How To Shower When Car Camping (Not Public Showers)

You can shower at a campsite without public facilities by combining three things: a way to deliver water (a solar shower bag, a pump or battery shower, or a simple jug), a privacy shelter, and a wash spot at least 200 feet from lakes and streams. Leave No Trace guidance is to use only small amounts of biodegradable soap and to scatter your strained wash water. When water is scarce, a sponge bath gets you most of the way there.

This guide walks through setting up a shower step by step, compares the main types of portable showers, and covers privacy, low-water methods, and the rules that apply at campgrounds and parks.

Before You Start: Where You Can Wash

Leave No Trace, the outdoor ethics organization, gives clear guidance for washing outdoors:

• Carry water at least 200 feet away from streams and lakes before you wash. That is about 70 to 80 adult paces.
• Use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Leave No Trace notes that even biodegradable soap can affect water quality, so use as little as you can.
• Rinse with water from a pot or jug so the soil can act as a filter.
• Strain the used water and scatter it broadly, then pack out whatever the strainer catches.
• Do not wash directly in a lake or stream. Lotion, sunscreen, insect repellent, and body oils can all contaminate water.

Developed campgrounds and parks may have stricter rules. In national park areas, federal rules (36 CFR 2.14) prohibit draining refuse from a vehicle except at facilities provided for it, bathing at public water outlets or fixtures unless they are designated for it, and polluting park waters. Read the posted campground rules and ask the host where wash water should go.

How to Set Up a Campsite Shower

1. Pick your spot. Choose a place at least 200 feet from any water source where washing is allowed.
2. Set up privacy. Pop up a privacy shelter, or rig a tarp between your vehicle and a tree. Stake the shelter if there is wind.
3. Warm the water. Lay a solar shower bag in the sun, or heat water on your stove and mix it with cool water. Check the temperature before you pour it over yourself.
4. Wet, then pause. Wet down, turn the water off, and soap up with a small amount of biodegradable soap.
5. Rinse. Rinse from the top down with the rest of the water.
6. Deal with the wash water. If you caught it in a basin, strain it and scatter it widely, or pour it where the campground tells you to.
7. Pack up. Hang the shelter and shower to dry before stowing them in the car.

Types of Portable Showers

Solar shower bags

A solar shower is a bag that warms water in the sun and hangs above you so water flows out through a hose and shower head. The Advanced Elements Summer Shower is a long-running example. Retailers list it in 2.5-gallon and 5-gallon sizes, with a four-layer construction, a water temperature gauge, a large fill opening, and an on/off shower head that helps save water. One retailer lists the 2.5-gallon version at about 1 lb empty.

To use one, fill it, lay it in the sun with the clear side up, and check the gauge before you shower. How warm it gets depends on sun, air temperature, and time, so plan to fill it early in the day. A full bag is heavy, so hang it from a sturdy branch, a roof rack, or a shelter frame that can take the weight.

Battery-powered pump showers

A battery shower is a small pump that sits in a bucket of water and pushes it through a hose to a handheld head. It works with water you have warmed on the stove, so it is not limited to sunny days.

The Ivation Portable Shower is one example. Ivation's user guide lists:

• A 2,200 mAh rechargeable lithium battery that charges over USB, taking about 2.5 hours from a phone charger or car USB port, or 5 hours from a computer
• About 45 to 60 minutes of run time per charge
• A flow of about 0.66 gallons (2.5 liters) per minute through a 6.5 ft hose
• A built-in inlet filter, plus an S-hook and a suction-cup hanger

At that flow rate, a 5-gallon bucket gives about 7.5 minutes of running water, so turning the head off while you soap up matters. Ivation's guide also says to use water between 50°F and 122°F, not to use seawater, pool water, or river water, and to keep the pump from freezing.

Foot-pump pressure showers

A pressure shower uses a pump to push water out, so it does not need to hang. NEMO's Helio Portable Pressure Shower has a 2.9-gallon reservoir, a foot pump, and a 7-foot hose, and NEMO says it gives 5 to 7 minutes of continuous spray. You pump more air in as the pressure drops.

Roof-rack water tanks

Some campers mount a pressurized tank on their roof rack. Yakima's RoadShower comes in 4, 7, and 10-gallon sizes, mounts to roof rack crossbars, and is pressurized through a Schrader valve with a hand or electric pump or with a garden hose. Yakima says a built-in relief valve tops out at 55 psi and that the sun warms the water in the tank.

Yakima lists the 10-gallon model at 120 lb when full, so check the load limits of your rack and roof before filling one. If you already run a roof rack, our guide to the smallest roof top tents covers other ways to use it.

A jug and a cup

The simplest method is a jug of warm water and a cup or small pot to pour it. It uses the least water, needs no power, and matches Leave No Trace's advice to rinse with water from a pot or jug.

Privacy Shelters

A pop-up privacy tent gives you a place to shower or change at a campsite. WolfWise says its pop-up privacy tents stand on their own but may need stakes in strong wind, are made of 190T polyester with UPF 30+ and a water-repellent finish, and fold flat for storage. For showering, WolfWise suggests hanging the shower bag outside and passing the hose through the zippered window, or using the mesh roof.

The WolfWise pop-up privacy tent is one option in this category. A small mat or tarp underfoot helps keep your feet out of the mud. If you would rather not carry a shelter, a tarp tied between your open car door and a tree can work.

Low-Water Ways to Stay Clean

• Sponge bath. A pot of warm water, a washcloth, and a drop of soap cover most of what a shower does. Follow the same 200-foot rule and scatter the strained water.
• Hand sanitizer. Leave No Trace points out that sanitizers that need no rinsing let you clean your hands without creating wastewater.
• Wipes. Leave No Trace says wipes, even those labeled biodegradable, should always be packed out as trash. Bring a sealable bag for them.
• Skip the lake. Swimming is not a substitute for washing, because sunscreen, repellent, and body oils end up in the water.

If you sleep in your vehicle, a routine like this matters even more; see our comparison of sleeping in a car vs. a tent.

Shower Kit Checklist

• Water carrier or solar bag, plus a bucket if you use a pump shower
• Biodegradable soap in a small bottle
• Fine mesh strainer and a trash bag
• Privacy shelter or tarp, with stakes and cord
• Quick-dry towel and sandals
• Headlamp for evening washing

For the rest of your packing list, see our must-have camping gear guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use biodegradable soap in a lake or stream?

No. Leave No Trace says soap can affect water quality even when it is biodegradable. Carry water at least 200 feet from the shore, wash there with a small amount of soap, and scatter the strained water.

Where do I dump shower water at a campground?

Follow the posted rules. Some developed campgrounds designate places for wash water, and in national park areas it is prohibited to drain refuse from a vehicle except at facilities provided for it. If there is no guidance, ask the camp host.

How long does a battery camp shower run?

Ivation lists about 45 to 60 minutes per charge for its portable shower, at about 0.66 gallons per minute. Your water supply usually runs out before the battery does.

Do I need a privacy tent?

Not always. A privacy tent is the most convenient option at a busy campsite, but a tarp, a vehicle door, or a remote spot can work. A pop-up shelter also doubles as a changing room.

Stay Clean, Leave No Trace

Pick a way to deliver water that suits your trip: a solar bag for sunny days, a battery or foot-pump shower for more control, or a jug for minimal gear. Add a privacy shelter if you camp near others. Whatever you use, wash at least 200 feet from water, use very little biodegradable soap, and scatter strained wash water or use the campground's designated facilities.