Shower directory/website(s)?

[mkl654321]

One of my greatest concerns in contemplating a possible "vanlife" move is the potential difficulty of taking a shower. I realize the various possibilities that exist, but the trick is in planning ahead. For instance, many campgrounds have showers, but not all by any means and not always open to the great unwashed public. Oregon state campgrounds almost always have showers that anyone can use, for $2 if you're not camping there, but that's not the norm in the rest of the country. National parks almost never have showers, and they're expensive and crowded when they do. Gateway communities usually have something like a laundromat with showers, but you often have to stifle the gag reflex. And while a truck stop shower is very very nice, the price has skyrocketed to $15 (or worse).

So I was wondering: has anyone put together a comprehensive list of where a nomadic bum can find a free/cheap shower in the various burgs and communities of this great nation of ours? What about public campgrounds (that, ideally, let you use their showers for a nominal fee whether or not you're camping there)? Also, what about car washes that let you put on a swimsuit and walk through them slowly?

I haven't seen any DUI solutions that are really practical for living out of a car--the problems of having enough water, disposing of the waste water, etc. Also, privacy is often an issue. And going without for more than maybe one extra day is a practical impossibility for me--I know I can't stand it. So maybe this is a more paramount consideration for me than for others.

 

[abnorm]

MrKLean654321....Welcome.....here's an earlier thread

https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=37005

 

[mattvei]

start with the demand side. Are you aware of the Medicare standard for showers? Two times per week (I know because I was in a skilled nursing facility)

 

[mkl654321]

If I adhered to that standard, I'd be giving off visible smell rays by the third day.

 

[Sara in a Prius]

My scalp starts itching like crazy if I don't wash my hair every other day or so. Of all the things I'm kidding myself about regarding my ability to live out of my car, this may be number one.

 

[WanderingRose]

I have found the Simple Shower with a 1.5 liter bottle of water warmed in the sun to provide a very adequate shower.

But for my hair, which is not only thick but is where I sweat, and is an issue when traveling and needing to conserve water.

If I had short hair, a 2 liter bottle of water would allow a shampoo and a shower.

Batiste dry shampoo does a great job between shampoos, ridding my scalp of odor and freshening it up to where I can tolerate it.

 

[maki2]

www.publicshower.directory

 

[mkl654321]

Thanks for this, but they seem to focus on truck stops, which is something I wish to avoid if possible due to the expense.

 

[Sara in a Prius]

I plan to join Planet Fitness, which lets you take a shower in any of their 2000+ locations for $23 a month. https://www.planetfitness.com/gyms/

Perhaps you could keep the windows rolled down when you go through a car wash...

 

[Carla618]

I plan to join Planet Fitness, which lets you take a shower in any of their 2000+ locations for $23 a month. https://www.planetfitness.com/gyms/

Does every Planet Fitness honor the Black Card? Have you ever visited one that said you had to pay? Sounds like the best option for my situation.

 

[frater secessus]

Does every Planet Fitness honor the Black Card? Have you ever visited one that said you had to pay?

They do honor it, but it is possible to bump into a pay situation if one overuses the same non-home gym repeatedly in one month.

 

[Frood]

As an aside, if you have AAA you have access to a program called "Active & Fit" which has thousands and thousands of gyms you can use for $25/month. I think you can use most Plant Fitnesses, but there are tons of gyms, sometimes "luxory" gyms that you can also access. Thinking of using it to go to a local gym here that charges $50+/month for direct membership but also supports Active & Fit members. I know people that use Planet Fitness, LA Fitness, and several smaller private gyms in the same area all through this program.

 

[afblangley]

Does every Planet Fitness honor the Black Card? Have you ever visited one that said you had to pay? Sounds like the best option for my situation.

I've been to a couple of dozen Planet Fitness gyms across 20+ states, and have never been turned down, except when the showers were closed/not working.

Planet Fitness has a lot of locations, but there are definitely areas where they sparse and the hours vary. Anytime Fitness has twice the locations and 24/7 access, but membership is more expensive.

 

[Carla618]

Thanks everyone, for the helpful replies

 

[Todd]

As an aside, if you have AAA you have access to a program called "Active & Fit" which has thousands and thousands of gyms you can use for $25/month. I think you can use most Plant Fitnesses, but there are tons of gyms, sometimes "luxory" gyms that you can also access. Thinking of using it to go to a local gym here that charges $50+/month for direct membership but also supports Active & Fit members. I know people that use Planet Fitness, LA Fitness, and several smaller private gyms in the same area all through this program.

Have you tried using this on the road, at multiple locations? Or, do you have to pick a "home base", and you're stuck with that choice? If roaming is possible, this seems too good to be true - essentially getting all of Planet Fitness and all Anytime Fitness for one, lower subscription.

 

[Todd]

Edit to my above entry:

I found this in their FAQ. It looks like you can use it anywhere, anytime as long as you fill out the paperwork for each place. (Don't worry about printing, just "save it to your phone.") For that price, it seems to be worth it!

"Can I use a different fitness center while traveling?​

If you're enrolled in the standard network, you may visit a different standard fitness center at no additional cost. Log in, find a convenient Active&Fit fitness center, and print your new fitness card or save it again to your phone. Go to the fitness center and present the new card. They'll verify your enrollment and have you complete their membership agreement. Premium fitness centers and studios offer access to only one chosen location."​

 

[Frood]

Edit to my above entry:

I found this in their FAQ. It looks like you can use it anywhere, anytime as long as you fill out the paperwork for each place. (Don't worry about printing, just "save it to your phone.") For that price, it seems to be worth it!

"Can I use a different fitness center while traveling?​

If you're enrolled in the standard network, you may visit a different standard fitness center at no additional cost. Log in, find a convenient Active&Fit fitness center, and print your new fitness card or save it again to your phone. Go to the fitness center and present the new card. They'll verify your enrollment and have you complete their membership agreement. Premium fitness centers and studios offer access to only one chosen location."​

My coworkers switch gyms like most people change underwear using the Active and Fit program... I myself don't have first hand experience with it yet but they rave about it.

 

[CosmickGold]

One of my greatest concerns in contemplating a possible "vanlife" move is the potential difficulty of taking a shower. I realize the various possibilities that exist, but the trick is in planning ahead. . . I haven't seen any DUI solutions that are really practical for living out of a car--the problems of having enough water, disposing of the waste water, etc. Also, privacy is often an issue. And going without for more than maybe one extra day is a practical impossibility for me--I know I can't stand it. So maybe this is a more paramount consideration for me than for others.

I'd answer here, but I already posted my answer in another thread just minutes ago. Take a look at my DIY answer posted here. . . .

 

[NomadCat]

Batiste dry shampoo does a great job between shampoos, ridding my scalp of odor and freshening it up to where I can tolerate it.

I also love the Simple Shower (from Amazon) and Batiste dry shampoo. I wash my (waist long) hair once a week, either in a shower or outside. This is my backcountry method; only needs about 2 liters of water:
1. Put about 1 tablespoon baking soda into a liter bottle and add warm water. Shake, then put Simple Shower head on the bottle.
2. Bend over and apply the solution to your entire scalp, rubbing it in. Get the ends wet, too.
3. Massage vigorously into scalp for a couple minutes, then use two dry washcloths to towel dry the hair and scalp, rubbing off much of the dirt and emulsified scalp oil in the process.
4. Put about 1/4 cup white vinegar into the bottle, and fill with warm water.
5. Bend over and apply this to the scalp, rubbing it in, and using it to rinse the head and hair.
6. Use a couple of clean hand towels to towel dry the scalp and hair. (Not the ones you used in step 3.)

All done! The baking soda breaks up the oil and deodorizes; the vinegar neutralizes the harsh soda. Neither leaves a residue, which is why you don’t need gallons of water to rinse, as you would with shampoo. The towels go in the laundry for my next trip to the laundromat.