Imagine my horror when I found out, through this podcast called 99% Invisible, that toothpaste tubes are not recyclable. For starters, the tubes are made of a combination of made of plastic, paperboard, aluminum, or other metal making it virtually unfit for materials recovery facilities. To add to that, the residue from leftover, unsqueezed toothpaste contaminates it.
Through a friend who has wholly shifted to a zero-waste (or at least plastic-free) life, I discovered that there are kinds of toothpaste that come in reusable jars sold in specialty shops catering to eco-conscious consumers.
But that is only a part of the plastic problem contributed by our oral hygiene. The biggest of which is the impact of toothbrushes. Dentists recommend changing your toothbrush every three months, for a total of roughly four a year (if you are following this). Multiply that to the world’s brushing population and you will get a horrific image of just how much toothbrushes are left to decompose for four centuries.
Another contributor to this issue is the fact that for healthy teeth and gums, part of your oral routine should include gargling with a mouthwash which—if you think about it—comes in a plastic bottle with a thick cap, not to mention packaging. And while unlike water bottles, you don’t dispose of these immediately (a 500 ml bottle usually lasts for a month in our household of three), its impact is still non-negligible.
Luckily, if you’re looking to switch your commercially bought mouthwash for a packaging-free variant in a reusable bottle, you don’t need to run to your go-to zero-waste store, as you can easily make it at home.
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The Instagram account @liveconscious_ shared her homemade mouth wash recipe which you can replicate with simple ingredients. Fiona, the Scottish blogger and environmentalist behind the account, advocates for a conscious way of living by switching to eco-friendly alternatives to everyday consumer products.
“Homemade mouthwash is one of my favorite #zerowaste swaps,” she says on a post. “It’s so easy and effective—it tastes exactly like store-bought mouthwash and performs just as well.”
In a reusable glass bottle, mix the following ingredients:
- 400 ml distilled water
- 2 tbsp baking soda
- 2 drops tea tree essential oil
- 4 drops peppermint essential oil
- dash of vodka (optional)
A few of her followers on Instagram asked how long will this concoction last. Fiona says it should last “a while” considering none of its ingredients are perishable. Also, by the time it goes bad (if it will ever go bad, that is), you will have emptied this 400 ml solution, if you use it every day.
Apart from hygiene products, she also has easy-to-follow recipes for oat milk and even moisturizer, which you can check out on her story highlights.
Header image courtesy of @livingconscious_ on Instagram
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Writer: CHRISTIAN SAN JOSE
ART MELANIE CHANG
