From the category archives:

Bathroom Products

Three Of The Most Efficient Things I’ve Tested

February 20, 2009

I’ve tested many products over the past year. Here are three that have particularly impressed me with their efficiency:

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Unified Theory Applied To Bathrooms

January 5, 2009

A unified bathroom theory combining hygiene theory, universal theory, green theory, vastu theory.

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The Three Fundamental Flaws Of The Modern Toilet

December 11, 2008

My unwinking, analytical gaze of efficiency now turns to the toilet. Unfortunately, the design of the modern Western toilet is highly inefficient, in fact, it is so inefficient that it is actually harming our health. The modern toilet has only been around for about 150 years — the “porcelain throne” was created to “give dignity” [...]

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Efficient: Foot Pedal Faucet Controllers

April 23, 2008

Foot pedal faucet controllers allow you to control a faucet hands-free. These devices are efficient and hygienic — they are commonly found in commercial kitchens and hospitals. I’m not sure why we don’t see them in more homes. You can reduce water use by 50% using pedal controllers, and if it’s hot water, you’ll be [...]

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The Most Efficient Faucet Aerators Of 2008

March 30, 2008

One of the least expensive ways to increase the efficiency of your home is to install low-flow aerators on your faucets. These devices save water, and lower utility bills as well, because less hot water is used. Because of this, low-flow aerators will generally pay for themselves in only a few months.

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Road Runner Shower Head Has Unique “Pause” Feature

February 27, 2008

I’ve been testing the Road Runner low-flow showerhead, which is rated at 1.59 gallons per minute. Currently, it’s my favorite showerhead, beating out my previous favorites: the 2GPM Oxygenics showerhead, and the 1.75GPM Nigara Earth Massage showerhead. The Road Runner has a unique feature: it has a built-in sensor that detects when the water gets [...]

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How To Filter Your Shower Water Very Efficiently

February 26, 2008

This post has been updated for 2009.
I recently wrote about Filtering Your Drinking Water Very Efficiently, but let us turn now to your shower water. When we shower, we absorb the substances dissolved in water through our skin quite readily. For example, 60% of the chlorine absorbed daily comes from showering in chlorinated water. The [...]

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Optimal Toothbrush System

July 14, 2007

We consider the Smile Brite toothbrush system the most efficient and sustainable available, for two reasons. First, the toothbrush bristles comes from a natural source, and they don’t contain any synthetic dyes. This reduces the chemical load in your mouth. The bristles are harvested from special breeds of boar which have the fine, soft bristles [...]

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Efficient Moisturizer: Unrefined Shea Butter

February 24, 2006

Shea Butter is one of the most efficient skin moisturizers available. It is an organic product that protects against dry skin and sunburn. Shea butter is extracted from the nuts of the Shea Karite tree, found in the tropical regions of West Africa. It is a sustainable resource and it requires no pesticides to grow.

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Slightly More Efficient: Target Begins Selling Bamboo Sheets and Towels

February 16, 2006

Target has begun selling bamboo sheets and towels. They are reasonably priced at $40 for a sheet set, and $20 for two towels. Unfortunately, the bamboo content is not all that high — 60% for the sheets and 40% for the towels, and the rest of the fabric is conventional cotton (which requires large amounts [...]

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Efficient But Rare: Hemp Bath Towels

February 13, 2006

Hemp is more durable and resistant to mildew than pure cotton. It’s also more absorbent: hemp fiber can absorb 150% of its weight in water (as opposed to cotton, which can absorb about 100%). Yet hemp bath towels are difficult to find.

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A Towel Made Out Beech Wood: The Millennium Towel

January 8, 2006

Bonjour of Switzerland has released a towel collection made from Micro Modal, a fiber made with 100% beech wood cellulose. Modal is softer than terry toweling and 50 percent more absorbent than cotton. It dries quicker too. Bonjour of Switzerland uses only environmentally friendly dyes in production. The towels range in price from $12 for [...]

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Efficient Material of the Year: Bamboo

November 28, 2005

Well, this year bamboo takes the prize as efficient material of the year. We’ve got to hand it to the grass that is showing us yet another side of its efficiency. Since bamboo products are still sometimes difficult to locate, we had to track down these items from a number of different sources.
First on the [...]

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Marko Travel Toothbrush by Ohso

October 17, 2005

This Marko toothbrush by Ohso holds toothpaste in its handle, and dispenses it within its own bristles, making it a self-contained device for travelers. Last year we reviewed the “Clever Toothbrush” which was similar, but it was made out of plastic, and was not very durable. This toothbrush looks better — it’s composed of [...]

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New Bamboo Fiber Goods

October 8, 2005

We’ve detailed the benefits of bamboo fiber previously, noting the excellent softness and anti-bacterial qualities of this fiber. For those who wanted to try out bamboo fiber, you can do so inexpensively, since bamboo washcloths are being sold for $2 each on eBay in white and pink. Also, Bamboosa, a major bamboo clothing manufacturer in [...]

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Hemp Oil and Shea Butter Soaps

August 1, 2005

These soaps by Woodwize Body Solutions are excellent. It’s no wonder really, after reading the ingredients. They consist of: 100% cold-pressed hemp seed oil, unrefined shea butter, saponified oils of olive, coconut and soybean. Then they add fragances like coffee and mint, tangerine and spearmint or cranberry. More than 75% of the fatty acids in [...]

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Bamboo Fiber Towels

July 27, 2005

These towels, are made out of 100% bamboo fiber, which means they are soft as silk. Since they come from the fastest growing plant on earth and there is no fertilizers, pesticides, or chemical treatments involved in producing them, these towels qualify as being metaefficient.
Originally we linked to bamboo towels for sale at Amazon and [...]

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Faucet Restrictors/Aerators

May 27, 2005

Have you ever spent time at the sink, judiciously adjusting the hot and cold water, to achieve that happy medium between “cold” and “scalding hot”? Well, we’ve been there too — and we’ve noticed that water streams down the sink in a meta-inefficient manner.
That’s why these faucet restrictors are so handy. They attach like [...]

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Fox Fibre Towels

April 23, 2005

Green Sage has towels available in two natural Fox Fibre cotton colors “sage green” and “cafe” — each created with fiber straight from the cotton plant — there’s no dyeing involved. Fox Fibre is a little scarce — its good to see the towels available here. The towel set is priced at $55.
Web Page: Green [...]

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Natural Bath Dechlorination

December 29, 2004

We previously noted that we consider Vitamin C to be the best way to remove chlorine from your shower water. But what about baths? Surely soaking in chlorinated water is just as harmful. Indeed it is — especially for children.
If you have a shower filter, one way to avoid this is to fill your bath [...]

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