Personal cleaning options for long term camping

[Canine]

Weed sprayer with rv hand held sprayer attached. Less than 32 ounces per shower. 60 watts of electricity per shower or Jet Boil if no electricity ($4 per canister and one canister per month). 12" by 22" microfiber camp towel that wrings out well and dries quickly and is super easy to wash compared to a terry cloth bath towel.

 

[marigold]

How about showering in a rainstorm? just kidding... kind of. I did this once.

 

[SoulRaven]

I wash my van in the rain...

 

[SoulRaven]

I have long hair, and find the "No Water" hair method works for me so long as I add oil when needed and don't miss my curls too much. I needed a good brush and the ability to thoroughly clean said brush as it's physically removing much of what makes hair "dirty". I've been physically intimate with quite a few people since vandwelling (go cuddling!) and they've all loved my hair, several even comment on how good it smells and ask how I manage to get it that way. Seriously.

As for the rest of me, I use baby wipes (Water Wipes is a brand that doesn't have lots of nasty stuff in it) and occasionally a spray bottle. Moisture control is extremely important when living in the rain capitol of the world so I try to avoid releasing any more of it into the air than absolutely necessary.

The only part of me this routine doesn't work well on is getting feet/hands totally clean. That's what's reluctantly motivating me to try a basin, if only for those. There are tiny nooks/crannies that just don't seem to get totally clean otherwise. My current routine is still doable, and like I said no one complains, but still, if personal comfort is the goal...

 

[Belinda2]

Any other ideas for regularly washing hair indoors in the winter?
What is the best thing you have found to catch the water?

 

[Marie]

Ok. Finally figured it out after all this time: google "personal portable bidet " and you'll get a LOT of info! None with that slightly offensive name, though! Also, looks like it'd be pretty easy to make one ...

 

[Suanne]

Any other ideas for regularly washing hair indoors in the winter?
What is the best thing you have found to catch the water?

If you are talking about washing hair inside a van or other vehicle, then that would be challenging.  If I had no other choice, then I'd use a bucket to catch the water; probably the same bucket I used for other purposes in order to save room.

Although I've never washed my hair inside of my vehicle, when I do use water I find a spray bottle useful to initially wet my hair.  I only pour water over my hair when rinsing.  But, because my hair is very thick, it's not felt clean this way.  So, I've tried several other strategies to keep my hair clean.

I've kept it cut very short, about 1/2 inch all around.  A stiff brush, a few sprits of water and a wet wash cloth every day keeps it clean.  This is probably the easiest way for me to keep my hair.  But, it's not the most attractive.

Right now my hair is moderately long.  I have gone to truck stops and used their showers.  The ones I've used were nice facilities.  I only wash with a quality hair conditioner.  I haven't used shampoo for almost 15 years.  My scalp is on the oily side, and hair is slightly coarse and very thick.  On the average, I wash my hair with water about every 10 days when a shower is available.

In between water-washings, I use corn starch as a dry shampoo if my hair looks/feels oily.  I was skeptical at first, but it really works.   Corn starch is much cheaper than off-the-shelf dry shampoos.  You sprinkle a very little bit on your hair, gently massage it in with your finger tips (not nails), then brush it out with a stiff brush.  I brush it clean outdoors.  When in the back country (desert), I've gone 6 weeks and successfully used this method to keep my hair.  Water is just too precious in the desert for rinsing, especially with mediocre results.

If you have dark hair, I've read that you can mix corn starch with cocoa powder to keep any residue from showing white in your hair.  I haven't tried it that way so have no personal experience.  But, if you google it you'll find lots of information, reviews and the "recipe."

 

[WriterMs]

I have just above the shoulder, thick, curly hair, yet I HAVE washed my hair in my van many times. I nest a plastic dishpan (for catching the water) with an old large plastic salad bowl (for holding clean water) and have a sturdy handled plastic mug (for dipping in clean water to pour over my head).

Coincidentally, I my current blog post has details about how I use baking soda and vinegar for washing/conditioning my hair. The link is in my signature, if you are interested. I've done this for years at a s&b home. It translates well for vandwelling, since I can use small squirt bottles to contain where the "shampoo" and "conditioner" go on my hair. I only need a few cups of water to wash out each ingredient. (Anyone with curly hair that gets tangled MUST try apple cider vinegar as a rinse... it has been heaven for me to be able to smoothly comb out tangles for the first time in my life!)

But, wait... there's more! LOL Anytime I wash my hair (inside or out), I catch the water in the dishpan. It is large enough that I can then soak my bare feet. Since the pain has only water, baking soda and vinegar, it is a great foot soak that allows the feet to get thoroughly clean. Scrubbing dry with a small towel helps keep callouses on the feet at bay. Feels great.

The personal bidet is interesting, but I think I get that same effect from my professional quality spray bottle.

What I DO want to find... and did not find on Amazon...is that hand- or foot-pumped shower hose shown in an early post. I may have to personal message to find out about that. I have bought a weed sprayer but have not yet attached a kitchen hose nor tried out just shortening the wand.

 

[akrvbob]

Here is shower with a foot pump in amazon with good reviews:
http://www.amazon.com/Nemo-NEMO-Equipment-Inc-Pressure/dp/B00ARHKLWS/

Here is a cheaper one with fewer reviews:
http://www.amazon.com/EasyGo-Shower-Pressurized-Backpacking-Paddleboarding/dp/B00YG20AZ8/

Bob

 

[Oberneldon]

I have short hair and washed my hair in my Prius when I didn't have a shower available. Not having regularly washed hair drives me crazy. Here is my post on what I used. http://macaloney.blogspot.com/2015/05/hygiene-living-in-and-out-of-prius.html?m=1

 

[SoulRaven]

Here's the directions for the cheap DIY version that many van dwellers use:

 

[skyl4rk]

The nice thing about that pump sprayer is that you can take as long of a shower that you want, because it reuses the splash water that falls down into the tub reservoir.

 

[ramblingvanman]

When boondocking I use a solar shower and a tarp for privacy. I find it fits my needs. I prefer the better options when available. When dry camping at walmart or wherever, I get by with wipes. I keep my hair and beard very short with a rechargeable razor.

 

[bcbullet]

I was doing some storage clean out at work on Thursday and came across three old stainless steel water fire extinguishers. Hmmm....twist off top for refilling, pressure gauge, integral schrader valve to recharge...I figure I am a genius and will be the first one ever to convert one to a camp shower! I throw a small pex ball valve in line for throttling, a sink sprayer and voila! Feeling all proud of myself, I have a quick google, and see that once again I am late to the party. "If it has been thought of it has been done" beats me again. Lol! 

Works a treat though and will provide two quick showers.I plan on leaving it by the fire to heat or just throwing it out in the sun. I just need to swap out the pressure gauge for a pressure/temperature gauge and I am good to go. I have a Viair compressor in the van and it charges it to 100 psi in no time flat.

 

[One Awesome Inch]

I'm almost 1 month into vandwelling and I find keeping clean is one of the biggest obstacles. My situation applies to 100% urban vandwllers.

I use 3 options:

1. Store hot water in a thermos (lasts for 24hrs). Use foam pump soap to lather up my head. Wipe it all with a small, dry towel. Soak other end of towel in about 1/2 cup of the hot-ish water. Rinse off remaining soap residue.

2. I often use a public washroom that is a private, one toilet dealie... like the ones at Starbucks etc. I do the same as above but just use paper towel so I dont have any potential water mess in the van. I also dont have to deal with a wet-ish towel either. I only use this method if I am off work for the day.

3. Three days a week, sometimes more, I am at my ex-wife's condo and just use her shower. At one point I will probably get a gym membership. Nothing beats a full body shower with lots of hot water.

 

[WriterMs]

Here's the directions for the cheap DIY version that many van dwellers use:

Thank you so much! I had meant to PM you to ask where you got your two-bulb set up. I've pulled the image off so I can print it and take it to my local Home Depot.

 

[SoulRaven]

Thank you so much! I had meant to PM you to ask where you got your two-bulb set up. I've pulled the image off so I can print it and take it to my local Home Depot.

Home Depot should be able to fix you up, if not, give a holler!

 

[offroad]

I keep my hair and beard very short with a rechargeable razor.

Prefer AA battery razor. The batteries last about three months. No need to tie up an outlet for the charger.

 

[bcbullet]

I just finished up my solar roof top shower...28 feet of 3" CPVC gives 10 gallons when full. I have a Viair compressor to pressurize it. I am hoping it should be good for 5 Navy showers. It will get a test during a nine day trip coming up next weekend and with any luck, there will be enough sun to heat it a bit!

 

[akrvbob]

I would love to do a blog post on that if it works out the way you hope it will!
Bob