5 Mistakes People Make When Using the Campground Shower

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Close up of a campground shower head

Just because you’re camping doesn’t mean you should neglect your hygiene.

Thankfully, campground showers are often readily available and can make it easy for campers to wash off dirt, sweat, and anything clinging to them from nature.

However, there are a handful of common mistakes people make when using the campground shower.

Today, we’ll walk you through these mistakes and how to avoid them so you can stay clean and fresh while camping. Let’s get started!

What Are Campground Showers?

Many campgrounds offer bathhouses that contain restrooms and shower facilities. Campground showers are available to guests staying.

However, the quality of the facilities will vary, depending on the campground. Some do a better job maintaining and keeping their shower facilities clean than others.

These facilities benefit tent campers and those camping in smaller RVs that may not have a full bathroom. They’re a great way to get clean and stay fresh while in nature.

A sign to a public campground shower

How Do Campground Showers Work?

Campground showers are typically available on a first-come, first-served basis. Many of these showers function just like residential showers.

However, you may come across campgrounds with pay showers every now and then. These showers require campers to deposit quarters into a slot, and in return, they get a few minutes of water. 

Some showers try to conserve water by requiring the user to push a button every 30 to 60 seconds.

How do you Shower at a Campground?

Showering at a campground means packing up and taking everything you need to the campground shower facilities. Depending on the campground, these could be individual shower rooms or gender-specific bathrooms with shower stalls. 

Either way, you want to be considerate of other campers and be as efficient as possible when showering at a campground. You don’t want to waste water or take up more time than necessary.

Are Campground Showers Clean?

The cleanliness of campground showers greatly depends on the location. They are typically very inconsistent from one campground to another. We’ve encountered some hotel-like bathrooms at campgrounds and RV resorts and were quite impressed.

Many campgrounds do a great job maintaining and updating their bathrooms. However, that’s not always the case. Some campground showers and bathroom facilities haven’t been upgraded in decades. No matter how well you clean these bathrooms, they’ll still be pretty rough looking.

5 Mistakes People Make When Using the Campground Shower

If you have to use a campground shower, you must ensure you do it correctly. Let’s dive into the five mistakes people make when using the campground shower.

Not Wearing Shower Shoes

You should wear shower shoes anytime you use a public shower. They can help you avoid walking barefoot on surfaces that may or may not have been thoroughly cleaned recently. They serve as a layer of protection between your feet and the unclean surface.

Not wearing shower shoes in a communal setting can lead to bacterial and fungal infections like athlete’s foot, ringworm, and staph/MRSA infections.

Many people will wear cheap flip-flops as their shower shoes. However, you want to ensure they won’t slip off your feet and will provide enough grip on slick surfaces to avoid falling.

Keep in Mind: If you have to rely on public showers while on the road, then you need to know How to Find Clean and Safe Public Showers!

Showering During Peak Times

Because campground showers are first-come, first-served, you must be picky about when you shower. Typically, the busiest time for these facilities is in the evening, as everyone is trying to get clean before climbing into bed after a day of adventuring.

If you try to shower during peak times, you will likely end up waiting in line and feeling rushed during your shower.

If you want to avoid crowds, shower as early as you can. Instead of showering after dinner, have as many of your campers shower while dinner is cooking.

This will help make your evening less chaotic after dinner. You can sit around the campfire and enjoy each other’s company without worrying about someone smelling up the campsite.

A sign to a public campground shower

Leaving Items Behind

We don’t know how many times we’ve walked into a campground shower and discovered shampoo, conditioner, or body washes left behind by another camper.

We also don’t know how many times we’ve been the campers to leave something behind.

Leaving items behind after you finish showering is wasteful. Typically, the cleaning staff will chuck it into the trash the next time they clean the facilities. You’ll have to re-buy these items before your next shower. 

Using a shower caddy or something similar to hold your shower gear can help ensure you leave nothing behind in the campground shower.

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Taking Too Long

You should always be considerate of other campers, especially when showering.

A line can develop during the evening hours, and you don’t want to cause others to wait longer than necessary. Be as efficient as possible when showering so you’re not inconveniencing others.

In addition, you want to keep your showers short to conserve water. Just because you’re not paying the water bill doesn’t mean it’s free.

Many campgrounds use the revenue from reservation fees to pay their bills, including water usage. So don’t be wasteful and unnecessarily use water or take a long shower just because you can.

Keep in Mind: Using a vault toilet isn’t the end of the world, as long as you know to not to make any of these 5 Mistakes!

A sign to a public campground shower

Not Having Quarters on Hand

While many campgrounds have timed or free showers, that’s not always the case.

As we said previously, some campgrounds require campers to pay to use the campground shower. Having some quarters on hand is a good idea, just in case you find yourself in one of these campgrounds. 

Costs will vary depending on location, but a quarter will typically give you a few minutes of hot water to get clean.

If you’ve never taken the time to shower efficiently, this will be a great time to learn, or you’ll be spending a fortune and require a large stack of quarters each time you shower.

Avoid These Campground Shower Mistakes

Campground showers allow adventurers to stay clean and fresh while spending time in nature. However, if you’re not using them correctly, they can be a nightmarish experience. 

Luckily, if you can avoid some of the common mistakes we’ve shared with you today, showering at a campground will be a rather painless and stress-free experience.

Last update on 2024-04-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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