I’ve always considered myself good at recycling. Most weeks there’s twice as much in our recycling bin as there is in our garbage can! But I’ve realized that most of this comes from the kitchen. I took a couple of minutes to gather just some of the products we currently have in our bathroom right now, and that’s a lot of plastic, not to mention the empty toilet paper rolls that inevitably end up in the trash because “no one thinks about walking down to the recycling bin just for that,” as my daughter told me when I talked about this with her.
In fact, a 2016 consumer survey on in-home recycling habits, conducted in partnership with Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc., showed that more than one-third of regular recyclers (34%) admit that it never even occurred to them to recycle in the bathroom! Only one in five recycling families have a recycling bin in their bathroom… and we’re not one of them! But this is going to change. I’ve made space below the sink for a plastic bucket to fill with recyclable plastics and empty toilet paper rolls to make recycling easy and doable for every one in our family.
What bathroom packaging can be recycled?
Look at the numbers on the bottom of your plastic products. #1 and #2 plastics are the ones that are most commonly collected in curbside recycling programs. Fortunately, most plastic bottles are #1 or #2. The clear Listerine® Mouthwash bottles, for example, are made of #1 plastic. So are the clear Johnson’s® baby shampoo bottles. Opaque bottles like Aveeno® and Lubriderm® lotions, Johnson’s® baby powder, and some shampoo bottles, are made of #2 plastic.
Collection of #5 bottles is increasing, but they are still not accepted at many recycling centers so your curbside recycling program may not allow them at this time. Examples of these are the little Visine® eye drop bottles and Listerine® dental floss containers.
Before recycling any of this bathroom packaging, always give the plastic bottles a quick rinse to remove any leftover residue. You may replace plastic caps, but must remove pumps (these can’t be recycled). Then place the plastic products in your recycling bin!
Plastic tubes, like those that contain toothpaste, Neosporin®, and Bengay®, and the plastic film that baby wipes and makeup remover wipes are packaged in are usually a mix of plastic laminates so they are NOT currently recyclable, unfortunately. Toothbrushes aren’t either.
So, to summarize…
- Mouthwash bottles? YES (#1 plastic)
- Lotion and shampoo bottles? YES (#2 plastic)
- Toothpaste tubes? NO (#4 plastic)
- Dental floss containers? SOMETIMES (#5 plastic)
- Cardboard! OF COURSE! Empty toilet paper rolls, soap boxes, tissue boxes, and empty medicine and Band-Aid® boxes can all be recycled.
Ultimately, the more you and your family know about what’s recyclable, the more likely you are to do it. This is why it’s important to be informed! Visit www.caretorecycle.com for tips and tools on how to become a better recycler. The Care To Recycle® website does a great job of showing that recycling in the bathroom can be easy and fun!
Speaking of fun, it’s always neat to turn what many would consider trash into a clever and useful product! I made a mini sewing kit to carry in my purse out of an empty Listerine® dental floss container.
You need: An empty dental floss container
Remove the labels if you’d like.
If there is text printed on the plastic, it can be removed with nail polish remover.
Pop out the top of the floss container that holds the cutter.
Apply a tiny bit of glue to the spool so it stays in place.
Gather buttons of various sizes, thread, safety pins, sewing pins, a
sewing needle, and a small piece of fabric to hold the pins and needles.
Wrap a bit of thread around the spool and up through the cutter.
I used both white and black. You never know what you might need!
The dental floss cutter is so convenient for cutting thread!
Place the needles, pins and buttons inside the container, then pop the cutter part back in.
There are slots in the top perfect for the safety pins.
The top stays securely closed and the cutter top pops out easily!
If all you need is a safety pin, just shake it out onto your hand.
This DIY sewing kit is the perfect size for your purse or glove compartment!
If you want to create your own DIY projects with recyclable materials, here are a few tips:
- Limit the amount of glue or paint you add so the project can be recycled eventually!
- Try to avoid cutting large bottles. These are more likely to get properly captured at your local recycling facility into small pieces.
- Consider using packaging that is NOT currently recyclable, like tubes, #5 plastic containers (like the floss container I used above), and plastic film (from wipes). Get creative!
Remember that everything from shampoo and mouthwash bottles to soap and bandage boxes can be recycled! There are only a few items which cannot be. To get more information about which bathroom products can and cannot be recycled, visit www.caretorecycle.com. Together, we can make a big impact and help create a healthy planet for our kids today, and for future generations to come.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
What a fantastic idea. I always have these floss bottles left and never know what to do with them so into the recycling they go. This is a fabulous idea!
Thanks, Jeanine!
What a great reuse of a dental floss container. My family needs to work on bathroom recycle too.
Tara Pittman´s last blog post ..FREE Black Forest Organic Gummy Bears or Worms
I always support reduce, reuse, and recycle, and your post is very encouraging. Thank you for these wonderful tips on recycling; I care to Recycle 🙂
That’s great, Akhil!
My wife would love that hack with dental floss container. I better make sure not to tell her about it until the floss is out. 😉
Very true, haha!
I love the little travel sized sewing kit. What a brilliant idea!
Thanks, Alicia!
What a cute sewing kit. I know what you mean about the toilet paper roll. I am always removing them from the garbage can in the bathroom.
Oh my goodness! You are so clever. I never would have thought of that, but will definitely be giving this a try 🙂
I love upcycling, it’s a great way to help the environment! This is very brilliant and you can carry this sewing kit anytime you’re going out and even during trips! Thanks for the awesome idea!
This is such a cool idea. It would be perfect to keep in your purse too.
Up Run For Life´s last blog post ..How to Be An Active Parent While Suffering from Chronic Pain or Illness
Great article, I never thought of recycling in the bathroom, but have been wondering what to do with all the toilet paper holders, I will now make sure those go into the recycling bin.
I also love the sewing kit idea.
thanks
Diana Mathieson´s last blog post ..MAFIA SECRET by Angie Derek #Giveaway @TastyBookTours @AngieDerek
This is an amazing idea. We had so much products in our bathroom and it pisses me off sometimes like i want to throw it away.
Such a cute and great idea! Love that sewing kit. You are so creative!
That is so creative and useful. I was out of town this week and I needed a sewing kit. I bet I make and have one next time I need one. Thank you for the idea.
This is something creative and economical. And the good part is, one can always put it inside a purse or even one’s pocket. Sewing kit is something which I believe is a necessity. You never know when you will need to sew a button or a hem especially if doing an errand outside. Your idea comes in handy.
Wow! Pretty nice idea for the floss! Thanks!
Jenjen´s last blog post ..Eyes-Lips Giveaway | The Pinkish Hub
I never thought of recycling the bathroom items, but this is such a wonderful idea & that is a cute looking sewing kit. The way the dental floss container has been reused is quiet amazing.
I gotta say that it is definitely something different. If I ever need to make one, I know that I’ll just need to remember these tips.
Kathy Kenny Ngo´s last blog post ..AWFUL service at SOFITEL HOTEL
Great advice, in my house there’s no recycling culture, i think is time i teach my family how to take good care of the world.
It is a fun DIY project ! I would love to try this out!
Ana Fernandez´s last blog post ..Frappuccino Frosting Recipe
It was actually a lot of fun to see how much I could squeeze into that little case! 😉
What a great idea! I am always looking for my sewing supplies. I need to give this a try!
Ann Bacciaglia´s last blog post ..6 Ways to Destress At Your Desk
Oooo these are some great ideas! I would of never thought of any of this!
Great! If you come up with new ways to reuse the empty floss boxes, please let us know . We’d love to add more ideas to our list!
Great Idea! Recycling is one of the cost effective way to manage waste. We all need to learn how to recycle common products in our home.