To shower while camping, you can use the campground's public showers, if available. Or you can buy a solar shower for camping and clean yourself on site. You can also swim in the lake or in the waterfall. If they're not available, you can also take a sponge bath, ask to be cleaned with a baby wipe, or use dry shampoo.
It's not usual to shower every day while camping, but the ideal is to shower enough to remove excess dirt and oils. Showers remove harmful bacteria from your skin, prevent acne, and eliminate odors, all while helping you feel fresh and sleep better at night. Camp showers are usually available on a first-come, first-served basis. Many of these showers work just like residential showers.
To be honest, bathing while camping and traveling can be quite a challenge, especially with the family, in a motorhome with a truck platform. But having a good system for maintaining proper hygiene at camp is absolutely vital to enjoying time both on the road and at camp. I've included tips for saving water, saving money, the best products to use, and different portable shower system options to help even the most skeptical campers stay camping longer. Planet Fitness has more than 2000 gyms in the United States (and some abroad) and, with its small fee, a membership is a great way to save money on showering while camping in the car.
At the most popular campgrounds, there may be long lines at peak times, such as in the morning and at dusk, so if you don't want to wait, bring your headlamp and plan to shower later in the evening, when everyone else is focused on having dinner. In any case, you should be considerate of other campers and be as efficient as possible when showering at a campground. If you shower at a gym or recreational center, be sure to bring a lock to store your personal items in a locker. Established campgrounds, such as those found in state parks, KOA campgrounds, or Corps of Engineers campgrounds, often allow you to access their paid showers as part of the daily use fee.
Proper guidelines for camping showers include washing with biodegradable soap at least 200 feet away from the camp and from natural water sources. We explain how to shower while camping, from what to expect from showers at the campsite to how to take a sponge bath or use a nearby lake. Both services are paid, but if you're going camping by car for extended periods, it might be worth the cost of sleeping and showering for free while you meet new friends along the way. Bag-type showers, also known as solar camping showers, use a material that absorbs heat from the sun and usually include a hose and a nozzle for water to flow.
When booking a campground online, most websites offer a search filter, making it easy to know if your favorite campground has shower facilities on site or nearby. Showering at a campground means packing and taking everything you need to the camp showers. Depending on the camp, these can be individual shower rooms or gender-specific bathrooms with shower cubicles. Fortunately, camping showers are often easily available and can make it easier for campers to wash away dirt, sweat, and anything that nature has attached to them.
