DIY Camping Shower

There’s nothing like stepping into a refreshing shower, especially after a tiring day of camping. The problem is that most camp showers are just expensive bags with an attached water line. However, you can make your DIY camping shower quickly if you prefer to spend less money on one.

Updated 20 March 2024

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Author By Cleanipedia Team

Reading Time 5 minutes

A man rinsing a child's head with water from a jug next to a van outdoors. Out of Home

Top 5 DIY Camping Showers

Below are a few DIY camping shower ideas that you can try out!

1.   Handheld Camping Shower

Simply locate a big, durable container with a lid. Then, make a shower head by drilling a few holes in the lid. A sports hat lid also works well as a shower head cover. Remember that while you can change the flow and switch it on and off, it doesn't create a spray.

Tip: Include a vent in your camp shower so the bottle won't split under pressure.

2.   Free Standing Camping Shower

Follow these steps to make a DIY free-standing camping shower:

  • Get a PVC pipe, and cut it into four x 182 cm pieces and eight 91 cm sections.

  • Create the shower enclosure's base by joining four PVC corner pieces to four 91 cm pipes.

  • The four 182 cm PVC pipe lengths should be vertically secured to the corner pieces.

  • To create a tall cube, attach PVC corner parts to the top of the 182 cm PVC pipes and link the 91 cm pipes to them.

  • The height of the shower enclosure will be 182 cm. Use a plastic 182 x 244 cm tarp and hang the tarp from the PVC pipes using the pre-drilled grommets.

  • Fasten the tarp to the vertical PVC pipe.

  • Overlap the two tarps for privacy and leave room for entry.

3.   Dry Bag Camp Shower

This DIY technique uses a dry bag to save space in your camping bag. Follow these steps to make a dry bag camping shower:

  • Take a plastic bottle and cut the screw threads off.

  • Puncture a hole through the bottle cap. Then secure an O-ring within the cap using epoxy to make a shower head.

  • Next, glue an O-ring inside another bottle cap. It shouldn't have any holes because this cap will serve as the stopper.

  • Make a hole about 5 cm from the bottom of your dry bag. Cut the hole big enough for the screw threads to pass through.

  • The screw threads should be placed inside the dry bag and forced through the hole. Keep the screw threads in place with the help of epoxy.

  • Screw on the stopper and fill the dry bag with water.

  • Hang the dry bag, replace the stopper with the shower head, and your shower is ready at your camping site.

4.   Gravity Fed Camp Shower

A gravity-feed camp shower is one of the most straightforward DIY camp showers. You require a water storage tank that has the following characteristics:

  • Size 7.5 liters: A smaller water tank won't provide enough pressure. Alternatively, you won't be able to lift the tank easily if it is larger.

  • Spigot: The spigot should ideally have an adjustable flow.

  • Air vent: It should have an air vent; otherwise, the pressure change will cause the tank to break as it empties.

Simply attach a shower head to the spigot to create the gravity shower. You will require rope to create a handle for holding the shower. You can unplug the air vent to turn the shower on. The water will flow for around 30 seconds after you plug the air vent back in.

5.   Garden Sprayer Pressurized Camp Shower

You can use your garden sprayer as a camp shower if it has never had chemicals added to it. Even if the garden sprayer has no chemicals added, you should clean it with a sanitiser to get rid of bacteria.

Follow these steps to make a shower head with your garden sprayer:

  • Take a small plastic bottle with a screw lid. Cut it in two places to remove the middle section.

  • Place the bottle's bottom portion inside its top. To secure them and stop leaks, wrap them in electrical tape.

  • Create holes in the bottom portion with a scalpel.

  • Take a wine cork and cut it in half. Then, cut a groove on each side of the cork down the middle. The groove must be deep enough to accommodate the pressure sprayer.

  • Place the cork into the bottle cap with the pressure sprayer end inserted. You might need to tie some tape around it to hold it in place.

For more of these ideas, visit Cleanipedia today!

Reference

Ahsan, F. (2023, April 11). 13 DIY Camping Shower Ideas That Are Easy To Make - The Self-Sufficient Living. The Self-Sufficient Living. https://theselfsufficientliving.com/diy-camping-shower-ideas-that-are-easy-to-make/

Diane. (2023, January 25). DIY Camp Showers: 7 Designs - Mom goes camping. Mom Goes Camping. https://momgoescamping.com/diy-camp-showers/

FAQs

  • Are Portable Camping Showers Worth It?

    A portable camping shower is optional. But that doesn't eliminate the need for a shower. If your camping ground is not near any rivers or lakes, you can’t stay without showering for many days. You can make DIY camping showers easily with just a few simple tools that won’t take up a lot of space in your camping bag.
  • How Long Do Camping Showers Last?

    Most DIY camping showers last about 7-10 minutes, enough for you to clean up. However, the longevity of the shower will depend on the water capacity of your psi pump and the size of the shower head.
  • How Do You Warm up a Shower While Camping?

    Use an electric or gas-powered appliance instead of boiling water if you don't want to wait for the sun to warm your shower up. You may use a HOT TAP and your propane tank to make your portable water heater. You can also try a battery-operated camp shower if you want your showers hot.

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