Minimalist Shower structure & evap?

[TheFastCat]

I will be taking baby wipes and dry shampoo but at some point I will need to wash my hair and scrub the blood, sweat, and tears.

If I buy a big industrial tub, stand in it and hose down and then dip a towel into the gray water to capilary-action it for evaporation -- will that suffice?



I also saw in a youtube video that chasing the water spraying trucks that keep the dust down and using the sprays to shower with is useful - do people do that?

[VultureChow]

The tub would be fine for a nice whores bath or hair wash, but you won't get that much evaporation. Use 1 gallon water jugs for water and bring a funnel so you can refill them with your grey water.

DO NOT run behind the water trucks. The water is taken from ranch land and has e coli in it. It is not safe to drink or bathe in. Also the playa gets slick after it is watered down and people have been known to slip and crack their heads open on the rear of the truck.

[LowePro]

The method you choose to "hose down" will be a big driver of your success. If you use more water....you have more wastewater, simple as that. Whatever you can find that will give you a fine jet or mist of water without consuming gallons and gallons will be great. We use a pump-up garden sprayer, it uses very little water and gives a relatively powerful and adjustable spritz, and no electricity required.

Agreed just dump your excess in an old jug and haul it out. If you leave a vessel of standing water to evaporate, somehow it often tends to collect more water than it releases. (Unless you're solo or a diligent small group of only 2-3 people).

[Chowski]

I second the "garden sprayer" idea.

For even less (zero) grey water, I lay out a towel on my carpet or tarp, stand on it, wet down with the sprayer, lather and rinse. All the excess water (and there isn't much) falls into the towel which I then hang up, and within a few hours it is dry as a bone.

I've been showering like this for a few years now. It is convenient, effective, and best of all, produces zero grey water.

[RosieTahoe]

I "shower" exactly like you are talking about except I use a large spray bottle of water to get my whole body wet (wastes very very little water) then soap up, then re-spray with water and use two or three washcloths to get myself clean. I stand on a towel in the tupperware bin and never end up using more water than the towel can soak up so no grey water! I just make sure I bring plenty of washcloths and towels and keep them in ziplocs so they actually stay clean.

I will say I never washed my hair that way but my hair is really long, (I just use dry shampoo) I would imagine I could make it work with a shorter haircut.

[MikeVDS]

For evap I use a 4'x6' black tub and it gets rid of just between 1 and 2 gallons of water a day when in the sun. I don't do anything other than put water in and set in the sun.

[spacetime]

Topping this helpful thread on minimalist showering.

I survived on wet ones last year and want to go beyond that for our camp this year.

It sounds like having a camp mate hit you with a garden sprayer while you stand is a good way to get a bit wet and clean up some.

i.e.:

Ways to handle grey water:

Stand in a tub, dump collection using a funnel and 1 gallon jug(s).

Or

Stand on a towel and hang it up for regular evap.

Anyone have any updated feelings on these solutions, new ideas or ways to easily improve the above?

Also, here's a handy link to BM's grey water disposal page.

[Sic Pup]

I use a garden sprayer (pic in prior post) along with a cargo liner from a long expired station wagon. It developed a playa patina that is going to break my heart when I repaint it black this weekend. It's served me well for 4 burns but I'd be lying if I didn't say that first long luxurious shower after the burn is nothing short of joyful.

[spacetime]

I use a garden sprayer (pic in prior post) along with a cargo liner from a long expired station wagon. It developed a playa patina that is going to break my heart when I repaint it black this weekend. It's served me well for 4 burns but I'd be lying if I didn't say that first long luxurious shower after the burn is nothing short of joyful.

I considered a blow up kiddie pool but am thinking instead of a tub. I saw a kiddie pool in another small camp last year and it was an eyesore / kinda gross / took up a lot of space and was out all the time.

How big is your cargo liner? Do you keep it out or hide it away during the day? Post a photo of the patina?

[FIGJAM]

I stand in my pod and take thorough sponge bathes.

The little bit of water that gets on my carpet dries up in no time.

It doesn't take mass amounts of water to get clean!!!

[spacetime]

I stand in my pod and take thorough sponge bathes.

The little bit of water that gets on my carpet dries up in no time.

It doesn't take mass amounts of water to get clean!!!

I'm not so sure. We expect to be doing some time travel, so we're going to need something more like this.

[FIGJAM]

Oh, well that looks like the Human Carcass Wash at Poly Paradise!!!

[Sic Pup]

How big is your cargo liner? Do you keep it out or hide it away during the day? Post a photo of the patina?

Approx the size of a Legacy Wagon's payload area. It sits in front of my MH the narrow lip really isn't conducive to moving it around until some of the GW dissipates. usually by mid afternoon. By then I can't be bothered, besides my setup is geared more towards practical functionality than to be aesthetically pleasing. Aside from not giving a fuck what others may think I hang in the sticks.