3 Ways to Conserve Household Supplies During a Pandemic

During a pandemic or other emergent situation, your household will be running on limited supplies. Due to COVID-19, many stores are currently low on stock for many essentials, such as toilet paper, paper towels, bottled water, antibacterial gel, and more.

The last thing you want, if you’re stuck at home or unable to shop for the items you need, is to run out of the products you use every day. It is vital that you find ways to make your household supplies last as long as possible. To keep your household running even when you cannot properly shop, follow these simple tips. You may find these suggestions as ones that you want to follow year-round, as they are great everyday practices to help the environment by reducing waste. Learn more about our commitment to protecting the environment through our Eco-Smart technology.

Reduce Use of Paper Towels

A woman drying dishes with a towel instead of paper towels. — Wherever possible, avoid using paper towels. Use dish towels to dry dishes and rags to clean up spills.

During a pandemic or other emergency, paper products are one of the first items to disappear from stores. Do your best to save on paper towels and other paper products by reducing your usage. Use washable towels or rags whenever possible. Consider investing in microfiber towels with a micro silver antibacterial agent, such as the Norwex EnviroCloth. These towels contain an antibacterial agent, allowing you to clean almost any surface without the need for soap or detergent.

If you must use paper towels, determine if you can reduce waste by using them twice. For example, if you use a paper towel to dry off a clean bowl or dish, save that paper towel by putting it in a bag or box for another use. You shouldn’t use old paper towels to dry your clean hands, but you can use the old paper towels to clean up around the house. Only throw away paper towels when they’ve come in contact with a dirty surface.

[gvblog_contentupgrade cta=”Read Article” heading=”How to Protect Your Home from a Virus Outbreak” link=”https://www.gvhomes.com/blog/how-to-protect-your-home-from-a-virus-outbreak/” img=”https://www.gvhomes.com/wordpress/../wp-content/uploads/2020/03/washing-hands-cta.png”]What can you do to prevent COVID-19 from entering your home? Aside from washing your hands, there are many things that you can do to minimize your contact with pathogens.[/gvblog_contentupgrade]

Mix Shampoo with Water

Bottles of shampoo and body wash. — Water is already the main ingredient in most shampoos, conditioners, and body washes.

Body wash and shampoo are still effective cleansers when they are slightly watered down. Watering down your shampoo and body wash will allow you to use less of these products. Put a portion of shampoo in a small bottle and add water until you get the consistency you want. Make sure you are not adding so much water that it becomes difficult for your shampoo or body wash to lather. You’ll be shocked at how little shampoo you can use per week when you mix it with water.

Only Run Full Loads of Laundry and Dishes

A stainless steel KitchenAid dishwasher — A KitchenAid Dishwasher which comes standard in our Traditional line of homes.

To save on laundry and dishwashing detergent, make sure you are always doing a full load. Fill your washer as much as you can to make sure your detergent lasts as long as possible. Doing full loads of laundry will also save water which will come in handy if you’re tight on cash during an emergency. Never start a load of dishes or laundry until your machine is completely full. You can also try halving the amount of detergent that you would normally use for laundry or dishes. Even with less detergent, your clothes and dishes will still be adequately cleaned.

Running on limited supplies during an emergency is uncomfortable but it is possible. With careful planning and conservation efforts, you will be able to make your household items last longer than you think.