Where do you shower (when you don't have a shower in your van)?

[John in Montreal]

My back-up solution is to bring my dishpan into a public restroom, fill it with hot water from the sink and use the handicap stall to wash up.

 

[CosmickGold]

If you are like me, you'd much prefer to have a shower in your van instead of having to rely on some public facility, but you don't have room in your van for an actual shower stall, hot-water heater, or the like. But I found an easy way to have a portable shower inside my van that I tuck away in a box or bucket when not in use. Here are the parts:


First of all, you need a showerhead and hose meant to work with the low water pressure of an RV setup. I found out through experience that showerheads meant for "sticks'n'bricks" hardly more than dribble water in front of you, as they wait for higher pressure.


At the other end of the above hose, you need this powerful little pump. It is quite small, made to fit down through the opening of a standard five-gallon water jug. But it is very powerful, running on your 12-volt system. I first bought a pump that ran on a standard USB cable which is only 5-volts, but that was a mistake. This 12-volt pump is about four times stronger!

And no need for an official water heater. Just heat a pan of water on your cook stove. While it heats to nearly a boil, pour plenty of your cold water into a bucket to shower with, and then add the hot water to the cold. Then drop the pump into the bucket, and you're all set!


Finally, you need this collapsible pool to act as your "shower stall". It comes in serval sizes, so choose the size that fits your van's floor.

1) Turn on the water just long enough to spray everywhere on your body so you're wet all over, then turn it off.
2) Put some soapy water on a brush, and scrub yourself everywhere with it.
3) Turn on the water again, and rinse the soap and dirt off yourself, starting at the top of your head and working down.
4) Turn off the water pump again! (In a van, there isn't a lot of water to waste!)

I started out using a shower curtain with this setup, but quickly learned a dripping shower curtain is just too hard to deal with. If I put it away wet, I'm inviting mold. But where do I stretch out an entire shower curtain to dry inside a van??? So now, I just use this tub carefully, avoiding spraying water out into other areas of the van. And if I do spray some out, I have an old towel within reach to wipe the water up with.


After draining your tub, just fold it up and put it away. This tub seem to dry on its own fairly quickly.

So this is the system that works great for me. I never need a gym, a truck stop, or any other of the "sticks'n'bricks" suggestions.

 

[PlethoraOfGuns]

Great setup!

 

[GntlStone]

If you are like me, you'd much prefer to have a shower in your van instead of having to rely on some public facility, but you don't have room in your van for an actual shower stall, hot-water heater, or the like. But I found an easy way to have a portable shower inside my van that I tuck away in a box or bucket when not in use. Here are the parts:

View attachment 29938
First of all, you need a showerhead and hose meant to work with the low water pressure of an RV setup. I found out through experience that showerheads meant for "sticks'n'bricks" hardly more than dribble water in front of you, as they wait for higher pressure.

View attachment 29939
At the other end of the above hose, you need this powerful little pump. It is quite small, made to fit down through the opening of a standard five-gallon water jug. But it is very powerful, running on your 12-volt system. I first bought a pump that ran on a standard USB cable which is only 5-volts, but that was a mistake. This 12-volt pump is about four times stronger!

And no need for an official water heater. Just heat a pan of water on your cook stove. While it heats to nearly a boil, pour plenty of your cold water into a bucket to shower with, and then add the hot water to the cold. Then drop the pump into the bucket, and you're all set!

View attachment 29940
Finally, you need this collapsible pool to act as your "shower stall". It comes in serval sizes, so choose the size that fits your van's floor.

1) Turn on the water just long enough to spray everywhere on your body so you're wet all over, then turn it off.
2) Put some soapy water on a brush, and scrub yourself everywhere with it.
3) Turn on the water again, and rinse the soap and dirt off yourself, starting at the top of your head and working down.
4) Turn off the water pump again! (In a van, there isn't a lot of water to waste!)

I started out using a shower curtain with this setup, but quickly learned a dripping shower curtain is just too hard to deal with. If I put it away wet, I'm inviting mold. But where do I stretch out an entire shower curtain to dry inside a van??? So now, I just use this tub carefully, avoiding spraying water out into other areas of the van. And if I do spray some out, I have an old towel within reach to wipe the water up with.

View attachment 29941
After draining your tub, just fold it up and put it away. This tub seem to dry on its own fairly quickly.

So this is the system that works great for me. I never need a gym, a truck stop, or any other of the "sticks'n'bricks" suggestions.

This collapsible pool seems to be the upgraded 2021 version. It's walls and drain have been improved.

 

[afblangley]

One option that hasn't been mentioned is the Geyser system. It's a bit expensive, but it provides a hot "shower" using less than a gallon of water, an amount that can be easily dealt with inside a van. I haven't tried it but there are lots of videos on YouTube about it.

 

[Sky]

LOL yes many of us do not find someone's personal body scents ex

According to many cultures, Americans (at least stick and brick ones) wash too much. I can also still remember some folks in the rock climbing community who thought their body odor was some kind of badge of honor. I am glad I don't hang around with them anymore!

I make sure to wash before my smell becomes noticeable to other people. I am pretty sure they appreciate this. Exactly how depends on where I am. I have a pump shower and shower tent when that is acceptable. Such as in boondocking. When that is not possible, I at least sponge wash or use moist wipes.

 

[CosmickGold]

One option that hasn't been mentioned is the Geyser system. It's a bit expensive, but it provides a hot "shower" using less than a gallon of water, an amount that can be easily dealt with inside a van. I haven't tried it but there are lots of videos on YouTube about it.

Thanks for your post; and yes, I saw a video just yesterday that had the Guyser shower system in it. So naturally, I looked it up, thinking it might be an improvement for me. But like you said, the price is so high, too high for me, ranging from $260 to $325. And I've got to save some money for travel gasoline!

 

[Snoho3]

Not mentioned above are Epic Massive Wet Wipes.

https://www.amazon.com/10-pack-massive-biodegradable-residue-free-substitute/dp/B01NB09UJI
Not as effective as a shower, but very handy. We carry a few for when we are between 'real' showers. They do a great job of getting the gunk off and giving you a fresh feel. Not particularly helpful with greasy hair though...

 

[afblangley]

There are 4 issues that need to be address for a shower in a vehicle.
1. Amount of fresh water needed
2. Storage/disposal of the grey water used
3. Heating water
4. Space

Solving the issues requires more or less complicated plumbing, ditto with power. There are inexpensive solutions (camping shower heads, Big Kahuna, DIY Scepter can, etc) that address 1,3,4. But showering with them creates 2-3 gallons of grey water that needs to be disposed of. Perhaps not a issue if your boon docking in the wilderness, but likely problematic if you're in the city.

 

[GntlStone]

There are 4 issues that need to be address for a shower in a vehicle.
1. Amount of fresh water needed
2. Storage/disposal of the grey water used
3. Heating water
4. Space

Solving the issues requires more or less complicated plumbing, ditto with power. There are inexpensive solutions (camping shower heads, Big Kahuna, DIY Scepter can, etc) that address 1,3,4. But showering with them creates 2-3 gallons of grey water that needs to be disposed of. Perhaps not a issue if your boon docking in the wilderness, but likely problematic if you're in the city.

Grey water in a city is easy. Park over a drain and open the valve. Dont leave a hose attached and open. Dump it down a drain from bucket or jug. Water treatment plants have ho problem with GREY. Black tank is a whole different thing.

 

[PlethoraOfGuns]

NYC doesn't really have public restrooms. Everyone just uses the sidewalks as restrooms. So yea, a lil grey water dumped in the city might actually help."The solution to pollution, is dilution!"

 

[WayOutWest]

I don't live full time in my van, it's only for vacations and road trips. Which means the places I am when I need to take a shower, tend to be out in the woods or on public lands, not in urban areas.

If I'm in an area where there are virtually no people around, or where I can obtain adequate privacy by the wall created by my vehicle, or the forest or other elements of nature, then I don't need to create a "shower stall." Otherwise, if I'm in a campground or place with the possibility of people driving by, I set up a small pop-up tent of the type specifically made for showering or using the toilet eg this type: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AT3T0GC/ref=redir_mobile_desktop
These do not work well in a significant wind, as they tend to blow over and start flying away. But otherwise they are great.
Then, I heat up water on my stove in a big pot that I have in my van specifically for this purpose. I get the water nice and hot, but not to the scalding point. Then I put it in a pressurized sprayer specifically fitted with a shower spray head like this one:
https://www.amazon.com/CLICIC-Pressure-Sprayer-Removable-Traveling/dp/B07Z8NDY2Y/ref=sr_1_14

And take a shower in the popup tent, or in my camping spot.
If I happen to be in areas where I can't set up the popup tent or it's foul weather outside, I have a large under the bed plastic storage container that I use for under my bed storage. I can empty it, stand up in it inside the van, and take a light shower while standing in that, and/or wash my hair while bending over and putting my head and upper body over the container.

 

[[email protected]]

Open the back doors, put a shower curtain across.....shower

 

[Frood]

Grey water in a city is easy. Park over a drain and open the valve. Dont leave a hose attached and open. Dump it down a drain from bucket or jug. Water treatment plants have ho problem with GREY. Black tank is a whole different thing.

Just make sure the drain actually goes to a treatment plant and that it's not a drain for storm runoff that just sits in the environment... Lots of coastal cities have drains marked "Drains to ocean" or in sf bay area "Drains to bay", so gray water dumped here may not be the greatest choice.

 

[Cammalu]

Open the back doors, put a shower curtain across.....shower

Till the shower curtain sticks to your wet butt and you open it by moving around

 

[PlethoraOfGuns]

Cold shower curtain wrapped around your butt. Worst feeling in the world! That's why I don't bother with the curtain anymore.

 

[afblangley]

There are 4 issues that need to be address for a shower in a vehicle.
1. Amount of fresh water needed
2. Storage/disposal of the grey water used
3. Heating water
4. Space

Solving the issues requires more or less complicated plumbing, ditto with power. There are inexpensive solutions (camping shower heads, Big Kahuna, DIY Scepter can, etc) that address 1,3,4. But showering with them creates 2-3 gallons of grey water that needs to be disposed of. Perhaps not a issue if your boon docking in the wilderness, but likely problematic if you're in the city.

The last part of my post was cut off. What was left out was a comment about the Geyser system. It takes care of #2. Because it uses so little water, no grey tank is needed, could just shower while standing on a shammy towel. It's still expensive, but its the only solution I'm aware off that addresses all 4 issues.

 

[afblangley]

Grey water in a city is easy. Park over a drain and open the valve. Dont leave a hose attached and open. Dump it down a drain from bucket or jug. Water treatment plants have ho problem with GREY. Black tank is a whole different thing.

How do you to get the shower water into the bucket or jug?

 

[GntlStone]

How do you to get the shower water into the bucket or jug?

If you use a masonry mixing tub you pour it from a corner of the tub into a bucket or through a funnel to a jug. Or just dump the tub. If you use the collapsible dog pool Cosmik or I linked above it has a drain valve.

 

[robertellis]

Hi all! ..."When you DONT have a shower in your van...."

Through my health insurance, I have access to thousands of gyms across the US to shower. Right now, I have 7 active memberships at national chains. And I can keep adding - it cost me $25 a month. On January 3 they sent me an email to invite friends and family. I pasted a screen shot below. I will keep this up for a couple days then remove it. It is an amazing resource! No brainer.