The shower

⭐ Easy win

Knock a few minutes off your shower time. The average shower uses 10 litres of water a minute, so by halving your shower time from 10 minutes to 5 minutes, you'll save around 50 litres a day! 

⭐⭐ A bit more work

The soap and rinse technique. Turn the shower on and get wet, then turn it off whilst you lather up with soap. Finally, hop back in and turn on the shower to rinse off. It can take a bit of getting used to, but you’ll soon be trying to set personal bests for how quickly you can shower.  

⭐⭐⭐ Water saving hero

Skip a day and use the sink. Washing yourself from a sink will help you to save buckets of water. Just pick a day where you don’t need to be red carpet ready and relax, safe in the knowledge that you've done your bit to save water.

The bath

⭐ Easy win

Less is more. Ok, less is less, but if you can shave an inch or two off the depth of your bath you can save plenty of water and we promise you won't notice the difference.

⭐⭐ A bit more work

Switch for a shower. Sometimes nothing beats a soak in the tub, but if you’re a regular bather and you switch half of your baths for a 5-minute shower, you’ll see those water bills tumbling.

⭐⭐⭐ Water saving hero

If you have treated yourself to a relaxing bath, don’t touch that plug! If your kids are small enough to fit in, or maybe your pets need a pamper, re-use the water - sharing's caring.

If sharing just isn’t for you, you can still make a bath go further by grabbing your watering can and using the leftover water to keep your garden looking lush!

The loo

⭐ Easy win

If you’ve got a dual flush loo, make sure you use it! Use the small flush for number 1s, and the larger flush for number 2s!

⭐⭐ A bit more work

Check your loo isn’t leaky. Push flush cisterns are notorious for developing leaks – is there water trickling down the back of the bowl? If so, you may need to get it fixed. Read our tips for spotting a leak

⭐⭐⭐ Water saving hero

Ok, we know this won't be for everyone, but if you’re truly an aspiring eco warrior, remember these wise words – if it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown flush it down!

Washing up

⭐ Easy win

Make sure your dishwasher is always full! Your dishwasher uses the same amount of water and energy, regardless of how many dishes you stack, so be generous with your loads.

⭐⭐ A bit more work

Don’t rinse dishes before washing. Instead, use a cake spatula (or a good old-fashioned knife) to scrape any excess food into your food waste bin. This saves water and means you won't be fishing leftovers out of the plug hole - yuck!

⭐⭐⭐ Water saving hero

When washing up in the sink, use a washing up bowl, as this uses much less water than filling up the whole sink. Wash the cleaner items, such as glasses, first and leave the really dirty dishes till last so you don’t have to change the water as often.

Washing machine

⭐ Easy win

Much like a dishwasher, you should always fill up your washing machine with a full load. Washing your clothes with a typical 5kg washing  machine uses an average of 50 litres per wash. Save clothes up rather than washing a few at a time.

⭐⭐ A bit more work

Treat stains before washing. Pre-treating stains will save having to put clothes through the wash more than once.

⭐⭐⭐ Water saving hero

Is your machine nearing the end of its life? When it’s time to buy a new washing machine, invest in one that’s as water efficient as possible. Most modern machines have water saving modes that keep water and energy use to a minimum.

The garden

⭐ Easy win

Put the hosepipe down and grab a watering can. It takes a bit longer with a watering can, but you’ll find you waste a lot less water, targeting only the areas that need watering.

⭐⭐ A bit more work

Get a water butt – or better still get two! They give you a plentiful supply of free rainwater to keep your plants hydrated, help you to save on your bills (if you have a water meter) and you can even link multiple butts together using butt lining kits. What’s not to love?

⭐⭐⭐ Water saving hero

Make sure that use water efficiently within your garden. This is by watering your garden early morning or late evening when the sun isn't as intense, allowing water to penetrate your soil effectively and resist watering grass – they don’t need as much water as you think.

Washing the car

⭐ Easy win

Use a bucket and sponge instead of a hosepipe. This uses much less water and makes it much easier to target dirty spots.

⭐⭐ A bit more work

If you have a water butt, you can use the rainwater that they collect to rinse the suds from your car.

⭐⭐⭐ Water saving hero

If you get your timing right and you’ve still got some water left in the tub, using bathwater to wash your car will save water by killing two birds with one stone.