Plastic free household items you won’t want to hide away.

When we talk about the environmental impacts of plastic, we tend to focus on the top 5 culprits; single use straws, coffee cups, plastic bags, toothbrushes and water bottles. However there are many more ways we can easily introduce pretty and practical plastic free solutions to our households that are often overlooked…

PLASTIC MOP AND BUCKET

Plastic mops become brittle over time. The heads are made from a polyurethane foam sponge, the buckets crack and the levers on the handles often break. When thrown away these items take decades to breakdown.

Or… COTTON MOP WITH GALVANISED BUCKET

Galvanised metal buckets although slightly more expensive, will last a lifetime, which is why you will often find them in vintage stores. Have you ever seen a vintage plastic bucket…? Didn’t think so… Combine with a cotton mop, which is easy to wash and has a wooden handle with no movable parts to break and you have an Eco friendly and aesthetically pleasing item that you won’t want to hide away in your utility closet.

PLASTIC BROOM

The biggest problem with the plastic broom (besides the fact that it is made of ugly plastic) is that it isn’t even any good at its job! The bristles flatten and ball on the ends which means they end up flicking the dirt instead of sweeping. Plus they are terrible for the environment, so it’s about time they got the sack.

Or… ECO MAX BROOM

The natural coconut fibre bristles on these brooms maintain their shape, so they will never ball on the ends. If they do happen to flatten they will straighten out after being washed and hung on the washing line to dry. They also have a lovely timber handle and look gorgeous on display. A wise addition to the eco conscious household.

PLASTIC BIN AND BAGS

A plastic bin lined with a plastic bag is a double monstrosity!

Or… METAL KITCHEN BIN

Sturdy and strong,  stainless steel or galvanised metal, new and shiny or vintage second hand. Pick one with a removable inner bucket, so you can skip on using plastic bags to line the bin and just give it wash down when you empty it.

PLASTIC PRODUCE BAGS

We know we need to avoid plastic shopping bags at all costs, however it is easy to forget that this also extends to the plastic produce bags we use when grocery shopping. They may seem convenient at the time, but every one of these plastic bags (for each type of fruit and vegetable you buy!) can take up to 1000 years to break down!

Or… REUSABLE PRODUCE BAGS

We love Onya’s reuseable produce bags. They come in a bright and colourful pouch, so they are easy to carry on your way to the shops and as the bags let water and air flow through, you can use them to wash your vegies before popping in the fridge. Which certainly isn’t possible with plastic.

NYLON KITCHEN SCOURER

Did you know that the nylon scourers traditionally used to wash dishes are actually made of plastic..? They are, and every time you use them you are putting pieces of micro plastics into our waterways, which are now being found in the seafood that we eat. And don’t even get us started on what happens to these buggers in landfill!

Or… ECO MAX KITCHEN SCRUBBER

Made from naturally anti-bacterial coconut fibre, these long lasting kitchen scrubbers are plastic free and scrub pots and pans better than a nylon scourer, without leaving a greasy residue on them. But best of all because they are all natural, they are biodegradable so at the end of its life you can throw it in your compost bin.

RUBBER GLOVES

You might not have heard, but the rubber in the gloves that you are buying at the supermarket have been replaced by plastics! So they are secretly making their way into landfill and staying there for many years to come. Be a conscious consumer and be sure to read the fine print

Or… REAL NATURAL RUBBER GLOVES

If You Care Household make gloves from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified latex, which means the natural rubber is sourced from a responsibly managed plantation and they also pay fair wages to their workers. A wonderful and worthwhile way to make the switch.

PLASTIC WASHING BASKET

They are cheap. They are nasty. They break easily and let’s face it, they are U.G.L.Y.

Or… WICKER WASHING BASKET

They are the ones your Grandmother would have had, but some things never go out of style. A wicker laundry basket is handmade, natural and sustainable, not to mention pleasing to the eye. Which means you won’t mind it laying around the house for your friends to see that you are stylish and eco -friendly too.

PLASTIC BABY BOTTLE 

We know that plastic is made from petroleum and chemicals. Do you really want to use this to feed the tiniest and most vulnerable members of your family?

Or… GLASS BABY BOTTLE 

We love Baby Quoddle Natural Bottles. Free of plastics, BPA, polycarbonates, phthalates and PVC. These amazing baby bottles are made from hand blown borosilicate glass and are thermal shock resistant. The teat is made from all natural rubber and is free from any harmful chemical compounds.

PLASTIC BODY SPONGE

Why would you scrub your body with a piece of plastic?  The concept seems so strange, yet millions of people use a plastic sponge in the shower every day, contributing tonnes of plastic waste to landfill.

Or… ECO MAX PALM BODY BRUSH

Made from Sisal, a natural vegetable fibre, they are sustainable, plastic free and biodegradable. You can exfoliate while using this natural brush plus they look so much nicer in your bathroom, compared to the garish colours of their plastic counterparts.

Now, we are not suggesting you throw out these items that you may already have in your home, as that would be wasteful. But we do think it is ImportAnt to think about the plastic free alternatives that are available next time you need to replace them.

Join us during Plastic Free July and let us know on Facebook or Instagram any other pretty, practical and plastic free alternatives you love to use.