Using campground shower/bath house...tips

[jakofin]

Anyone have any tips for making the use of the public shower house more bearable? That is probably the thing I like least about camping!

I know about always wearing flipflops. What are other tips/ideas to make it easier and less of a hassle? Have a shower bag/caddy you love?

Thanks!

[Dale M.]

Always spray toilet seat with LYSOL spray disinfectant and wipe with paper towel before sitting (even with paper protector).... Also works really well in more primitive camp sites where pit toilets are more odorous (makes it not quite so smelly) ... Might hit shower stall If it looks a bit grungy...

Dale

[3GKnight]

Stack your clean clothing in the order you're going to put it on. Pulling the undies out from under the shorts tends to encourage the shorts to end up on the wet floor.

[CAJUN LADY]

All good suggestions above! I personally keep Peroxide in a small spray bottle to spray the toilet seat. Also, shower flip-flops are cheap so keep 2 pair in your shower bag...1 for showering in, the other dry pair to walk back to your camper in. I also keep this well supplied with all my bathroom/shower needs in my camper.

shower bag2.jpg (56.33 KiB) Viewed 2669 times

I got the 15" canvas "Riggers" bag (tool bag) from Harbor Freight with a 20% off coupon. I think at the time I probably paid around $7.00 for it. I love it and if it gets dirty, throw it in the washer and let air dry. Sturdy and has lots of side pockets. I took the side pockets on the long ends and on one short end and made them larger by taking out a couple of seams. I just wanted to fit a bottle of shampoo better. Also, I use those microfiber towels to wash and dry with. They make the bigger ones to dry your vehicles so that's what I use to dry myself off with. Lightweight and you just wring it out and it's is not heavy like normal towels are. Try to use liquid soap to bathe with...lots less messy than a bar of soap and you can refill the bottle and leave it in your "bathroom tool bag".
(sorry, don't have my camper close by so couldn't take a picture of my bathroom bag...I do have a great tool box I carry in my camper too)

[Rick Tyler]

Nine years of camping with Boy Scouts has left me relatively unconcerned about hygiene issues in campground bathrooms. The best thing about pit toilets is that no one can plug one up.

The suggestion about towels is a good one -- I switched to nearly-threadbare cotton towels which dry quickly. I've never gotten used to the polyester ("microfiber") towels. Do not go camping with thick, luxurious towels, as they take up too much room and take forever to dry.

I don't worry about toilet seats, either, but I wouldn't shake hands with a doctor (unless I'd personally seen him wash his/her hands).

[TimC]

All good suggestions above! I personally keep Peroxide in a small spray bottle to spray the toilet seat. Also, shower flip-flops are cheap so keep 2 pair in your shower bag...1 for showering in, the other dry pair to walk back to your camper in. I also keep this well supplied with all my bathroom/shower needs in my camper.

shower bag2.jpg

I got the 15" canvas "Riggers" bag (tool bag) from Harbor Freight with a 20% off coupon. I think at the time I probably paid around $7.00 for it. I love it and if it gets dirty, throw it in the washer and let air dry. Sturdy and has lots of side pockets. I took the side pockets on the long ends and on one short end and made them larger by taking out a couple of seams. I just wanted to fit a bottle of shampoo better. Also, I use those microfiber towels to wash and dry with. They make the bigger ones to dry you vehicles so that's what I use to dry myself off with. Lightweight and you just wring it out and it's is not heavy like normal towels are. Try to use liquid soap to bathe with...lots less messy than a bar of soap and you can refill the bottle and leave it in your "bathroom tool bag".
(sorry, don't have my camper close by so couldn't take a picture of my bathroom bag...I do have a great tool box I carry in my camper too)

Now there's a good idea. I'm gonna go pick up a tote today and gear it up!

[S. Heisley]

I have used one of these for many years and love it:
http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/73882?fe ... bag-medium

[jakofin]

These are all good suggestions...thank you! I really like the Harbor Freight tote. I can see many other uses for that one!

[Shadow Catcher]

Nancy and I use the same LLBean bag as Sharon.

[2leadfeet]

When I camp I get up early around 4am. Nice hot water and not many people up at that time. No waiting!!!

[jonw]

I also use a medium size tote with long handles for a bathroom bag, so I can carry my towel and fresh clothing on top of my toiletries and between/underneath the handles.

Besides toiletries in it I carry:
- a pair of flip-flop like foam or rubber sandals to use for shower shoes - helps protect against picking up athletes foot (among possibly other things)
- an over-the-door plastic hanger with several hooks on it (from a hardware store) to use for showers that don't have enough hooks or shelf space

When showering I usually leave my clean clothes in the tote bag covered by the shirt I'm changing out of, to protect the clean clothes from any overspray.

I often take my dirty travel clothing into the shower with me and rinse everything off to take back to the campsite to dry for the next day.

[CAJUN LADY]

I also use a medium size tote with long handles for a bathroom bag, so I can carry my towel and fresh clothing on top of my toiletries and between/underneath the handles.

Besides toiletries in it I carry:
- a pair of flip-flop like foam or rubber sandals to use for shower shoes - helps protect against picking up athletes foot (among possibly other things)
- an over-the-door plastic hanger with several hooks on it (from a hardware store) to use for showers that don't have enough hooks or shelf space

When showering I usually leave my clean clothes in the tote bag covered by the shirt I'm changing out of, to protect the clean clothes from any overspray.

I often take my dirty travel clothing into the shower with me and rinse everything off to take back to the campsite to dry for the next day.

I really like that idea! You could hang it on the door and your clothes on it. Thanks for that one!

[dexstrom]

I also use the over the door hook and carry liquid soap and shampoo in a Showerline Shower caddy, much easier than bar soap and large shampoo bottles.
https://tinyurl.com/hpy4l6y

[CAJUN LADY]

I also use the over the door hook and carry liquid soap and shampoo in a Showerline Shower caddy, much easier than bar soap and large shampoo bottles.
https://tinyurl.com/hpy4l6y

That's the first time I've seen that. Pretty cool idea!

[lrrowe]

Maybe the answer is that we should not shower so much. (Sorry, but couldn't resist this).