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Soak dishes instead of washing them under running water

Instead of leaving your water running while scrubbing each dish, allow your dishes to soak in your sink or a washing basin filled with hot soapy water. You can do any scrubbing required using the water in the sink, and your dishes will only need a quick rinse at the end. Also, make sure to use biodegradable, phosphate-free soap.

Thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator instead of using running water

Defrosting frozen foods with running water can waste 50 to 150 gallons of water a month. Instead, place them in the refrigerator overnight or thaw in the microwave.

Check out these other tips for saving water in the kitchen.

Reduce your shower time by 5 minutes

When showering with a 4.5 gallon per minute showerhead, you use 45 gallons of water every ten minutes. To save water, shorten your showers or turn off the water when you’re lathering up, shaving, or washing your hair. Be conscious of the time you take in the shower by using a shower clock, and try to reduce your shower by 10-20%. Click to calculate how much water and energy you use in the shower.

Fix leaks and drips. Keep water pipes, faucets, and toilet gasket seals in good condition

Small leaks in water pipes throughout your home can often go undetected, while a dripping faucet or moisture around the base of a toilet may be noticed but ignored. While the leaks may appear minor, they can waste a lot of water. The average household wastes 10,000 gallons of water per year due to leaks. If you find a leak, fix it right away. Pay attention for the sound of dripping or for your toilet running longer than normal. You can easily check your home for leaks by shutting off all water usage in your home for an hour then checking to see if your water meter moves. Check out these tips on fixing leaks.

Reduce toilet water use. Use a high-efficiency/dual flush toilet, composting toilet, or low-flow toilet conversion kit

Toilets use more water than any other device in your home – about 30% of all your indoor water consumption. When replacing a toilet, consider purchasing a 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) toilet, high-efficiency toilet (HET) that uses 1.28 gpf, or a dual flush toilet. Dual-flush toilets allow for 2 options when flushing: half-tank or full 1.6 gallon flush. Upgrading to a WaterSense labeled toilet can save 4,000 gallons per year.

For a lower cost, try installing a dual flush conversion kit, “tank bank,” “toilet dam,” “float booster,” or even a do-it-yourself sealed bottle of pebbles or sand in your toilet tank. To learn more, watch this toilet tank bank product review video.

Alternatives to flushing toilets which avoid the use of water completely include composting toilets and dry toilets. Learn more about flushing toilet alternatives, or check out this article about a human waste composting project.