natjtan Welcome back to another Recycle Less where I share my journey to be more sustainable and using less plastic. This edition features something I don’t think anybody likes doing, cleaning the toilet yet everybody loves a clean toilet!
To be honest at the moment I seem to have hit a stalemate on recycling less. I’m not buying non plastic items just for the sake of and replacing everything with a more sustainable version. It’s more when the current plastic item needs replacing I seek out the non plastic alternative, so I don’t have many finds to share at the moment. I still use a lot of plastic. Mostly with groceries but that can’t be helped. Thankfully more companies are aware of this. I’ve noticed it’s more the organic products that are coming in plant based plastics. I still use when buying loose produce, cotton produce bags. Thankfully I’m not a huge junk food biscuit kinda girl which cuts out a lot of plastic. When it comes to clothes, accessories I buy less as so much of it is plastic crap! I do have some FOMO, but I know it’s a buy to satisfy a mood so I walk away and literally forget about the item upon leaving the shop. Basically now when shopping I consider the packaging more than the item.
There are things however that are if you see it, buy it as my Mum says. A plastic free toilet brush being one of them. It was also on that other list of if you see it buy it, the list of things to look out for. It wasn’t my intention to purchase a new toilet brush, yet I knew the current toilet brush would need replacing in the next year or so. A visit to check out Yes, Future Positive Supermarket here in Barcelona was one of those if you see it, buy it days.
First up, it is expensive. €9.90 which is a ridiculous amount for a toilet brush when plastic ones, you can pick up for €2 or less. Maybe online you can find them for cheaper. The advantage over plastic ones is when it needs replacing no plastic to landfill, recycling or more plastic for the next one.
Okay, does it clean, scrub as well? I think so. The bristles have bent like plastic ones do but it cleans and scrubs okay. Initially it does smell, a plant sisal smell that hangs around for a day or 2 however after a few uses that goes. None of the bristles have fallen out within the 6 months of use, but have bent or crushed a like plastic toilet brushes bristles. I knew it would happen quicker than plastic ones but not this quickly. It does I think clean more aggressively the limescale build up in the toilet bowl as the build up seems less. Tmi Nat!
The biggest problem is how to dry it so mildew and other moulds don’t build up, which is the advantage plastic ones have. The shop also sold its stand separately which I declined, as that would have made the whole set up around €30 and I was also buying out of curiosity if it worked. I still had the plastic pot for the current plastic toilet brush and thought I can use that. Well, yes and no.
The stand sold separately is the same as an old style shaving brush stand. A stand with a neck holder to hold the brush vertically with a terracotta bowl underneath to catch the drips, letting it air dry. Initially I let the brush dry on the balcony in the sun, which is great until bad wether days. Then I was concerned mould was building so bleached it (I know, I know). Now I let the brush head rest over the bowl with the handle resting on the floor for a day or 2 before placing it in the bowl/pot like a plastic one which it fits in fine (like how resting a spoon over a jar or bowl). For me this works as the toilet brush is hidden behind the bathroom door. So this is something to consider when purchasing how to dry it unless you buy the stand, factoring in bathroom design and if you live in a humid climate that makes the bathroom even more humid. When the weather warms up, every now and then I’ll dry it in the sun.
Would I recommend, yes if you can find one cheaper and want to use less plastic. I would like to try out a coconut fibre version as I feel that would be able to scrub more aggressively than sisal fibres. I’ve seen silicone versions but I don’t feel they’ll be aggressive enough for limescale build up in the bottom of the bowl and I see silicone as another ‘plastic’. Again, TMI Nat!
Thank you for stopping by!
