Shower Ideas For Campervan
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Do you need a shower in a campervan?
You might think the clear answer is yes but plenty of people go without. Myself included! By that I mean, you do not need a permanent fixed shower. I don’t have a built-in shower, but I have made do with a solar shower and other options.
There is a lot to be said for a warm shower in the evening after a long day, so I think having access to some sort of shower is essential. There are a load of options out there though!
How do you shower in a camper van? Where do people shower in van life?
There are actually more shower options than you might think for van lifers. Let’s go through them.
Small Shower Ideas for Campervan / DIY shower ideas
Solar Shower / Shower Bag – this is what I use most of the time!
You can see my solar shower here.
Ah the solar shower. I have one of these in the back of my van and it’s my main way of having a “proper” shower. Yep, you better get used to having “not proper” showers too! The name is a bit misleading, there’s no magic solar panels or anything like that. It’s basically a big plastic bag which is clear on one side and black on the other. The idea is to leave the bag full of water in the sun with the black side facing up. The sun will heat the water through and you’ll be able to have a warm shower.
Now, the key thing here is you need sun. In Ireland that’s just not an option, but hopefully you’re using the shower in sunnier parts of the world! A hack to counteract the lack of sun is to warm up water slightly in the kettle. DO NOT BOIL the water but just heat the water up so it’s warm. We don’t want to melt the bag and we don’t want to give ourselves 3rd degree burns let’s be clear on that!
The bag has a spout and you just let gravity do it’s work. I hang the bag off the roof rack of my van, hunker down underneath it and have my shower.
Are solar showers worth it?
It depends on what you mean by worth it!:
- Does it allow you to clean yourself? Yes!
- Is the water pressure god awful? YES
- Bonus – they are very affordable!! Mine only cost 10 euro
In cold countries like Ireland and the UK you will absolutely freeze your t*ts off while you shower but the result is what you want – you’ll be clean! That’s the main thing.
This is a link to the one I have. It only seems to come in a 2x pack now which is weird but sure look, gift one to your van life friend!!
12V shower for van life – 12v camper van shower
This is one I have never tried, so I can only give you my opinion. With a 12V shower like the one shown above, you charge it by the 12V plug, and it then acts as a water pump. Place the hose in a big bucket of warm water and it will act like a standard shower – minus the drainage!
After some research, I have seen multiple people report that the device went on fire while charging it. While they seem like a great solution, use these at your own discretion!! I am going to stick to my flame-free solar shower!
Simple shower ideas for campervan
Diy shower ideas for campervan – alternative showers for van life
Let’s take a look at some simpler options out there.
Sea/Lake Showers
When doing van life, chances are you’ll be sticking to areas with beaches or if not, you’ll be driving by lakes regularly. You know what a body of water can double up as?! A shower/bath! But beware, this sort of shower will only clean you so much.
Firstly, after multiple ocean showers myself I can tell you the following:
- you will have a sticky salty residue on your skin afterwards
- you’ll absolutely have sand stuck in places!
- you will smell like the sea/seaweed
Now if you don’t mind the sand or smell of the sea, you’re onto a winner. During van life, I will get in the sea or a lake almost every day meaning I don’t have to reach for the solar shower quite so much.
NOTE: This is relevant for all shower methods but particularly water like this. Make sure you are using environmentally save cleaning products. I use DR Bronners Castile Soap which can be used as a shampoo, shower gel and cleaning product. Be responsible for the earth we love so much!
Campsites – Do campsites in Ireland have showers?
Gym Showers – How can I shower when doing van life?
I know a lot of people recommend gym showers. You can pay a once-off fee to enter the gym and use the shower – you might even get lucky with a steam room and sauna too! I have never used this option because in the countryside of Ireland, you won’t find any gyms, but it’s a great option for those van living in a city!
Baby Wipe Shower –Â Shower Ideas For Campervan
