Bathing

[Drifter]

So I have been racking my brain on this one, as I do not want to have to buy a gym membership to shower, the idea of a bucket bath just won't work for me, and baby wipes might work in a pinch, but that's not going to happen regularly (I want to live in comfort, not like I am in a third world country).&nbsp; Truck stops are getting expensive at $10 for a shower (It used to be $5 back in 2006!&nbsp; AND when I went into one a few days ago the "hot" shower was lukewarm.)&nbsp; So, I started rooting around the net and came upon a 50 gallon rubbermaid stock tank.&nbsp; This thing is big enough to take a bath in comfortably, small enough to fit easily in my van (I took out all the seats except for the driver and front passenger.&nbsp; My cat has to ride somewhere after all!)&nbsp; So now I am pondering how to set it up.&nbsp; I was thinking I could get a fish aquarium filter rated for a 100 gallon or bigger set up to suck all the impurities out so that the water could just be recycled and then have a top made for it and place it on it with a rubber lip to seal the water in and have it on hinges maybe (and make it look nice and be flat so that it can be used as a table too)?&nbsp; Maybe I could build a nice box around in and even adhere pretty tiles to it.&nbsp; This tank has a spout, so it would have a set up available to drain out the water on to the ground, perhaps by drilling a small hole through the bottom of the van.&nbsp; So, the question becomes how to heat the water.&nbsp; This looks like a great option if I was going to drain it every time and not use the filtering idea:<br><br>http://search.coleman.com/cgi-bin/M...=hot water&amp;hiword=WATERS WATERY hot water<br><br>

 

[Guest]

Yikes Drifter! I can't find any info on you so don't know where you are now or where you plan on being but if you were to go to a third world country they are mostly near the equator and you could bath to you hearts content either in the ocean, a stream or with a solar shower..lol<br><br>I would follow the sun and be able to use a solar shower and get rid of the huge space hogs and enjoy more room inside...just sayin'<br>Bri<br><br>

 

[Drifter]

I want to be able to bathe in my van and relax. Yes it will take up some room, but it boils down to what you. Want in your living space right? I am female, and I want a candle lit bubble bath with soft jazz sometimes, lol. Yes it's a luxury, but it will be beautiful when it's finished and multi functional. If I drained it after each use I could even use it for storage!

 

[CP]

I would think about the weight of water sloshing around in the tub while driving.&nbsp; lets say the tank would be half full&nbsp; 25 x 8.34 lbs/gal= 208.5 lbs of water.&nbsp; The water may cause some strange handling problems while turning&nbsp; corners.....<br>

 

[Drifter]

Ok, so it gets drained after each use. That solves that issue. I just don't intend to live on the bare minimums, thats all. I like my creature comforts!

 

[waddison]

I have used this camping and boating<br><br>&nbsp;<A href="http://www.walmart.com/ip/Zodi-Instant-Water-Heater-and-Hot-Shower/4698021" target=_blank>http://www.walmart.com/ip/Zodi-Instant-Water-Heater-and-Hot-Shower/4698021</A>&nbsp;<br><br>Thought about this...<br><A href="http://www.walmart.com/ip/Solar-Shower-and-Shower-Utility-Room-Value-Bundle/15602411" target=_blank>http://www.walmart.com/ip/Solar-Shower-and-Shower-Utility-Room-Value-Bundle/15602411</A> <br><br>Both are portable...<br>

 

[Suanne]

Ok, so it gets drained after each use.

<br><br>Hi Drifter,<br><br>I think you are wise to avoid driving with a&nbsp;tub full of sloshing water in your van.<br><br>Instead of a stock tank, you might consider an inflatable like this one: <A href="http://www.amazon.com/Inflatable-Bathe-Portable-Bathtub-Accessories/dp/B000JQLPKE" target=_blank>http://www.amazon.com/Inflatable-Bathe-Portable-Bathtub-Accessories/dp/B000JQLPKE</A>.<br><br>Or&nbsp;you could plan your travels to take you by natural&nbsp;hot springs.&nbsp; Do a&nbsp;web search to find them.&nbsp; Or, this site seems to list many by location: <A href="http://www.soak.net/" target=_blank>http://www.soak.net/</A>.<br><br>In addition to&nbsp;filtering the water before you drain it, you might also consider other good secondary uses for&nbsp;the bath water like watering some plants or washing your van.&nbsp; Water is such a precious resource that I'd hate to see it just go into the sewer system.&nbsp;<br><br>Suanne ... who actually prefers a shower over a soak<br><A href="http://SuanneOnline.blogspot.com" target=_blank>http://SuanneOnline.blogspot.com</A><br>

 

[Drifter]

I looked at the inflatable tub but for what it is it's not only way over priced, it would get ruined by cat claws. I don't intend to inflate/deflate constantly either, and.... It looks tacky and doesn't match my decor. Yes I'm a girly girl, I intend to leave my van looking like crap on the outside to make it less appealing to thieves and cops to bother. Inside however, it's getting fixed up NICE as money allows.

 

[karl]

"With enough knowledge, time, and money- anything can be built"<br>a favorite response to customers who ask "can you do it", that said, I like your idea and determination to live as you choose. Everything is a compromise in a van- you will trade this for that, but I think you can have what you are asking about..<br>I like your thoughts on recycling water and using the space for more than bathing.<br>How about a tank that supports your bed and provides storage space for stuff you don't need easy access to, and having the water stored in under vehicle, baffled tank(s ) so that water isn't surging and affecting handling, then pumped back into your tub as needed? Tanks can be as simple as a series of 4" or even larger pvc pipes, depending on your vehicle and ground clearance, which, especially if they are full, will minimize the surge factor. they can be filled by gravity and the water pumped back to the tank, or they could be pressurized with an onboard air compressor to force the water back to the tub.<br>Heating could be handled through a propane "instant hot water heater" or possible with a heat exchanger from your engine coolant system in a portion of the storage tanks so that you can have hot and cold water to temper the bathwater.<br>I regularly carry 30 gals of water in a tank that provides stored heat to my van- it is under my bed and as long as it is full, causes no handling problems- Lurch is a half ton Chevy van&nbsp; with added springs in the rear. If I were to sacrifice the tool storage under my (4'x 6') bed- I could easily put a tub in that space. The filtering is something I would need to research as I have little experience, but believe it is viable.<br><br>

 

[Drifter]

I like your idea Karl, I'll have to bump into you some time so you can show me how to do that!

 

[polecat77]

Ever think to use a 2-man blow up boat (under $30) or a blow up kiddie pool (under $20) I have a air materess and a small dog that sleeps with me. Used it for 6 years. with no problems.&nbsp;

 

[Drifter]

I decided to go with a gym membership for showers and to lose a few pounds.&nbsp; When I must have my bath, I will check in to a motel occasionally, turn my phone off and sail away into blissville.<br>

 

[FutureDweller]

If you're going to drain it out every time would it be possible to permanently attach a high power water filter to the drainage so that if needed you could even drink the water? &nbsp;It may sound off the wall but it could work, it's just a matter of finding a filter that's good enough. &nbsp;I'd also suggest a water tester so you can test it in case your filter craps out.<br><br><br>

 

[Drifter]

Well I -was- going to go with a gym membership, until I found out they try force you to pay a year ahead or at least three month. At $40/month?!? I don't freaking think so! Back to my bath idea, and I have a working set up. I plan to drill a hole through the bottom of the van for drainage. I just gotta get someone knowlegable underneath to see where that hole can go safely. I use a 50 gallon rubbermaid stock tank to bathe, wash dishes, bathe my cat, and once I get it set up to drain it will also be getting a long wide filter for use as a urinal. A little bleach water and voila! It's perfectly clean, sterilized and deoderized. Right now I use an aquarium gravel vac to vaccuum out the water once done and it goes onto the ground discretely. I usually park right by a drain if I can find one. It's not a "green" solution, but I'm more interested in convenience and comfort. Not everybody is going to get on the now popular tree hugger band wagon. I just don't see the point in bothering with it. It's inconcenient at best and costs money at worst. How does it benefit me to be green?

 

[Guest]

<table class="nested_invisible_table" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="100%" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td colspan="4" height="100%" valign="top"><span id="post_message_1268575818"> It's not a "green" solution, but I'm more interested in convenience and comfort. Not everybody is going to get on the now popular tree hugger band wagon. I just don't see the point in bothering with it. It's inconcenient at best and costs money at worst. How does it benefit me to be green?</span> </td></tr> <tr></tr></tbody></table>

<br><br>You must be kidding here Drifter, I can't believe someone really would say that....but if it isn't a joke, and you really don't see how it benefits you, how about just doing it so maybe it will&nbsp; benefit my grandkids generation? <br><br>Bri<br><br>

 

[MargaretA]

<table class="nested_invisible_table" height="100%" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="4" height="100%" valign="top"><span id="post_message_1268575818"> It's not a "green" solution, but I'm more interested in convenience and comfort. Not everybody is going to get on the now popular tree hugger band wagon. I just don't see the point in bothering with it. It's inconcenient at best and costs money at worst. How does it benefit me to be green?</span> </td></tr> <tr></tr></tbody></table>

<br><br>You must be kidding here Drifter, I can't believe someone really would say that....but if it isn't a joke, and you really don't see how it benefits you, how about just doing it so maybe it will&nbsp; benefit my grandkids generation? <br><br>Bri<br><br>

<br><br>Environmentalism, aka "being green," shouldn't be about money or convenience. I say "shouldn't" because - unfortunately - it <b>is </b>about that for a lot of people, and that attitude is what's going to make this planet uninhabitable for all of us. Or, as Bri mentions, for future generations.<br><br>I know my post isn't exactly about bathing, and I'm sorry about that. But this is something I feel very strongly about and I couldn't let it go without saying something.<br><br>Meg<br>

 

[Butternut]

<font face="Georgia">Most universities have free showers. There is usually a gym (sometimes require an ID) but most also have a rec center of some sort for the hokey/lacrosse/etc teams and they have a lot of showers and don't require IDs. If you walk in looking like you know what you're doing, no one looks twice.<br><br>http://thetuckerbag.blogspot.com </font><br>

 

[twokniveskatie]

<div>i find this disturbing on a couple levels, the most being that despite what your your feelings are about being green, the fact is that what you do impacts everyone around you. if you can't be concerned with the ecological impact, then consider please that the act that you are discussing (dumping a 50 gallon tank) reflects negatively on all other vehicle dwellers and results in tougher laws and restrictions for the rest of us.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>the idea here is that you live in a broader community and you need to think of the benefits to others besides yourself.......</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>

Well I -was- going to go with a gym membership, until I found out they try force you to pay a year ahead or at least three month. At $40/month?!? I don't freaking think so! Back to my bath idea, and I have a working set up. I plan to drill a hole through the bottom of the van for drainage. I just gotta get someone knowlegable underneath to see where that hole can go safely. I use a 50 gallon rubbermaid stock tank to bathe, wash dishes, bathe my cat, and once I get it set up to drain it will also be getting a long wide filter for use as a urinal. A little bleach water and voila! It's perfectly clean, sterilized and deoderized. Right now I use an aquarium gravel vac to vaccuum out the water once done and it goes onto the ground discretely. I usually park right by a drain if I can find one. It's not a "green" solution, but I'm more interested in convenience and comfort. Not everybody is going to get on the now popular tree hugger band wagon. I just don't see the point in bothering with it. It's inconcenient at best and costs money at worst. How does it benefit me to be green?

 

[Imladris]

do you travel around much? you can always walk into a gym and tell your shopping around and would they mind letting you try it out first. Of course you can do this more easily if you are on the move and always near a different gym, but I don't know what your circumstances are.<div><br></div><div>PS to all of you green ppl, she is not going to single handedly going to destroy the world with her mentality, nor are you going to convert her by preaching. We all live by the light we have.</div>

 

[Butternut]

<font face="Georgia" size="3">

</font><div><font face="Georgia" size="3">If you can't be concerned with the ecological impact, then consider please that the act that you are discussing (dumping a 50 gallon tank) reflects negatively on all other vehicle dwellers and results in tougher laws and restrictions for the rest of us.&nbsp;</font></div><font face="Georgia" size="3">

<br><br>This is a really good point, most of the trouble I've run into out in the world is because of a negative experience with someone before me. It's so hard for people to see the best side of us that our collective reputation is easily tainted.<br><br><a target="_blank" href="http://thetuckerbag.blogspot.com">The Tuckerbag</a></font><br>