How I Shower in my 35 sq ft Minivan Camper 

I cleaned myself that way for the first 12 years life. We are spoiled thinking a water wasting shower is the only way to keep clean. A shower isn’t a necessity, it is a luxury.

Nurse of over 20 years whose grandmother was a nurse as well. She called it a bird bath. I’ve hear sink bath, (wash) ragging off and bed bath. All effective was to keep your skin clean. It’s a way of life in the ICU and for anyone who has ever worn a cast. 😊 Thank you for sharing and normalizing this option for healthy skin care!

When I was a child, it was still normal to have a bath or shower once a week. The other days, we still washed ourselves. My mother called it a sponge bath, but that might have been because she was a nurse.

I did not know what a shower was until I was 16 and my parents bought a new house in 1965. All of our prior homes had only tubs. We girls washed our hair in the kitchen sink. Bird baths are just as effective. Before the 1970s there were not private baths in hospitals. Instead nurses aides came to the bedside every morning to do sponge baths. It was very therapeutic. For van folks there are portable or folding bath tubs small enough for vans. There are kiddie pools that you can blow up and bathe outside if you are at a campground. I like using the hanging solar showers. There is the Japanese type bathing in a small round tub. A big strong plastic tub from a farm store works just as well. There are so many options. Nobody needs to be dirty living in a van. Thanks for covering this issue of bird baths.

I have found that taking a shower and going to the potty is so very overrated. It's very easy to get completely clean in a very small space. Blow up kiddy pool makes it very easy to bath in my Nissan NV200. I have also used a shower tent. Going potty you can use a wide mouth plastic jar for #1 and the 5 gallon bucket for #2. Dispose ASAP. Easy Peasy. ✌🏻✌🏻

'Sink wash'... that's basically what it is. When I was a kid, we used to have to 'save water' and so our gran used to get us to have a sink wash... stand at the sink, with a flannel and soap and wash ourselves. Not pleasant, but you seem to have gotten it down to a fine art. Definitely warm water is best!

During my army career during field duty, I used to use two extra large black construction-grade garbage bags to "bathe" in the field. It's cheap, easy, fast, and effective. Put 1-2 gallons of water in each bag and leave them in the sun all day. In the evening during spring, summer, and fall, the water will be warm. Climb in the bag and tie the top around your shoulders from the inside and soap up with only the minimum amount of soap necessary to get clean and scrub up in one bag; then get in the next bag using the same method for a rinse. It's an easy system and works just fine. If you use a biodegradable soap, like Dr. Bronner's castille soap, you can then use the water to irrigate a tree. This method might work for you.

very clever , grew up in Missouri and my granny’s house had no shower or indoor bathroom , thats the way we did it perdy much , didnt take a shower till i was about 13 and spent the night at a girl friends house it was my first shower and they had no hot water so it was a cold shower , well that is the country life , the bathroom was a out house that sat down at the edge of the woods , ...lov your van you did great job building it ...i tried to fix my camper up done two builds on it and am not happy with ether , think i will have to pay someone to help me with it.

Years ago I got bumped up to first class on a crowded airline flight. As we approached our destination the attendant gave us a hot wet towel, so hot we could just barely touch it. OMG wiping down with that was so refreshing! I carried that over to my minivan camping. I heat a small amount of water to that almost-intolerably-hot temp add a bit of soap and sponge off everywhere with that. Then switch to another container of equally hot water for a sponge-rinse. Now I'm completely clean. This has made a huge difference in my enjoyment of off grid camping! And it really doesn't take much more time than an actual shower at home. Like all things once you do it a few times you get a routine and can bathe quickly. I also keep my hair short so I can just sponge wash my head and don't have to worry about styling afterward. And I use much less water than a liter. I'll have to measure it to be accurate but I believe it's less than 1/4 of a liter.

Scott Many thx, I’ve utilised the same “sponge bath type” cleansings for years, probably stemming from my time at sea, with fresh water rationing etc… Cheers Glenn

There is always a way to make a living situation work and satisfying to figure it out.

Before I had running water in my cabin, I used to use a watering can for showering, works!

A "Sponge bathe" n some also do the dry bathe with a loofah. As with towel n 🧽 I clean loofah (cleanse and exfoliates skin) as well to disinfect. I place a bathtowel (one that dries fast a thin cotton) on the floor. I, too, use Castile Soap liquid form and 🧼 great takes stains off and cleanse clothes smelling fresh as well. Love that beautiful rainbow hermano.

That "debatable" that flashed on the screen was hilarious! 😂 Thanks for the laugh, Scott!

Self cleaning whether hot or cold is not hard if it's apart of your character; some people are relaxed in that area. The wipes are good for another anatomy, lol

A tip: Whenever possible, if you have something like a towel or washcloth to dry, do it outside the van. That water goes into the atmosphere in the van and along with the human breathing out moist air is the source of mold. If it is raining outside and you have to dry off after getting wet, throw the wet items in a plastic bag until you can dry them outside. Mold is the enemy of RV and van life.

Just ran across your channel... Good information. I live in a 3 bedroom home in the burbs and, for me, it’s too large. I prefer smaller spaces. Additionally, I don’t want neighbors. I’ve kicked around van life, truck camper shell life, for quite some time... Now with what is going on around us... I find it more desirable. Thanks for sharing... I look forward to looking through your video list soon.

Hey Scott..good video. Been living in the van for over 10 yrs now..never had a gym membership..that's not saying I haven't had a shower in all that time 😉 No matter the method you use..it's fairly simple to keep clean living in a van. I know people living in a house with a shower and laundry that don't keep as clean 🤪

Lived on my boat for 10 years. There was a 'head' (toilet) and wash basin but no shower. I did just as you have described. I heated a teakettle of water and poured it into the basin and washed and rinsed that way. The marina did have showers but you had to plug quarters into them to get hot water. Besides on a cold snowy morning I wasn't walking down the dock to shower. Had a similar thing on the submarine I served on. Limited water use at sea. Battery and cooking took all the water.

Growing up we did years and years of car camping. The way we showered was really simple. We filled a spray bottle full of earth friendly soap that you don’t need to rinse off. Just spray the area and use a cloth to wipe it off if you do that every night you don’t get so dirty

My grandma used to call it a “spit” bath:).

My mama called washing from a sink "washing up". We did it a lot in our house during some trying times. In a very modified way, I do much of the same steps to wash up/bird bath/sponge bath in my minivan.

For me, that was both a flash back and current practice. I grew up on a farm in the forties. We had a cistern that was kept filled by collecting rain water, and a hard water well. With a family of six, needless to say, daily showers were out of the question. So sponge baths, the way you use them, was standard practice. A once a week combo sponge bath and hair washing in a large basin sink was in order. In the summer when we were quite active in hot weather, outdown showers with well water or a swim in the creek or lake were the order of the day. From this early life routine, I learned that you could keep clean with sponge baths, so to this day, and for most of my retired life, daily sponge baths and a weekly shower have been standard practice. The condition of your hair is a sure way of telling you when you need a shower with shampoo and conditioner. In your case, I would think that you could use beach or pool showers once a week, or find a cheap RV park or truck stop and use their facilities.

In Vietnam we would bathe in a bomb crater filled with rainwater that resembled coffee mixed with creamer or a small stream or river if we had the time and security or whenever it rained. The bathing opportunities were few and far between out in the jungle. Our infantry company would go out for 7 to 28 days and we usually wore the same clothing for 3 days or more. We put on greasy mosquito repellent and along with sweating profusely we stunk to high heaven at times.

Hey Steve, taking a bird bath is a good way to freshen up between showers. Heck, it’s been done for hundreds of years. Great thing is it doesn’t take a lot of water. Good video

explaining how you work with the van is so important.I enjoy all your honest words!!!

You always look well groomed and clean.When I was little we spend a lot of time at grandma and grandpa’s house .They didn’t have running water, we called them a sponge bath.Greetings from Denver Colorado🙋🏻‍♀️☕️

Great video! On my many trips in our GMC 2500 high roof conversion van, I’ve used sponge baths with Dr. Bronner’s soap (well diluted)-I use the hand little red paint buckets with a little heated water, along with a wash cloth. With no sink in the van, I also use a black heavy plastic concrete mix bin-lean over it to do my hair and bathe; just dump the water in an appropriate place, since Dr. Bronner’s is biodegradable. I’ve also used a tablespoon or two of baking soda mixed in one of three little red paint buckets-one with the baking soda and warm water mix, the other two with plain warm water. I use my wash cloth in the baking soda and water mix to scrub body parts, gradually rinsing out as I go in the other two paint buckets, wringing out my wash cloth as I go-this method works by far the best when I’ve been sweating outside a lot and it also really keeps your skin feeling clean and refreshed. Best wishes to you for safe travels!

It’s a Sponge bath ! People still clean themselves in this way throughout the world !

Showers are a luxury not a necessity. Sponge bath is completely hygienic. After daily shampoo and shower as an adult, I decided to see how long I could go between shampoo without oily hair. Started out every 2 days, increased to every three days, I now wash my hair every 4-5 days. Your hair will adjust. I’m retired and not into styling my hair daily. Unless I get hot and dirty I usually just sponge bath at least 2-3 times a week.

I did sponge baths all my childhood and I think they actually makes you cleaner because you will get everything done with soap and the following wipe off. I still do sponge baths now and then to feel clean.

Nice job. Vinegar water in a spray bottle works well, although I like it warmed. Many truck stops sell individual showers.

When I was growing up your bath method was called a sponge bath. I have taken many of them. Still do if I don't feel well and don't want to risk a fall getting into the tub. Of course, I'm 84 years old so I probably see things differently than young people do today.

You have a great sink set up! Glad you're ok ☺

Nice video. I’ve always liked your peaceful common sense approach to things I’m a big fan of Dr Bronners soap. It’s safe for the environment and can be used for everything 👍🏽

Watching this video made me all tingly inside.

In the old days we use to call that a …. SINK BATH 👍🏼🥰🥰

Hey Campervan, not even a glimpse of coffee, you ok? lol, be well out there!

I find gyms for showering unnecessary as well. In fact I have never had a gym membership. I don't have a sink or running water either. I just use my wash tub and baby wipes. I wash my hair outside in the woods once or twice a week. I do my bathing except for my hair at night before bed and just freshen up in the morning so that I don't have to worry about being late for work. Girls take a long time to wash up even if we have running water! LOL!🤣😂🤣😂. I have also learned to dry shave which saves water and I cut myself less shaving dry believe it or not! You learn how to do everything you need to do just fine on the road. It's just a little bit different from what we are all used to but it works just as well if not better! Thanks for sharing Scott!😊👍👍

Thanks for Sharing Scott your very ingenious and it's great the way you are so analytical and can work through anything. God bless❤❤❤❤❤😊😊😊😊😊

The only thing about the pandemic that surprised me was that people panicked over toilet paper like that was the way to clean ur self . There is a lot of ways to keep clean , not sure way this is hard for people to figure out. I live in a house , and I don’t always take a so called bath or shower. My house is cold sometimes and I’d rather just wash up at the sink. And my skin does not do well if I shower a lot in the winter I have a tendency to have more dry skin and it gets itchy. But I’m glad u made this video lol apparently there are still people that need to know how to keep clean. It just keeps on surprising me that people just don’t know how to use the bathroom or keep clean in this world and still leave no trace

When you use sponge bath start with your face first and finish with you private areas if you using the same bucket

Nice to see you again. It's interesting how often we shower living in a home..yet camping for weeks I do "bird bath" and that works.

Great video Scott I really enjoyed. Thanks Lee

Wow, beautiful rainbow.

OMG! I am cracking up! You are always so well groomed I never would have thought anyone would ask you that! Of you !of course a sponge bath! Just get a shower tent they pop up very easy to store!

Thanks for the video and the check in . We just make it work 😉😎✌

SO CLEAN N TIDY

Boil a jug of water and put in the thermos, the good quality thermos will keep the water hot for 24 hours, it's as simple as that.

They closed the municipal swimming pool for a couple months, but it's open now, the sauna, steam room and jacuzzi pools are still closed. As a former trucker, I have used truck stop showers. But I still like to have a morning soak in a bathtub.

Your looking well Scott, glad your OK

I agree with you about the wipes. I had to downsize to a smaller SUV from a full size van. It will be fun and interesting figuring out how to do things. Thanks for the video. Look forward to your next video. 🗻🚐✌🚿🛀

I’ve been full timing in a tiny bus for almost 2 years. Have been using mostly bird baths entirely. The gym wasn’t all that clean! I agree about washing up at night to keep your bedding clean, plus it helps relax you to fall asleep! Nice video. Looking forward to more. Oh, and I’ve been using Dr Bronner’s for almost 40 years. I think. LOL

Hi there; I really appreciate you taking the time to create this video & sharing it. I like the way you think. I've imagined managing the shower/clean up part of life going just like you've explained here. I'm really looking forward to catching your upcoming videos regarding the other alternatives you mentioned using. Thank you so much!! ☺️

I believe in olden days this was standard practice --- there was a "wash stand" in your room to hold a basin and pitcher and you poured water from the pitcher into the basin and gave yourself a sponge bath!

It's called a "Sponge Bath" dude.😉......it's worked 4 years.😊

Exactly bird bath! As long as your unmentionables are clean and fresh who cares but get a little basin from the dollar store

Great to see you back Scott. Another great informative video... Stay Safe....

Super efficient sponge bath. In the past, I used a small washbowl to wash both my body and hair. I believe I used a little over a gallon of water. I thought I was being conservative with water usage, now I see I was still being wasteful. I'll have to try how it feels to take this minimalist bird bath, but it was nice to feel water running on my skin, which would obviously not be possible inside the van. I always washed outside, which is not conducive to stealth camping or convenient in cold weather, I know. Thank you for the video and stay healthy!

I enjoyed this video... I agree with you about bathing. My grandmother never had a shower or bath tub. She took sponge baths and always smelled great. I love camping and yes use sponge baths. Gyms is a added expense you really don't need. Flying J'S have gone up in price. Just a great video so thank you.

😍 You are a clean man! 😍

Thanks for sharing Your shower 🚿 experience.

Great opening shot of the van interior...now i know it's not a TARDIS! I'm guessing one of the other shower/bathing options involves the carwash and an old school Speedo type bathing suit??

I understand Truck Stop showers can be, while pricey, quite luxurious and a nice treat.

🤣🤣 discreet! Too funny. What works WORKS!

the right words are " cleaning up " .

I'm going to practice this process in my home. Then I'll try it when camping. Thanks 🤓

Mr. Static, it's good to see you back on YT and keeping clean.

If all you need is an occasional shower paying for one at a truck stop is always an option. In 2012 I had to spend a few months living in my car and the random ability to get a shower in a truck stop was an expense I was willing to make. Washing my hair was my biggest concern and I would carry some large to-go cups and get cups of warm water from a sink in the truck stop bathroom and wash my hair over the toilet in the stall where I had some privacy. It was also winter in Indiana so even doing a hair wash outside was out of the question.

When I was a CNA we sometimes had to give the residents bed baths. Wash rags a couple of towels and a 2 large bowls. One with water and body wash (wash rags)mix and another for a rinse (wash rags). All I’m saying is, if I were living in a van, I’d give myself a bed bath. If it’s good enough for them. It’s good enough for me.

Seems to me, the definitions has changed. Sponge bath with running water is a shower. During our periods of drought in SA, (worst was 40litre per person per day for all your daily washing cooking etc) we stood in shower, wet hair and body, closed the taps, lathered hair and washed whole body, and then open taps and rinsed, . I guess thats a sponge bath. 🤔😁

A cat wash,pink cloth for your face,blue cloth for your body.You use less water and less products and save money.

I recently bought Dr. Bronner's soap and use it for everything. It's even great for laundry and removing stains. Good to hear from you; glad to know you are doing ok. Last video you were talking about doing something different. Are you still looking for another job? Looking forward to future videos.

Thank you for video. Blessings to you.

Very informative

Bravo

great topic on the showering method. for my minivan i'm considering the idea of rigging up something foldable or collapsible, possibly around my bed if i make it folding on one end where i can tuck an enclosure under there and just lift that area of the bed somehow, and rig a curtain, it would be a sitting shower of some sort. water could be an issue in some months. many parks closed their water, but they leave the bathroom sinks working. I could rig up a spout to connect to the sick faucet to pull water from into a container and bring that to the van and use one of those submersion heads in a bucket to shower at the park in the van or out depending where i'm at. anyway. its an idea i'm working on. i enjoyed the video!

I use a spray bottle and it works fine. I shampoo my hair, towel off the soap use the spray bottle wet it down again towel off . Sponge bath with a bath cloth.

Good video, thank you for sharing. The soap information was really beneficial.

I just call it “cleaning up”. Haha. Great video Sir.

Thank you !!

$ 3.00 shower's in Quartzsite , AZ plus $ 2.50 laundry where I live in my minivan as a NOMAD and work for Bob Wells

Somewhere over the rainbow....love that photo.

I had to laugh when the word debatable popped up on screen. Sponge baths work. That's what I did many a morning. Is it coffee time?

I call that method a bird bath too. A shower is more refreshing but the bird bath came in handy after surgery when I was advised not to get the incision wet. Cheers 🍷

Just get a green 6 gallon water storage container at Walmart and fill it up and add the Dr brawners soap to the container and use that water only for bathing.😁

How much trust do I have in Static? Well, immediately after seeing this video, I went on Amazon and order a gallon of Dr. Bronners unscented soap. Here is hoping that it will solve my sensitive skin problem. It will come this Friday. I’m hopping for the best. Yeah, a gallon, $49.99 - go big or go home they say.

Thx for sharing Static ...great to see your ok. Been thinking about Van life a lot but currently live in a cabin. The cabin life is nice but I feel I’m missing out on other states and what they offer. Currently in Upstate NY. 🤔

Hello! Due to disability I haven't been able to shower except once every 2-3 days for the last 5 years. I was raised in the mountains and am Dutch, so the American obsession with cleanliness has baffled me. However I've spend time with hippie, Burning Man friends and students, and can't say that's always pleasant smelling. So I do make sure to stay clean, floss, and brush my teeth! For the last 5 years I've used my gym's shower after hydrotherapy 3x/week, they have a shower seat and I don't have the energy to take separate showers at home. Their pool saved my soul and body, now with the lockdown it is much harder to keep myself clean. So I do what the Dutch call kattewasjes (cat washes) exactly like you describe. This is in my downtown Albuquerque studio, filled with nifty ideas on small space living and ergonomic living for manual and power wheelchair (I ought to do a RU-vid video). I need to spend more time in nature, but due to chronic spinal meningitis, have to be horizontal. Hence my obsession on vanlife as that would enable me to comfortably spend time outdoors. (And eventually rent out my studio and hit the road and work part-time!). Big decision though: vehicle. A minivan has a cargo area of 141 cubic feet; Ford Transit Connect and PMC around 130 cubic feet. I'm leaning towards PMC for its' square corners. Would you mind to share your thoughts on the rationale for the PMC or Ford Transit Connect over a minivan? (Aside from having to dismantle the plastic rounded interior from a minivan). Much appreciated. Isn't nice to save that gym money? Cheers, greetings from the desert!

Your funny, clothes are staying on. 😉🤣👍yes true that, on the wipes. I've smelled people that did wipes. It wasn't a pleasant smell. Yes, warm water is best to clean up with.

2 to 5 gallon shower bag cost ranges $10-$60, from Amazon, Target, REI, Walmart. They're good to have; fill with warm water and use or fill with water and put in the sun.

I’m keeping my Planet fitness membership solely for the purpose of bathing. I sponge 🧽 bath in my van daily however I still need a complete shower at least three times a week

Keeping Clean is Very Simple.. wash the Important parts daily & the rest you can do once a week....

We keep liquid clothes detergent bottles that are 1-1/2 gallon of more. Bleach these bottles out. They are great water carriers for camping. Use: bathing, dishes & cleanup. You still need to carry drinking water. Or better yet, carry a superb portable water filtration system for drinking water.

Your soap is soap. Many of the other things we call soap are detergents that foam more. I agree use the soap. I dampen the washcloth and put the soap on the washcloth so the water can rinse with water from the pan. And yes I use 2 washclothes.

It's good to see you looking so well in these times Scott. I used a similar method to clean myself when I lived in a off grid cabin in the bush in B.C. I may have to try that brand of soap. Thanks! Jerry

Howdie Mr. Kind regards from Spain in a RV.

Thanks! Look forward to your shower-if-need-be set ups 🙂 ☮❤🕉

I do very similar in my van. I will have a tub in my van soon. But it will be used for showering, unless I am in a spot with unlimited water, then a hot bath once I install the water heater!

Great Video !!!