Taking A Shower On The Road

I keep reading about how truckers don't shower every day...is it by choice/laziness/lack of hygiene or because rare are the truck stops with shower facilities??? This is a big issue for me. I shower every single morning to start my day, do my hair and simple quick make up, then I feel like a million bucks. It takes me 40 minutes or less to do all of it, being in the shower 5 to 10 minutes, depending if I'm shaving (I shave every other day). Only times I don't shower is because I'm very sick or occasionally spending a lazy day at home.

Personal hygiene is very important to me. I'm not feeling myself otherwise. Having access to a shower, even if for 10 minutes, is essential. I can dress and do my hair elsewhere to free up the shower for someone else.

I know this might anger some readers, but personal hygiene is a choice. I believe truckers are a very ingenuous group of folks. I have scene truck drivers fix the unfix-able. As Winston Churchill once said, "Never was so much owed by so many to so few."

We drivers(THE FEW) get the job done one way or another?(FOR THE MANY). So I believe:

IF ONE WANTS TO SHOWER, ONE WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN. I personally take a shower every morning. That shower is to me like coffee is to others. Once, twice, or possibly 3 times in my life, taking a morning shower caused me to be late for some event or something. I never felt a single bit of guilt.

But the choice is up to the person.

Well I'm kinda new at this job but I'm too kinda high on hygiene. I run regional flatbed for a company (4 states) and it's rare that I have to miss a day to shower. Just an opinion but I think if it's a priority for you then with planning you can greatly minimize any days without. We go out on Sunday and home every Friday and I occasionally miss 1 day during the week but never had to go any longer. For that occasional day I just keep a good supply of baby wipes and it does help to have very short (and few) hair.

I keep reading about how truckers don't shower every day...is it by choice/laziness/lack of hygiene or because rare are the truck stops with shower facilities??? This is a big issue for me. I shower every single morning to start my day, do my hair and simple quick make up, then I feel like a million bucks. It takes me 40 minutes or less to do all of it, being in the shower 5 to 10 minutes, depending if I'm shaving (I shave every other day). Only times I don't shower is because I'm very sick or occasionally spending a lazy day at home.

Personal hygiene is very important to me. I'm not feeling myself otherwise. Having access to a shower, even if for 10 minutes, is essential. I can dress and do my hair elsewhere to free up the shower for someone else.

I know this might anger some readers, but personal hygiene is a choice. I believe truckers are a very ingenuous group of folks. I have scene truck drivers fix the unfix-able. As Winston Churchill once said, "Never was so much owed by so many to so few."

We drivers(THE FEW) get the job done one way or another?(FOR THE MANY). So I believe:

IF ONE WANTS TO SHOWER, ONE WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN. I personally take a shower every morning. That shower is to me like coffee is to others. Once, twice, or possibly 3 times in my life, taking a morning shower caused me to be late for some event or something. I never felt a single bit of guilt.

But the choice is up to the person.

Thank you. Exactly how I feel. This might be a "lifestyle" as some put it, but to me, living that lifestyle will be without sacrificing personal hygiene, which is VERY important to me. Again, I understand that once in a while, things might just not go as planned. In that case, I'll still have the necessities with me, in my truck, to take care of business and be refreshed. But mostly, I will make it a point to learn how to efficiently plan trips, to allow for time and a place to take care of my body. If it has to be in the middle of the day, or in the middle of the night....I'll adjust.

Baby wipes work wonders. Im prior military and a guy so that may not work for some of you. I got used to it during deployment in Afghanistan and field excersises in the US for weeks at a time. As an infantryman I didnt have the luxury of showers all the time so its not a big deal if I shower once every 2 or 3 days although 3 days is pushin it lol. I would use sented baby wipes or take a wet cloth with soap on it and wipe myself down. Then a wet cloth with no soap and then towel myself down and feel quite nice. Thats just me though and my opinion.

Yeah, I remember on one of my deployments we were doing rotations out to a patrol base...10 days no shower, 5 days back for a year. And when you got back you needed to hurry up and fight over the shower or there would be no hot water. Ah, the memories...

Worst I've had was a month no shower. All while running around sweating in the desert, body armor and all. Baby wipes are your friend, but I love each and every shower I take.

Yeah, infantry has it hard when it comes to hygiene...baby wipes, dry shave, go commando and rotate your socks to get more use out of them...lol

Hey, thought I would chime in because my experiences as a woman on the road without regular showers might be of interest.

I used to tour with rock bands in tour busses. They're nice, and have beds (bunks), seating, a table, small kitchenette, and a toilet and sink on board. Usually we depend on getting a hotel on an off day or the venues we go into having showers, but I was a crew member. Headlining band gets first dibs on the shower, and it goes down the line. You kind of fit it in when you can, if you can. And not all venues have showers.

Men reading this: There may be a little TMI with what I'm about to say next. Nothing horrible, but if you're uncomfortable with women's hygeine you might want to scroll on by.

Baby wipes are a girl's best friend. In a normal 4 - 6 week tour run I would go through about 3 baby wipe boxes. I used them to "shower" before getting into my work clothes, then I would "shower" with them again to put on actual clean clothes before doors opened, then I would "shower" again before changing into my pajamas at the end of the night to wipe away the grime of the day from my body. I would do a full body wipe down, paying attention to important areas: pits, neck, chest, behind neck, bottoms of feet, crotch, and butt. I usually carried a small hand towel with me to help dry off the moisture from the wipes faster. Then I would spray down with a "neutral" smelling body deoderant spray, and use regular antipersperant/deoderant. Deodorizing panty liners will definitely help, and depending on how sweaty I get with set up I'll likely change the liner out before changing into show clothes, just to feel fresh. Deoderizing foot spray is a lifesaver, and I can't stress how much a fresh pair of socks will make you feel like a million bucks.

When I had hair I would use a sink to wash my hair. I always kept a big gulp sized cup with me so I could pour water over my head. If you can't shower but can get your hair clean it goes a long way to making you feel refreshed. A lot of my real hair fell out because of alopecia, so I wear wigs now. That upped the convenience factor by 100. Oh, and I always washed my face, both morning and night. Water on the face is refreshing too.

Febreeze is also great if you're trying to make your clothes last longer between washes. Usually what I did is whatever shirt I was wearing for the show the night before I would turn inside out and Febreeze it front and back and let it hang in my bunk overnight. That shirt then became my next day's load in/set up shirt. That method helps to not have to have 3 suitcases on the road.

That was my normal routine, and many tours I averaged 1 shower every 3 or 4 days. One tour it was literally a shower a week. That's how much time I had. But you get used to it. It's not about being a "girly girl" or anything like that. Nobody who saw me ever thought I hadn't showered that day, or sometimes for days at a time. It can be done with a little planning.

Well, I do plan on getting a local job. But I'll have to start at the bottom at first. Money is nice, but I also value other things, such as feeling comfortable in my own skin. I will do my very best to plan my trips. I do not need 10 hours to sleep. I need 7-8. So the other two hours, I will eat (not in restaurants....I also plan to have my own healthy food in the truck) and keeps myself clean. If that means that sometimes I do not have access to a shower, I will find my way to a sink to wash my hair, and I will have supplies to wash myself in the truck. :)

They have mini propane water heaters for like $100 you could set up in your truck. I don't know how mechanically inclined you are but i might do it myself. You get those little $5 camper propane bottles from walmart that hooks up to the heater. Then you get a small 12v pump and container to hold the water in. Get another 5 gallon tote and stand in that to shower yourself to catch all the water. When you are done just pour the water outside. Sounds complicated but it's not. So for about $200 you can have a shower setup in your truck.

I'm not a trucker yet, but I wonder if a 5 gallon tote and a hand pump gallon sprayer (the type used for gardens, etc. - about $10-15 at Home Depot, Lowes, or Walmart) might work well - certainly for washing hair. Just a thought.

Now I'm one that enjoys camping, real camping with no power or running water and what we do if some one need's or want to take a shower they either wash in the river(the shampoo does cover up the river water smell ) or they use their solar shower. Since obviously we're camping (trees and all) it gets luke to medium warm. But it works, for those in the family who are very hygiene aware they use it every day. My older second cousins(both women) will walk into the river and wash their hair.

I am surprised that a company has not designed an aftermarket shower for a semi. I believe there is room for a small one and the water could be recycled/filtered. It takes some engineering, but am sure it's possible.

I've started using a gallon jug to shower inside the truck recently . I had to come up with some type of solution. Just close the curtain and pour overhead. A gallon with sponge, soap and shampoo is just about right. I am thinking of upgrading to a solar shower...hehe. I use the bunk heater to preheat the water. And yes, water gets all over the rubber floor mats, but I have a broom to sweep it out. I actually find it better than waiting, etc. for a truck stop shower. It's different, but but I feel much better than not taking one.

I am surprised that a company has not designed an aftermarket shower for a semi. I believe there is room for a small one and the water could be recycled/filtered. It takes some engineering, but am sure it's possible.

I've started using a gallon jug to shower inside the truck recently . I had to come up with some type of solution. Just close the curtain and pour overhead. A gallon with sponge, soap and shampoo is just about right. I am thinking of upgrading to a solar shower...hehe. I use the bunk heater to preheat the water. And yes, water gets all over the rubber floor mats, but I have a broom to sweep it out. I actually find it better than waiting, etc. for a truck stop shower. It's different, but but I feel much better than not taking one.

If your going that far to take a shower you should invest in a kitty litter pan. Don't put any litter in it of course, but you can use it to catch the water and you won't have to sweep it out. That's gotta be a Heck of a mess trying to sweep a gallon of water out. I've spilled a bottle of water n it sucked cleaning it up. I normally just do the baby wipe shower if I can't get into a truck stop.

I am surprised that a company has not designed an aftermarket shower for a semi. I believe there is room for a small one and the water could be recycled/filtered. It takes some engineering, but am sure it's possible.

I've started using a gallon jug to shower inside the truck recently . I had to come up with some type of solution. Just close the curtain and pour overhead. A gallon with sponge, soap and shampoo is just about right. I am thinking of upgrading to a solar shower...hehe. I use the bunk heater to preheat the water. And yes, water gets all over the rubber floor mats, but I have a broom to sweep it out. I actually find it better than waiting, etc. for a truck stop shower. It's different, but but I feel much better than not taking one.

If your going that far to take a shower you should invest in a kitty litter pan. Don't put any litter in it of course, but you can use it to catch the water and you won't have to sweep it out. That's gotta be a Heck of a mess trying to sweep a gallon of water out. I've spilled a bottle of water n it sucked cleaning it up. I normally just do the baby wipe shower if I can't get into a truck stop.

Looking at the floor space in my truck, I could put a washing machine drain pan flat on the floor, I think. They do have a hole in them, since they are intended to catch washing machine leaks and route them into a drain, but you could seal the holes any number of different ways.

Still, taking a shower inside my truck is way too much work. People talk about showering in the beginning or the end of their days. I frequently shower in the middle of the day when I'm not terribly pressed for time. We have to take a 30 minute break anyhow.

Pull into a truck stop for your 30. If it's in the middle of the day, check with the desk to see if showers are available. If so, and they normally are at mid day, take a shower, then grab food, whatever. Your 30 ends up being a 45 or even an hour. So what? You just got a shower with no line.

Yes, you lose a little potential driving time because you took a longer mid-day break, so you will start a little later the next day, but if you haven't had a chance for a shower in a couple days, it's frequently worth it.