Water-Wise Tips for Kitchens and Laundry

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Cooking and cleaning shouldn't make waste

By making a few small changes to your cooking and cleaning habits in the kitchen and laundry areas, you can drastically reduce the amount of water you use without cramping your lifestyle.

Give your dishes a quick rinse – not a shower!

If you wash dishes by hand, don't leave the water running for rinsing. If you have two sinks, partially fill one with soapy water and the other with rinse water. If you have only one sink, gather washed dishes in a dish rack and rinse them with a spray device or in a pan full of hot water.

If you have an automatic dishwasher, use it only to wash full loads, and use the energy saver or shortest cycle.

Clean and cook food the wise way

When cleaning fruits and vegetables, never let the tap run continuously. Instead, wash them in a partially filled sink, then rinse them quickly under the tap.

When boiling vegetables, use only enough water to cover them, and use a tight-fitting lid. Steaming uses even less water while conserving more nutrients.

The coldest drinking water comes from the refrigerator

Keep a bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap until the water gets cool each time you want some. Be sure to rinse the container and change the water every few days.

Water should be the only thing that goes down your drain

Never put garbage of any kind down the sink drain. Cooking fat and greases, household cleaners, paints, solvents, pesticides and other chemicals can be very harmful to the environment and your piping system.

Reduce water flow from your taps

Install an aerator attachment on your sink faucets and reduce water use by 25-50% (see pamphlet entitled "Water-Saving Devices").

Don't let your clothes get lonely in the laundry

Wash only full loads of laundry and make sure you don't overload. Use the shortest cycle possible. Use the "suds-saver" feature if your machine has it. If your washer has an adjustable water-level indicator, set the dial to use only as much water as is really necessary.

Use only cleaning products that will not harm the environment. Buy phosphate-free biodegradable detergents.

One small leak can waste thousands of litres of water!

Regularly check faucets, pipes, taps, hoses and the fittings of your washing machine for leaks and repair immediately. Leaks waste water 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can often be repaired by replacing a washer, which costs only a few cents.

Always turn your taps off tightly but gently so they don't drip.

REMEMBER, the WISE USE OF WATER will save you money and help improve the environment.

An environmental citizen uses water wisely
For more information, contact:
Enquiry Centre, Environment Canada, Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0H3
Toll free: 1-800-668-6767