Outdoor shower anyone?

[wooddustmaker]

Anyoneony have one? There is one where I am working. Thinking of putting one in at the house, using solar heat for the hot water. Anyone have any great ideas for one?

 

[FarmerDenise]

SO just attached a long garden hose to a shower head and fastened it to a pole. He did put a valve near the shower to turn the water on and off. He uses it a lot. It is in spot in the yard that is sheltered from viewing by the neighbors. The water in the hose is usually pretty hot in the summer and he likes to wash off after working in the field on those hot and dusty days.
He hasn't used it this year yet, it hasn't been that hot.

 

[2dream]

We have one. DH built it when he built the house. Concrete floor, drain, surrounded by rough cut lumber with a rough cut lumber shower door. (looks like a gate). While the boys were growing up it was used daily. (They were always, messy, muddy). Now its where the dog gets his bath. But mostly it just stays full of leaves, spiders, and other crawly creatures.

My suggestion would be to use material that does not have to be cleaned and scrubbed. The wood weathered naturally and the concrete floor can just be raked clear of leaves, spray a little bleach, rinse and its good as new. In 17 years this one has had no maintenance at all. Even the shower head (cheap-o from Wal-Mart) still works. Its attached to the house, (backs up to the Master Bath so hot and cold was not a problem).

My other suggestion would be to consider how often you would use it. If you do have kids, its just one more thing that has to be check and kind of cleaned occasionally. Another pipe to burst in cold weather, another leak waiting for a place to happen. Not to mention the spiders, snakes and other crawlies that think it makes a really nice enclosed, protected living space.

If its not something you would use on a regular basis, and you want hot and cold running water, make something temporary using a water hose that you can roll up during the winter months.

 

[Wifezilla]

I have a coleman solar shower bag. You might want to get one of those and see if you like the location you picked, if you would use it, etc.. before adding permanent plumbing.

 

[Dace]

The Dervaes family has a really great solar shower set up. It leaches out to water fruit trees, which I think is an awesome idea.

Here is a link http://urbanhomestead.org/photos/gallery.php?gid=68

 

[Wifezilla]

I like the coil. We are going to make a solar hot tub heater and were thinking of something like that. It's good to see a picture.

 

[frosthill]

I've seen people put a water storage container (like a trash can, often painted black) on support beams above the shower. A hose attachment and gravity does the rest.

My concern with the coiled hose idea is that the water would be blazing hot after sitting in direct sun for any length of time. I live in New England, and my hose water gets too hot to touch after sitting in the sun. Maybe they're planning on using it in the evenings, or perhaps it won't be in direct sunlight for an extended period of time. Just something to keep in mind.

 

[freemotion]

You could always use two hoses, one for hot and one for cold and mix the water to the right temperature. When I had my horse I would connect all three 100' hoses and loop back and forth in the sun for an hour. All the hot water needed to wash a white horse! And yes, it was too hot at first, so I often would fill a bucket with the hottest water. Then it was too cold at the end. If I were doing this, I'd make it with hot and cold.

MEN had plans years ago (think that is where I saw it) for making a solar shower with a rubber innertube, back when they were in a lot of tires. You patched a valve onto the inner tube and hung the tube in the sun or put it on a roof. Can you even get inner tubes anymore???

 

[wooddustmaker]

Thanks for all of the replies. Been very busy lately. I would definatelt have a hot, and cold line. Living in the desert like I do, that would have to be a must. I was just wondering how many others enjoyed the peace, and comfort of an outdoor shower.

 

[Beekissed]

When we were homesteading my dad built a frame work and mounted a 5 gal. white plastic water jug, painted black, on it. Placed a shower head that had a turn off built into the head. We would haul water up to it in the morning and let the sun heat it.

We could all shower with that 5 gal. if we used the water judiciously....let me tell you this...that was the most welcome thing after sweating in the sun all day! The floor was made of pallets, so if you dropped your soap it could fall in between and get dirty...not good.

We also would make good use of a warm, summer rain and a downspout at the corner of the cabin....one can wash a lot of parts and still not expose them, if you are really wanting a shower!