Bathing on the Playa?!

Bluetality · Post by **Bluetality** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 6:27 pm

Seeing as how '09 will be my first BM trip, I'm trying to avoid complicated structural shenanigans until at least my second year, so I'm curious...just how clean do you get/feel by just using baby wipes, or maybe a small sponge bath?

Assuming baby wipes/sponge baths are shit, do you have any suggestions on a super simple, water-conserving shower scenario? Aside from making nice with neighbors and hopping in with them?

I did a (forum) search on showering and read about some fun ways to build showers, but seeing as how I'm basically useless when it comes to building anything aside from mashed potato space needles, I'm making a new thread to ask this. If it's been asked/answered before, feel free to delete this, and shun me for the rest of forever.

Thanks in advance. Maybe.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 7:09 pm

After my adventures last year of taking only 2 showers in 6 months, I do have some thoughts. Or it might be more accurate to say that I have some questions.

This stuff is awful foamy, but it is supposed to leave no residue, and it apparently can be used to clean damp hair. Plus, to people of certain oddnesses of mind, its lable is an ever weirder read than dr. bronners.

This is "ideal for people who cannot shower, whether they are out camping or unable to physically get to a sink or shower." If it says so on the website it must be true. It doesn't get your hair clean in the way washing does, but it does take the dirt off your hair and scalp.

and then there are these. I think the soap does leave a residue, even though they claim it doesn't, but a damp wash cloth or a rinse with a spray bottle will take care of that.

There may be more products for invalids that could be adapted, but those are the ones I'm aware of.

Did I do that? No, it was baby wipes, and a very nice hair washing, courtesy of Oregon Red.

The issue with using a neighbor's shower structure is that they may very well ask you to provide your own water. They may even ask that you take some from their evaporation pond. As you've read up on showers you'll know that evap ponds are the make or break of any design.

Toolmaker · Post by **Toolmaker** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 7:11 pm

I use this vendor...

http://wipes123.com/

They charge something like 6 or 7 bucks for a tub of adult sized wipes. I know some folks hit the dollar stores for bulk "baby wipes". A military style sponge bath is more effective. Some folks run behind the water truck when it drives by to keep the dust down on the roads. And some bring a whole shower to build for their camp. Some get by for 2 weeks without any shower and only use patchoulli.. this is why we stay away from center camp.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 7:19 pm

a lot of us with showers are willing to share, as well..........

hsdavis · Post by **hsdavis** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 7:32 pm

Aside from the fact that I would be happy to share my shower with you and even help you suds up, I want to remind you not to panic about your first visit to the playa. Your mind is going to be spinning for the next 11 months about every detail of your visit and there is no need for that. You will be buying everything you think you might need and basically make yourself crazy with anticipation. Again, RELAX sweetie!
In past years we have used camping shower bags and a tent/shower stall for all our showering needs. This year we had the tent, but no one brought the shower bag. I filled a large salad bowl with water and washed my hair and soaped myself down. Then changed the water to clean water and rinsed myself off. It worked extremely well and I only used maybe a gallon and a half of water per shower and I felt very clean.
In short, you can make anything work with a little ingenuity. This is where self reliance comes in handy. Don't forget your duct tape!

RELAX, RELAX, RELAX!

phil · Post by **phil** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 8:35 pm

I do a spit bath: heat water in my coffee pot, pour it in a plastic basin on a table out in the dirt. Use my hands to wet myself, get some soap on my hands and wash my face and whatever else I can reach, rinse with the water in the basin, then turn it over to Louise. Or she goes first. Whatever. Nothing near a gallon of water for the two of us. Maybe more than a quart; two? Not much water.

We've camped next to people with a coleman shower and it was nice, but it uses way more water (we brought our own, so no problem for the neighbor), and disposal of that water becomes an issue. Baby wipes work, too.

On the three items fishist mentioned, I'd recommend trying them sometime between now and the Burn. I've tried no rinse shampoo, and I thought it was worse than not washing my hair.

It's very dry on the playa. Body odor comes from having damp skin where bacteria grow - the arm pits, crotch. You generally aren't going to have damp skin. Not everyone agrees on this, but my suggestion is to get used to being dirty to some reasonable extent. I'd say read hsdavis's post occasionally. Ask all the question, do all the mental preparation, panic, everything you're doing, but bookmark his post and read it occasionally. You'll have a wonderful time at the Burn. You'll have a wonderful time driving yourself crazy getting ready for it. And no matter how much you prepare, you won't be ready. But you won't know till you get there, so go ahead and make yourself crazy. Have fun doing it, though.

motskyroonmatick · Post by **motskyroonmatick** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 8:42 pm

I agree from experience that a shower set up can be a huge time sink both in planning and then execution on the playa. Building a good shower and being responsible with the grey water takes allot of energy. I have a very elaborate set up that I was unable to set up this year due to a medical issue on playa. I didn't really need it. I showered once using a buddy's set up and it was fantastic. Realistically it was probably a better mental benefit to feel clean for several hours than me actually needing to be clean. None the less it was great. I'm used to taking a shower every day on playa but it seems by look and not by smell that most people don't shower for several days at a stretch. I don't spend much time in center camp though.

I recommend keeping it simple and using the borrow a shower approach for your first year. If you bring your water in a container that you can reseal you can use your empty fresh water container to haul away your grey water. Remember to bring a funnel and something to scoop water with. Take care of the dirty business of removing the amount of grey water you will generate before you take the shower. That way when you leave you won't get yourself all dirty again with the grey water. When you really feel like you need to get clean it will be easy to find a shower that meets your needs. More than likely your really cool neighbors will have one and be happy to let you use it.

AKAparttime · Post by **AKAparttime** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 9:05 pm

1. Get pump sprayer 10-15$
2, Something to stand in, like a tub..
3. ................................................. clean...

Post by **Elderberry** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 9:08 pm

IMO There is NOTHING like being able to take a SHOWER on the playa! We use baby wipes if the weather is too bad to shower (like the dust storm on Monday I think it was). But a nice warm shower just before sun down is like a new lease on life!

Is there any reason you will be camping alone? Maybe you could look for a camp you might join--there's plenty of time between now and the next burn. Most camps have some shower set-up; plus it's nice to be with a group of like-minded people.

JK

Fire_Moose · Post by **Fire_Moose** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 7:17 am

I didnt shower when i was out there. A couple days i did an intensive baby wipe bath....that was ok.

I think the ideal way is to get a spray bottle with vinegar and water and squirt and wipe down. Thats my plan for next time.

Intubater69 · Post by **Intubater69** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 7:42 am

Keep your eyes open around you. We found that we were camping near a body rinse camp near 5:30 & Fairlane. They would spray your hair down with a vinegar/water mix and then hit you with the powerwasher, very refreshing. Another idea I havent noticed mentioned is the Human Carcass Wash. We also did the baby wipe thingy and also a nice vinegar foot bath. Never really missed showering, we just became one with the dust

BTW, Phil, I almost choked on my coffee as I started to read your post on spit baths. Can't say I've heard that expression before

mikesieben · Post by **mikesieben** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 7:50 am

Fire_Moose wrote:I didnt shower when i was out there. A couple days i did an intensive baby wipe bath....that was ok.

I think the ideal way is to get a spray bottle with vinegar and water and squirt and wipe down. Thats my plan for next time.

Sounds more like a spray douche to me.

somekind · Post by **somekind** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 9:11 am

If you're willing to let people watch there are plenty who will let you shower.

Dr. Pyro · Post by **Dr. Pyro** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 1:35 pm

[ raises hand ]

Toolmaker · Post by **Toolmaker** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 4:41 pm

Dr. Pyro wrote:[ raises hand ]

[carefully aims pneumatic barbie head launcher]

crstophr · Post by **crstophr** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 5:19 pm

I found a free blue potable water barrel, filled it with 55 gallons of water, and brought it along in the truck. By creating a real cheap solar evaporation pool for the gray water I was easily able to provide hot shows for two, every day. At the end of the week the gray water was gone and the barrel was empty. At the end I had water to give away.

Taking a shower every day as part of preparing to go out at night added a lot of comfort to my experience. Having enough water to wash your hands and feet as often as you like is fantastic. When we were leaving I was surprised to hear BMIR tell people to go ahead and spray their CLEAN water out to keep dust down. So you won't have to pack it out if you have extra water.

I have to add.... Vinegar? Yuck! Try a spray bottle with 50% lemon juice and 50% water... much nicer and it makes your dirty feet smell lemon fresh!

phil · Post by **phil** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 7:58 pm

You want a shower without the hassles of bringing the gear and the water?
Roll up with this:

You'll get all the showers you need when you unfold it:

http://www.kegworks.com/product.php?pro ... 89&cat=724

Bluetality · Post by **Bluetality** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 9:38 am

theCryptofishist - The foam stuff seems like it'd be good to use after a baby wipe-down to catch stuff the wipes may have missed. Or maybe vice versa. I have a little plan with my hair, I figured I'd bring a couple 10 gallon buckets (with secure lids) for my grey water, and I could use a couple of (normal) water bottle sized amounts of water to wash my hair. I have have have to wash it everyday. I have a lot of thick/curly hair, and it gets pretty gnarly if I go more than a day without washing it in normal conditions. I don't mind providing water, but I'm not going in with the assumption that I can use other peoples showers. That's a bit rude ;p. Thanks for the links!

Toolmaker - Thanks for the link. I was trying to find some decent wipes. I love patchouli, but not when it's covering up...dirty smells, haha.

ygmir - That's a nice thought, but like I mentioned above, I'd hate going in there assuming someone will let me use their shower. I'm getting the impression bumming a shower won't be hard, but I want a main bathing plan in case. =)

hsdavis - Thanks for the reminder! I am stressing myself out, but I'm enjoying every minute of it. It's nice once in a while to feel overwhelmed, panicked, and horribly excited. I'm sure assisted sudsing would help the relaxation process ;p. The bowl and water thing was kind of how I was planning to do my sponge bath. I think I'll experiment with different types of 'bathing' and see how I feel throughout the day. If I end a work day feeling scummy, then I'll probably feel 10x as worse on the playa using that bathing method. Thanks again, I know, I need to breatheeee. Haha.

phil - As always, you give the best suggestions. It didn't really occur to me to heat up the water, but I bet that would feel a lot nicer with the water warm/hot. I kind of hate the idea of a no rinse shampoo, and I have a feeling my hair would agree. I have a ton of thick, curly hair that gets greasy if I go more than a day without washing it, and I'm thinking no rinse shampoo would end up making my hair an awful combination of greasy, and heavy (which I would like to avoid under a hot, beating sun). I don't mind getting dirty, as long as I can get clean at least once a day. I know I need to check myself on the driving-myself-crazy factor, but I'm having a great time doing it. Thanks, Phil. =)

motskyroonmatick - Thanks for the tips! In the event that I do end up using someone's shower, I'll make a note to bring extra water, a funnel, and a scooper!

AKAparttime - Check, Check, Check. I'd have to figure out a little privacy screen though.

jkisha - That sounds nice. Hopefully by then I'll be able to catch that new lease on playa life plan by the time I get there. =) Any reason why I'm camping alone? Well, I don't know anyone who goes, or is going to BM (personally), and I joined a NM burners site, but the people/theme camps on there don't really seem to vibe with what I'm wanting to get out of the experience (meaning I'm not going to get drunk/high, and party all day/night in a DJ tent). I think that going alone with be a big test for me. I'm kind of shy...especially when it comes to big social events. I'm also nervous about going alone, camping alone, and not sharing in this occasion with anyone else but myself, and well, it seems like that's the point. Taking myself out of my comfort zone, forcing a change on myself, and hopefully watching myself grow, and mold into a better human than I am at the moment. =)

Fire_Moose - I have this strong aversion to vinegar. I don't know if I could handle spraying myself with something that makes me gag just by smelling it. =/

Intubater69 - Mmmm, powerwash. That sounds divine. I'll have to wander around, and check that out!

somekind - For the sake of all humankind, I will not let anyone watch me shower. Really, I am doing the world a favor by figuring out how to make it a private event, haha.

crstophr - The barrel/evap pond seems like a great idea, and probably something I'll seriously consider after my first year. I'm trying to make this year easy on myself. That's good to know I could use my extra water to help. I'm pretty sure I'll have about 100 extra gallons, haha.

phil - Nothing like good old fashioned bribery. That might be a fun concept actually. Shower barter booth. I'll have to kick that around ;p.

dr.placebo · Post by **dr.placebo** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 2:35 pm

The pump sprayer idea is actually one I used this year (2008). I got a 2 gallon garden pump sprayer at one of the box stores. It used very little water, so I absorbed the gray water with an old towel, then hung the towel up to dry (bone dry in 1-2 hours max). It doubled as a mister on really warm afternoons. I think that this is my new preferred system.

This solution is not especially good for hair, since it does not deliver enough water. Washing hair in a basin rather than a shower is advised by my daughter, who was with us this year. Personally I wait until I leave the playa to do a real hair washing.

I also tried using a towel hung over the basin, trailing about a quarter of the towel into the basin, to evaporate the water. It takes about a day. It did not get completely dry when used late in the day, so on Tuesday morning, just before I left, it froze! First time I've seen that happen.

misfit · Post by **misfit** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 2:58 pm

Bluetality,,, braid hair, and just mist the scalp to keep clean.

Knotch · Post by **Knotch** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 2:48 pm

We used something called NO-Rinse Body Wash manufactured by No Rinse Laboratories. Two of us washed face, upper front body and under arms and lower mid-section and privates every day. Just a small amount on a paper towel, repeating 2 or 3 times with a fresh paper towel each time was all that we needed. A small 8 ounce bottle , with both of us using it daily, lasted from Monday to Sunday with an ounce or more left over. We actually felt very clean after each "bath" with this stuff. I kept my hair in a ponytail and waited until the first motel room after we left on Monday to wash it (3 times). My wife washed her hair once early in the week and decided it wasn't worth the effort so she then did the same as me.

Next year we plan to use No Rinse again and not even consider the hassles of rigging a shower and having grey water to worry about. We bought this stuff in Tucson at some outdoor store ... I think it was at Sportsman's Warehouse or something like that. Seems like it was $6 or $7 dollars for an 8 oz. bottle but very well worth it.

hsdavis · Post by **hsdavis** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 3:25 pm

Looking at your picture, I would really recommend that you use water and soap. That no rinse stuff appears to be a scam.

Post by **Eric** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 5:11 pm

I've used No-Rinse for years for my daily "face & bits" cleaning, and the No-Rinse shampoo for my beard (which will turn real dry & nasty on the playa if I don't maintain it) and personally I love it, other than the fact I smell slightly like a nursing home for about 10 minutes after using it.

I generally only take one full body shower during the week, since you get covered in dust within minutes anyway and getting clean only makes me notice the dust more. In '07 I didn't bother with a full shower at all- I didn't make it this year.

I'm a big believer in face-hands-bits & don't worry abut the rest.

Knotch · Post by **Knotch** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 6:41 pm

hsdavis wrote:Looking at your picture, I would really recommend that you use water and soap. That no rinse stuff appears to be a scam.

That was a "before" picture....

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 9:53 pm

Knotch wrote:
hsdavis wrote:Looking at your picture, I would really recommend that you use water and soap. That no rinse stuff appears to be a scam.
That was a "before" picture.... :)

Here's the "after" shot:

Knotch · Post by **Knotch** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 10:05 pm

yep, that's me "after". All I had to do was dry and fluff my fur and I was ready for the playa... doggie style

theCryptofishist wrote:
Knotch wrote:
hsdavis wrote:Looking at your picture, I would really recommend that you use water and soap. That no rinse stuff appears to be a scam.
That was a "before" picture....
Here's the "after" shot:

clreindeer · Post by **clreindeer** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 10:20 pm

I found the no-rinse body wash to be very good on the playa.

What was really nice is the playa is dry...and my normally oily hair did real good without washing it. Also, since there was little humidity, washing with the no rinse wash and using deodrant every day worked like a charm. We over prepared in that we brought too much water to bathe with, and used none, and brought towels and wash cloths that we never used. I did wash my hair one day right after we got there, but found out that it got playa-ed just as soon as it was dry. Had that white kind of look....so did not worry about it anymore. The playa dust itself seemed to absorb the oils.

Intubater69 · Post by **Intubater69** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 10:19 am

Dr. Pyro wrote:[ raises hand ]

Dammit Dr P (heh heh heh), could you at least sit down, i cant see through that mop of yours

Intubater69 · Post by **Intubater69** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 10:24 am

phil wrote:You want a shower without the hassles of bringing the gear and the water?
Roll up with this:

You'll get all the showers you need when you unfold it:

http://www.kegworks.com/product.php?pro ... 89&cat=724

OMG Phil, that thing is awesome. I remember the old sears catalogs that had the briefcase bars in them, this contraption really puts those to shame, lotta steroids in this baby

gypsy68 · Post by **gypsy68** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 4:33 pm

I find that it's so dry on the playa, that I don't have to worry as much about a greasy head of hair, so I usually only wash my hair a couple of times during the week. (At home I have to wash my hair daily). For me, using a tub to wash and rinse my hair works the best. I use the least amount of water that I can. Then I comb it out, put a little conditioner on the ends, then braid it. (I donâ€™t usually ever use a conditioner at home,)

Bathing on the Playa?!

Bathing on the Playa?!

Blue Barrel + Evap pool = Daily showers for 2

Re: Bathing on the Playa?!