by Athena Garner

Created on: September 11, 2008   Last Updated: September 22, 2008

Don't just settle for the obvious ways of saving water in the shower. Of couse there are a few obvious ways to cut down on your water use during your shower and morning routine, but it's those extra little efforts you can make that will save you money and save our world's precious resources. Whether you're into eco-friendly appliances and gadgets for the environment's sake or you just want to cut your shower time to trim your water bill, there are several ways to reach your goal.

CHANGE THE SHOWER ITSELF
Buying a water-saving shower head is a viable option to make a difference without making yourself suffer. They are often called Low Flow shower heads and usually come with several settings to control the amount of water used and the pressure at which it comes out. The other water-saving option that may first come to mind is simply taking shorter showers. But rushing through the shampoo, conditioning, shaving and washing steps involved in proper hygiene may leave you nicked, cranky and slightly soapy.

CUT DOWN ON SHOWER TIME
Try to pay more attention to how long your showers take. Don't turn the water on full blast. Most showers will give you plently of water without being turned to full pressure. And instead of trying frantically to hurry, just cut back on daydreaming and standing under the shower thinking about what you've got to do today. Get in, get clean and get out.

CHANGE YOUR ROUTINE
Some other ways of saving water may involve a little extra effort, but pay off in the long run. Instead of shaving your legs while the water runs, lather up and then turn the shower off until you need to rinse. Do both legs at once to be really efficient. If you don't like this idea consider using a rinse-off hair remover that can be applied before you ever get in the shower and then rinsed off quickly. Skip conditioning in the shower and wait to get out to apply leave-in conditioner. If you have normal to dry hair then skip a day or two between shampoos. Strange as it sounds, hair that isn't squeaky clean is easier to style. It's actually better for your hair to skip a day than it is to constantly strip its natural oils and it can save you a lot of water.

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