One of the first questions people usually ask when they are thinking about living in their van is “How the heck do I shower?” Showering in a van can seem like a conundrum: even if you have space for a full shower installation, the questions of heat, water consumption, and drainage can feel overwhelming.
If you don’t have space for a full shower, the questions become even trickier. Am I using an outdoor shower? A portable shower? What about a shower curtain? What if it’s freezing?
In this article, we’ll cover answers to all your van shower questions and share some van life shower ideas. From inexpensive options like the solar shower to full-on indoor shower installations to creative solutions like gym memberships and where to find the best public showers.
Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
Do You Need a Shower in Your Van?
Unfortunately, the only person who can answer this question is you. If you are the kind of person for whom a hot shower at the end or beginning of the day is non-negotiable, then you may want to plan your van build to include an indoor shower.
However, you may be surprised at how much van life can change your habits. If you live off-grid, particularly if you have access to fresh water in the form of lakes and rivers, you might start to find yourself showering less frequently than you did in your “regular” life. Often, a swim during the day is enough. Sometimes, you may find yourself going two or more days without showering, and guess what? It’s absolutely fine.
Part of living van life is learning to embrace all the unique changes that come with it.
Van Shower Options for All Budgets
That being said, you do need access to some kind of shower. A couple of days with no shower is fine; a couple of months is not.
Let’s take a look at some of the most popular van shower solutions available today.
Solar Shower
One of the cheapest and easiest van life shower solutions is the solar shower. These are simply durable black bags with a hose attached that can be left in direct sunlight to heat up and then hung from an open door, window, or tree branch for use.
Of course, the downside of a solar shower is that it only works in areas where there is sun, and it is typically used outdoors. If you live in the snow or do a lot of camping in cold climates, another option may be a better choice for you.
Black Water Tube
A slightly more sophisticated version of the solar shower, the rooftop-mounted black water tube is a fairly easy DIY project. This van life shower consists of a large, black PVC tube mounted to the roof of the vehicle and filled with water. You can hook the tube up to the main water system in your van to pump water up there automatically or fill it yourself.
Once the tube is full, it sits in the sun, much like a solar shower bag, gradually heating throughout the day. When you’re ready to use it, simply open the end of the shower hose and rinse off. The nice thing about this option is that it doesn’t take any setup or tear down, and if it’s hooked up to your van’s water supply, this outdoor shower can be ready to use pretty much any time.
Indoor Shower
For those seeking a step up or for those who need to shower indoors because of privacy or cold weather concerns, an indoor shower is the way to go. There are many ways to build an indoor van shower – just remember that a shower takes up valuable space. You may ultimately decide you prefer to use that area for living space.
There are many ways to store a shower head out of sight – an under-counter shower, pull-out shower, or shower built on your kitchen faucet head are all nice options. The main concern when showering inside is where to put the shower box and shower pan. You may decide to go with a hybrid approach – heating the water and storing the shower inside but setting it up outside when it comes time to use it.
Hot Water Heater Options
The most important component of your indoor shower (unless you plan to shower with cold water) is your water heater. There are three main types of water heaters for van showers. Let’s take a look at them now.
Instant
An instant water heater, also called a tankless water heater, works by heating cold water as it flows through the unit via a heat exchanger. They do not heat and store hot water in a water tank, making them slightly more efficient, energy-wise.
Instant water heaters are great for van life because they don’t require you to install an additional hot water tank. One thing to keep in mind is that their output is limited compared to traditional heaters, so you may not be able to do multiple things at once, like washing dishes and showering at the same time.
Traditional
Traditional water heaters work by heating up a large amount of water and keeping that water hot in a water tank. They are less energy efficient than tankless water heater options, but the water flow rate is usually higher, and you will have hot water all the time.
We typically don’t recommend traditional water heaters for van life as they take up a lot of space and use a lot of energy.
Recirculating
A recirculating water system is possibly the best option for van life, as it saves water and energy. In a recirculating water heater system, the unused hot water is filtered and recirculated back to the water heater. There are two recirculating options: to reuse the water over and over until it can’t be filtered anymore or to reuse the same water for one shower and then dump it at the end.
If you travel solo, option one is usually a good choice. However, if you van life with a partner or a family, option two is usually the way to go, so you’re not using each other’s reused water.
Gym Showers
If you need long, hot showers but don’t have space in your van for any indoor van showers, you may want to turn to another of the most popular van life shower ideas: the gym. Many gym memberships are fairly inexpensive and entitle you to unlimited hot showers at any facility.
Some of the most popular gyms for full-time van dwellers looking for showers include Anytime Fitness, Planet Fitness, Crunch Fitness, and 24-Hour Fitness. Be aware that if you travel to remote places, you may not always be able to find a gym, and there may be fees for using a gym out of your “home” area.
Public Showers
If gym showers aren’t available, there are other public showers in places like the public pool, public beaches, community centers, recreation centers, RV parks, and truck stops. Some of these require you to have a membership or pay a one-time fee, but most have clean and well-maintained shower facilities.
Good Old Fashioned Wet Wipes
Finally, if you’re stuck and have no alternatives, dry shampoo, baby wipes, and body wipes work surprisingly well in a pinch. Just don’t make them your main personal hygiene solution.
Sustainability
The most sustainable built-in showers are those that use a recirculated water system to reuse and conserve water in a grey water tank. Outdoor shower options might seem like the more eco-friendly solution initially, but it is not really possible to conserve and reuse water when you’re showering outside.
Personally, if we know we’re going to be taking outdoor showers, we feel we may as well just find a lake or a river and hop in! As long as you use eco-friendly soaps and shampoos, a lake or river wash is about as sustainable as it gets!
Privacy
Privacy is always a concern when it comes to camper van showers. A rear door shower curtain is a nice option if you’re showering outside, but even shower curtains don’t always provide enough privacy, especially in urban centers. That’s why we love a gym membership for those days when you’re in a city and can’t set up your solar or portable shower outside.
Conclusion
Showering in your camper van takes a little creativity, but it’s not impossible. Ultimately, the type of shower you set up will depend on your budget, personal preference, and where in the world you will be traveling.
We hope this list of van life shower ideas sparks an idea for your own campervan shower system!
