic → Wood/ Bamboo

When it comes time to replace your old, dead brush and comb, avoid going for another plastic set. The best zero waste hair brush option is to opt for a bamboo or wooden brush. See if you can get one with wooden bristles so that the whole thing can be burnt or composted at the end of its life.

Another option is to go for a wooden brush with boar bristles (sustainably sourced). The bristles can be pulled out of the brush at the end of its life and composted or thrown into the garden.

If not, you can pull out any plastic bristles, then burn or compost the wooden piece of the brush.

	ECO BRUSH & COMB
Made From	Wood or bamboo
Has No/ Little	Plastic
Disposal	🔥 Wooden handle – burn or compost 🌿 Boar bristles – compost/ garden (bury or spread around plants) 🗑️ Plastic bristles – rubbish
Where to Buy	• Bamboo Brushes (eBay) → • Bamboo Brushes (Amazon) →

Zero Waste Hair & Body Care

Hair and body products create a surprising amount of bathroom waste, making them ideal candidates for plastic-free, refillable, or solid options.

Shampoo & Conditioner

Plastic Bottles → Refill Bottles/ Solid Bars

The obvious problem with regular old shampoo and conditioner is not just the plastic throw-away bottles that they come in, but also the synthetic chemicals that are used in the liquids.

Luckily, there are two easy zero waste bathroom swaps for shampoo and conditioner.

Firstly, if you don’t want to give up the liquids that you’ve come to know and love, head to a bulk food store and refill your old bottles. Places like The Source have eco shampoo, conditioner, dishwashing liquid and soap available for refills.

Secondly, you could opt for shampoo and conditioner bars. They’re literally like bars of soap that you run through your wet hair, lather up, then rinse as usual.

If you really want to keep things as simple as possible, you’re in luck, because even Coles and Woolworths offer a few eco bars, which come in recyclable boxes. Otherwise, stores like Lush have a wide range of shampoo and conditioner bars.

	ZERO WASTE HAIR CARE
Made From	Natural ingredients
Has No	Plastic, toxic chemicals
Disposal	♻️ Cardboard box – recycle, burn or compost 🔄 Metal tin – reuse
Where to Buy	• Shampoo Bars (eBay) → • Shampoo Bars (Amazon) → • Conditioner Bars (eBay) → • Conditioner Bars (Amazon) →

---

Soap

Plastic Bottles → Refill Bottles/ Soap Bars

Switching to a no-waste soap is one of the easiest zero waste bathroom swaps you can make.

The first option is to buy soap bars that are packaged in cardboard (which can be recycled or burned), rather than plastic. Many soap bars in the supermarket come in boxes, so this is one that you can easily incorporate into your grocery shopping.

The second option is to buy handmade soap, which can be found online (like Etsy), at local markets, and even in many op shops around Australia. Handmade soap will be package-free, which you can pop into your fabric shopping bag (or a paper bag).

If you like to have the pump bottles with liquid soap, instead of buying new bottles each time, simply refill the ones you’ve already got. Bulk food stores often have refill stations for liquid soap pump bottles.

	HANDMADE SOAP
Made From	Various
Has No	Plastic
Disposal	♻️ Cardboard box – recycle, burn or compost ♻️ Paper bag – recycle, burn or compost 🔄 Pump bottles – refill
Where to Buy	• Handmade Soap (eBay) → • Handmade Soap (Amazon) →

---

Moisturiser

Plastic → Glass/ Metal

The next zero waste bathroom swap is to replace your plastic bottles of moisturiser (when they’re all used up) with more sustainable packaging. Look for moisturisers and body butters that come in either metal or glass containers.

Some people even find that organic coconut oil is a great face and body moisturiser for their skin type. It’s brilliant stuff and very cheap and accessible from the supermarket.

	ZERO WASTE MOISTURISER
Made From	Metal or glass containers
Has No	Plastic
Disposal	♻️ Glass or metal containers – reuse or recycle
Where to Buy	• Zero Waste Moisturiser (eBay) →

---

Makeup Remover

Disposables → Reusables

We really don’t need to be rubbing makeup remover solutions over our faces to get the makeup off. Oftentimes, it’s just more unnecessary chemicals going into the skin.

All you need is a wet face washer or reusable cotton or bamboo pad to gently remove your makeup. No chemicals, no disposables and less crap that you need to buy.

	ECO MAKE-UP REMOVER
Made From	Cotton or bamboo
Has No	Plastic, chemicals or disposables
Disposal	🫧 Clean in the washing machine with your other laundry
Where to Buy	• Face Washers – FREE (use what you’ve already got) • Reusable Makeup Pads (eBay) → • Reusable Makeup Pads (Amazon) →

Plastic-Free Period Products

Switching to reusable period products can dramatically reduce waste while offering long-term comfort, cost savings, and convenience.

Pads, Liners & Tampons

Disposables → Reusables

When it comes to having a zero waste period, there are a few different things you can try to figure out what works best for you.

Tampons

First up, if you’re not keen on moving away from tampons, I hear you. Keep in mind that your best option is to go with 100% organic cotton tampons, which are free from pesticides and will break down a lot quicker than their plastic-riddled counterparts.

Period Underwear

Next up, period underwear comes with built-in protection to stop you from leaking through. They’re great for any time of the day or night and perfect for young girls who are still getting used to the whole thing.

Modibodi, Luna, and Bonds are some great brands if you’re looking for menstrual underwear – they even have pairs for pregnancy.

Reusable Pads & Liners

Then you’ve got reusable pads and liners, which are made from cotton and flannel fabrics. They simply attach around your underwear and clip together with a fastener. After use, just rinse the liners (or pop them into a lidded bucket with cold water to soak) and put them through a cold wash in the machine each day.

🌿 Personal Note: I’ve tried reusable liners and found that they moved around too much when I was walking. I’ve personally found period underwear to be much more comfortable.

Menstrual Cup

Lastly, you can swap out tampons for a silicone Luna Cup or Moon Cup. You insert it during your period and empty it out in the shower or toilet as needed, with a rinse under the tap.

	ECO MENSTRUAL ITEMS
Made From	Organic cotton, flannel, silicone
Has No	Plastic
Disposal	🗑️ Tampons – discard as usual 🫧 Period panties/ pads/ liners – soak in cold water, wash in cold cycle 💦 Menstrual cup – wash in soapy water
Where to Buy	• Period Underwear (eBay) → • Period Underwear (Amazon) → • Reusable Liners (eBay) → • Reusable Liners (Amazon) → • Menstrual Cups (eBay) → • Menstrual Cups (Amazon) →

Zero Waste Toilet & Cleaning Swaps

From paper products to cleaning supplies, the toilet area is full of opportunities to reduce waste without sacrificing hygiene or effectiveness.

Toilet Paper

Virgin Forest TP → Bamboo/ Recycled/ Reusable TP

Toilet paper is not something we put a whole lot of thought into. Most people just grab their usual pack in the shopping, then keep on strolling.

The thing is, regular toilet paper is harvested from virgin forests (meaning naturally grown and aged trees) that should be remaining intact as wildlife habitat.

Not to mention the huge amount of water and resources that go into acquiring, processing, producing and transporting the plastic-wrapped paper. Paper that we literally use for two seconds, then flush down the toilet.

There are a few companies around now that make bamboo toilet paper. Bamboo is a very fast-growing resource, which in this case, is planted for the sole purpose of wiping our bums.

Also available is recycled toilet paper, famously made by Who Gives A Crap, among other companies. The best thing about Who Gives A Crap is that it’s easily available at Aldi in Australia.

I know how recycled toilet paper sounds – old loo paper has been recycled to create new loo paper. Nope, it’s actually old office and school papers that have been pulped down and turned into toilet paper.

🌿 READ: Who Gives A Crap vs. Kleenex (Review) →

If you’re game, you can try some washable unpaper toilet rolls, which fit nicely on your normal toilet roll holder. Just throw the used ones into a lidded bucket and wash every other day. Net Zero Co. are one of the many companies creating these flannels. Also, check out Etsy for plenty more.

Finally, you could opt for a bidet attachment for your toilet, which will give you a little squirt of water to clean off with.

Personally, I’m still a modern gal who likes to wipe and flush, so it’s recycled toilet paper for me. But whatever tickles your fancy.

	ECO TOILET PAPER
Made From	Bamboo, recycled paper or cotton flannel
Has No	Plastic or virgin forests
Disposal	🚽 Toilet paper – flush ♻️ Paper/cardboard packaging – recycle, burn, use as gift wrap 🫧 Reusable TP – wash in machine on hot cycle
Where to Buy	• Bamboo & Recycled Toilet Paper (eBay) → • Bamboo & Recycled Toilet Paper (Amazon) →

---

Tissues

Virgin Forest Tissues → Bamboo Tissues/ Hanky

With tissues, we’re looking at the same issue as with the toilet paper. The tissue paper is sourced from virgin forests, making it completely unsustainable.

So, as with many zero waste bathroom swaps, you’ve got a few options. You can go for a brand that makes the tissues out of bamboo, or you can go old school and use hankies.

HANKIES:

I have personally tried the hanky route, and I did prefer the feel of soft fabric on my nose, as opposed to thin paper that just breaks.

But, I didn’t like that the mucous would not always break down in the wash, so I found myself rinsing each hanky straight after use. A hot wash is also recommended.

Rather than buying new hankies, just cut up old sheets and stack them in a nice box, or opt for vintage (unused) hankies from op shops.

BAMBOO TISSUES:

Switching from regular virgin forest tissues to bamboo is a really easy zero waste swap. Woolworths used to have a bamboo tissue option on their shelves, making it super easy to pick up with your groceries, but I can’t currently find any supermarket options available.

Who Gives a Crap sells boxes of bamboo tissues (12 boxes for $26 = $2.17 per box), which you can order online with your toilet paper.

	ECO TISSUES
Made From	Bamboo (tissues) or repurposed sheets
Has No	Virgin forests
Disposal	🫧 Hankies – wash in machine on hot cycle 🗑️ Toilet paper – compost or bin
Where to Buy	• DIY Hankies – FREE (cut up old fabric) • Hankies (eBay) → • Hankies (Amazon) → • Bamboo Tissues (eBay) → • Bamboo Tissues (Amazon) →

---

Air Freshener

Aerosol → DIY Essential Oil Spray

One of the easiest zero waste bathroom swaps you can do yourself at home is an air freshener. All you need is a little spray bottle, water and one or a few essential oils.

If you need to buy a spray bottle, opt for glass; otherwise, just use what you’ve already got at home.

Fill up your little bottle with water, add about 10–40 drops of essential oils, then spray away.

	ZERO WASTE AIR FRESHENER
Made From	– Water – Essential oils – Glass/ recycled spray bottle
Has No	Disposable aerosol cans or synthetic products
Disposal	🔄 Spray bottle – refill and reuse
Where to Buy	• FREE – use what you’ve got! • Amber Glass Spray Bottles (eBay) → • Amber Glass Spray Bottles (Amazon) → • Essential Oils (eBay) → • Essential Oils (Amazon) →

---

Toilet Cleaner

Plastic & Chemical → Vinegar & Baking Soda

Squirty toilet cleaners, which come in plastic bottles from the supermarket, are highly convenient. But, they’re filled with toxic chemicals, which are no good for us or our waterways.

Here is another one of the simplest zero waste bathroom swaps, which you can probably already do with what you’ve got in the cupboard.

Good old bicarb soda (baking soda) + vinegar!

	ECO TOILET CLEANER
Made From	– Baking soda – Vinegar
Has No	Disposable plastic bottles or nasty chemicals
Where to Buy	• FREE – use what you’ve got! • Easily accessible at the supermarket

Zero Waste Bathroom Checklist

Now that we’ve gone through all of the common bathroom products one by one, you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Please know that moving towards zero waste, especially in this modern-day world, is very much a journey. Focus on one bathroom item at a time and give yourself a minute to incorporate the new habit before moving on to the next.

Here’s a summary for a zero waste bathroom kit.

	REPLACE WITH…
🔄 Plastic Toothbrush	• Bamboo Toothbrush • Corn Starch Toothbrush
🔄 Plastic Tube Toothpaste	• Toothpaste Tablets or Powder • Jar/ tin packaging
🔄 Dental Floss	• Eco Floss in glass or metal jar
🔄 Plastic Cotton Tips	• Bamboo Cotton Tips • Stainless Steel Ear Picks
🔄 Plastic Band Aids	• Patch Bamboo Strips
🔄 Plastic-wrapped Virgin Forest Toilet Paper	• Bamboo Toilet Paper • Recycled Toilet Paper • Reusable Toilet Paper • Bidet
🔄 Virgin Forest Tissues	• Bamboo Tissues • Hankies
🔄 Plastic Shampoo/ Conditioner Bottles	• Shampoo/ Conditioner Bars • Refill bottles at a bulk store
🔄 Plastic Soap Bottles	• Soap Bars in cardboard packaging • Handmade Soap • Refill bottles at a bulk store
🔄 Plastic (chemical-filled) Deodorants	• DIY Deodorant • Natural Deodorant in glass/ metal containers
🔄 Hair Removal	• Safety Razor & Blades • DIY Sugar Waxing • Epilator • Laser Hair Removal • Tweezers
🔄 Plastic Hair Brushes/ Combs	• Wooden/ Bamboo Brushes & Combs
🔄 Plastic Moisturiser Bottles	• Glass or metal containers • Organic Coconut Oil
🔄 Pads, Liners & Tampons	• 100% Organic Tampons • Period Panties • Reusable Pads & Liners • Menstrual Cup
🔄 Aerosol Air Freshener	• Essential Oil Spray
🔄 Chemical Toilet Cleaner	• Vinegar & Bicarb Soda

---

---

Pin It

Share It!