air-tight collapsable shower ideas?

[Svenn]

I want to have a self-enclosed air tight shower in my vehicle that won't steam up the whole place or cause mold.  I've seen the shower-curtain/plastic base enclosure idea, but that leaves a gap at the top near the ceiling for steam to get out.  I thought about a tent concept:



but that would require finding an air tight zipper and hiring a seamstress to sew it into the curtain, which might be hard.   I would vent it of course through a hole in the floor, so I'm not found dead one day wrapped in plastic in my vehicle.  Thoughts?

 

[bullfrog]

It would be so much easier to set up a shower tent with the opening facing an open door of the van, or place it directly under a fantastic roof vent.

 

[AbuelaLoca]

Are you going to have a water heater? Or just heat your water so much that it causes steam? I don't see it as too much of an issue unless you're taking a shower every day (but then you won't want to collapse it) and in that case, under the fan like bullfrog said!

 

[DannyB1954]

If you make it air tight, someone will eventually find your body at the bottom of it.

Another idea is a small fan connected to a hose that goes outside.

 

[TrainChaser]

I would buy an inexpensive pop-up privacy tent. It could double as a shower and a place for the bucket toilet. Most are less than $100.

 

[TMG51]

Don't focus on "air tight" - focus on ventilation.

 

[Svenn]

Hmmm...:

 

[caretaker]

really, stay away from air tight

 

[MrNoodly]

And if it was air tight, all the steam would get out as soon as you open it up to get out.

Bathrooms in buildings usually have exhaust fans. RVs, travel trailers and most self-converted vans also use exhaust fans.

 

[IanC]

I think the big problem with shower set-ups would be how to dry them when you're done. Think how quickly a vinyl shower curtain gets mold without ventilation. Also showering in a tight space will surely get soap on the enclosure. How would you clean it in a tight, van situation? I have a permanent shower stall that is just a waste of space - I always shower outside.

 

[protryon]

If I had enough room, I'd use foldable aluminum sheets rather than a plastic tarp because you can just wipe it down and stash it -- but my current floorplan gives no good place to leave a 52"x24"x.32" hunk of aluminum. I figure the easiest way to have an interior shower in a small van is to have a 2" tall steel drain pan that you stand in, then just use plastic. As for the drying issue that IanC discussed, if you have the plastic held taught by the pan, then you can wipe it down with a towel not unlike the aluminum. Fold it up, then stash it in a box, along with the steel drain pan.

 

[LeeRevell]

Take a "Navy Shower" with room temp water - no pesky steam, just damp air. Run the exhaust fan a bit before exiting. Bob's your uncle.