7 Surprising Ways to Save and Reuse Water at Home
You probably know that it’s important to make an effort to conserve water at home, especially in an area like California where water shortages are more common than anywhere else in the country.
But, before you begin cutting back on your water usage, there are some important facts you should know first. For example, did you know that 40% of the water used in your home actually goes down the drain when you do dishes and wash your hands? Or that your yard can be using up to 50% of all of the water you use at home?
1) Save your cooking water
Did you know that you can save water by reusing the water you cook with? Here are some easy ways to do it
- Store a container of cooking water in your fridge for later use.
- Bring your cooking water to a boil on the stovetop, cool it down, and store in a glass jar in your fridge for future use.
- Freeze extra water in ice cube trays so that they’re ready when you need them.
- Use leftover cooking water as the liquid when steaming vegetables or making rice or pasta dishes (replace all or part of the amount of regular liquid called for).
- Pour cooled leftover cooking water over salads before dressing them.
- Rinse fruit and vegetables with cooled leftover cooking water instead of tap water before preparing them for eating; this will prevent any soap residue from being left behind on produce.
2) Use rags instead of paper towels
You can actually save a lot of water by using rags instead of paper towels. Not only do you use less water to wash the rag, but you also don’t have to throw away the paper towel after just one use.
You can just wash the rag and reuse it. In fact, this is probably better for your clothes because they won’t get as dirty with a rag rather than with a paper towel. If you don’t have any rags handy, then you can turn old clothes into rags or cut up an old blanket to make new ones.
3) Wash your produce in the sink
Did you know that you can wash your fruits and vegetables in the sink, and save the water you used to do it? Just fill up the sink with a few inches of water, add your produce, and let it soak for a few minutes. Then, drain the water and use it to water your plants! Next time you make pasta or rice, consider cooking it in a jar rather than boiling it on the stovetop. Fill up an old milk jug with water and put it in the freezer:
Put these bottles in place of drinking glasses on occasion so they don’t go to waste. When they’re frozen, place them back into your freezer compartment next to other bottles. If there are too many empty spots left over by frozen milk jugs, freeze other plastic containers like soda bottles instead.
4) Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth
Did you know that brushing your teeth for two minutes uses about four gallons of water? That’s a lot of water wasted every day, just from brushing your teeth! But there’s an easy way to save all that water.
Just turn off the tap while you brush your teeth! You can save up to eight gallons of water a day by doing this simple thing. And it’s not just good for the environment – it’s good for your wallet too.
5) Shower using shorter bursts of water
One way you can save water is by showering using shorter bursts of water. This means turning the water on for a brief moment to wet yourself, then turning it off while you lather up, then turning it back on briefly to rinse off. By doing this, you can save gallons of water each month
6) Keep a pitcher in the fridge
Did you know that you can save water by keeping a pitcher in the fridge? By doing this, you can avoid running the tap every time you want a drink of water. Plus, it’s a great way to stay hydrated! Here’s how Fill up a pitcher with cold water from the tap before your family goes to bed.
Place it in the fridge on its back so that air can circulate around it. Leave the top open for easy access during breakfast or anytime throughout the day when someone wants some refreshing water. The process is very simple and will not take much time out of your morning routine!
7) Plant drought tolerant plants in your garden
One of the best ways to save water is to choose plants that don’t require a lot of it. Drought tolerant plants are a great option for gardens as they can survive on very little water.
Not only will this save you money on your water bill, but it will also help reduce the strain on our water supply. Plant drought tolerant plants in your garden: One of the best ways to save water is to choose plants that don’t require a lot of it. Drought tolerant plants are a great option for gardens as they can survive on very little water.
