Staying clean in camp showers

[hobbssb]

A very important question: When the campground shower floor is muddy, how do you manage to get your pants back on without getting your pants dirty? (I'm not a fan of streaking. . .)

[drsolo]

OK, well I got my degree in microbiology and I am amazed by how OCD people can be about "germs". In fact, exposure to most germs in low doses just strengthens a persons immune system unless they are in a high risk group. What I worry about in a hotel room it isnt the bathroom but the possible bedbugs, cockroach egg cases, the unwashed quilts and carpeting, AND, eating in most restaurants where the kitchen is behind closed doors. Our skin is the first line of defense against pathogens and it is very good as long as it isnt broken. Those who get recurring fungal infections of the "athletes foot" variety are likely to have a genetic susceptibility .
In fact, Early exposure to germs has lasting benefits
I not only grew up camping minimalist, but my farmer grandparents did not have a bathroom at all so it was sponge baths, thunder mugs and outdoor toilets. So I dont really miss not having a shower in my RVan and besides sponge baths I use CG facilities. As long as I dont smell sewage I am fine, altho I have to say one CG in the Florida Keys didnt provide hot water at all. Yikes.

[wincrasher65]

I thought everyone just set up an outside shower so you could use it in the Walmart parking lot? Since I hadn't done that yet, I thought I was breaking some kind of B-Van code of conduct. 😄

[Dog_Folks]

bsinmich wrote:

DutchmenSport wrote:
Just step outside the shower naked and get on dry ground! Who cares! After being in the army, does anyone really care any more. If someone is that 'curious'.... shoot ... let 'em look! Believe me, after Army life, it just don't matter any more!

It gets pretty embarrassing with everyone laughing.

Now that is funny. :B

[bsinmich]

DutchmenSport wrote:
Just step outside the shower naked and get on dry ground! Who cares! After being in the army, does anyone really care any more. If someone is that 'curious'.... shoot ... let 'em look! Believe me, after Army life, it just don't matter any more!

It gets pretty embarrassing with everyone laughing.

[Neverhappy]

Flip flops and try to be there before anybody or late after anybody

[ernie1]

Previous to my retiring, a portion of my job was inspecting public bathing places which often included shower and toilet rooms. An example is the YMCA. Restrooms for restaurants were also inspected.

I want to tell you that the wet dirt you see on the floor is probably more sanitary than the knobs on the shower faucet, the handles on the sink faucets and the door handle leading into the restroom.

I cringe when I enter public shower/restrooms because of the bad habits of people(I'll leave it to your imagination) and I have to listen to people expectorate, usually into the sinks or onto the shower floor. And then there are the other sounds and odors from people performing their bodily functions. I can't hold my breath long enough!

To those of you who bring mats to stand on when you shower and then let it air dry to use again, I urge you to sanitize it again first.

Those of you who like sitting on a surface while showering should bring their own chair.

I have a class b with a smallish wet shower and I ALWAYS use it to bathe and also use the toilet.

[FULLTIMEWANABE]

soren wrote:

stan909 wrote:
So, Soren, this guy and his wife will walk a block day or night to use a restroom that thousands of people have used but won't use the one in their rig. Wow ! It truly takes all kinds.

Yep, and it's the second time I met somebody like this. Years ago, I was teamed up with a partner at work who confessed that he too does not allow anybody to use the toilet in his travel trailer. He bought the thing used, and the black tank was clogged with the ole' "Mount Poovious" formation, and it was rock hard and bone dry. The trauma of dealing with the situation made him reach the conclusion that once he got it clear, it was never going to happen again, LOL

Maybe it's not as unusual as you think Soren, we do use our own facilities, but every home that we haven't built ourselves hubby has ripped out every toilet upon moving in and replaced, as well seals, caulk and on occasion flooring that wasn't sealed adequately around the base prior to our ownership. He also hates using other folks toilets for certain functions and will avoid at all cost, hence why we love having ours with us in the RV. Have to be honest apart from family he doesn't relish anyone using our RV toilet either. He will never ever agree to anyone other than our children or very very close family sleeping in his bed either.

To each their own but we had Irish house guests in our basement suite once for about 6 weeks years ago, and if you could have seen what I cleaned up over several hours bleaching, disinfecting and long time soaking off in around and even on the walls after they'd left you'd likely take that stance as well!!! Once bitten forever shy in our case.

[avanti]

I've gone into those, uh, places once or twice out of curiosity. Gives me the hereby-jeebies every time. You guys are braver than I am. I, too, am an old tent camper. But for me that meant digging a little hole in the ground in the woods. THAT never bothered me.

[omjones]

I take a soda bottle filled with a 10% solution of bleach and water. Pour it over the floor and it works while I undress. It kills nasty stuff you'd otherwise be standing in. I got some nasty foot infections from wearing those flip flop things that were made in Asia, so I won't do that again.
john 'I am Canadian'

[soren]

stan909 wrote:
So, Soren, this guy and his wife will walk a block day or night to use a restroom that thousands of people have used but won't use the one in their rig. Wow ! It truly takes all kinds.

Yep, and it's the second time I met somebody like this. Years ago, I was teamed up with a partner at work who confessed that he too does not allow anybody to use the toilet in his travel trailer. He bought the thing used, and the black tank was clogged with the ole' "Mount Poovious" formation, and it was rock hard and bone dry. The trauma of dealing with the situation made him reach the conclusion that once he got it clear, it was never going to happen again, LOL

[Wishbone51]

I like ones that have some sort of seat in it.. So I can wash, sit down, stick my feet out to rinse them off, dry them, then put socks and shoes on without getting everything wet.

[mlts22]

The best showers I've encountered were at a festival for the cast/participants. Plenty of hot water, and two sub-rooms in each shower stall, one for the dry stuff (with plenty of hooks to hang everything), and the shower room that had a seat for disrobing/getting dressed with.

Underwear, shorts, shower shoes, and a small bottle of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap... and that does the job.

[stan909]

So, Soren, this guy and his wife will walk a block day or night to use a restroom that thousands of people have used but won't use the one in their rig. Wow ! It truly takes all kinds.

[FULLTIMEWANABE]

Not that we are often in CG's so typically do mainly army showers while boon docking but .....

Best CG showers for huge space and cleanliness we've ever used are Oasis Las Vegas off Windmill. Entry Door to huge tiled dressing area with sink and toilet and spacious shower set back with good pressure plus a chair to put your stuff on in the dressing area (family style ones). That aside if we check the showers and they are grungy, we use our RV one which whilst tight for shaving ones legs (LOL), does an OK job.

As has been said, sometimes it's just nice to have a long leisurely shower with the ability to bend over without banging your head and butt on opposing walls. As for drying outside in the common area, most folks want thrilling not killing and in our case it would very sadly be the latter they'd likely experience. Not nice for the spectators ..... not nice at all, could scar them for life.

[Acampingwewillg]

Davydd wrote:
We inspect the showers when we arrive and make a decision. If they are not well maintained or poorly designed we simply would not use them. Mud and dirt would be a major deterrent. Why use them? You can't get a high pressure long hot leisure shower in a B unless you have a city water and sewer hookup. Long time tent campers have inured us from fear of public showers.

Excellent point cause as we know not "all" of us started out with RV's and tent camping meant using the CG facilities on a regular basis. We tent camped for years and survived the dirtiest of restrooms.