Advice for Showering & Staying Clean

[smellyskelly]

That is the new stupidest thing I have read on this site.

agreed.

 

[Rash L]

nah, on this site!? I've read a lot of idiotic posts on this site....

 

[Loaf]

How to Take a Shower


It's important to know what you are really supposed to do while in the shower. As obvious as it may seem, taking a shower properly can get you cleaner and healthier.


Steps
Remove your clothes. Place your clothes in an area where they will not get wet. (The toilet is not the best place, as it can harbor germs.)
Turn on the water to your preferred temperature. Check the position of the shower head, to be sure that water is spraying downward rather than out of the enclosure.
Check the temperature frequently, and as soon as the temperature is correct, carefully step into the shower.
Wet your entire body. Make sure your whole head is wet.
Massage a small amount of shampoo into your scalp. You need to gently rub each part of your scalp, making sure all the strands are sudsy. Shampooing your hair is more to clean the scalp, than to clean the hair. Do not let it sit too long unless it is instructed by your specific shampoo. If you don't know check the back for instructions.
Thoroughly rinse all of the shampoo out of your hair.
Next, apply conditioner to the ends of hair and work your way up, and let it sit for two to three minutes.
For men with full beard use a soft shampoo on your facial hair, one that doesn't have a strong scent. Wash twice.
Wet your washcloth well. Put a small amount of facial soap onto the washcloth and gently clean your face. Rinse all soap off thoroughly.
Pour your bath soap onto your washcloth or pouf and scrub yourself all over. It is best at the hands and feet. Remember to wash behind the ears, back of the neck, and in between each toe. Make sure you are cleaning under each arm pit, and your private areas. This may embarrass you, but remember: No one can see you clean yourself in the shower. These are important areas that can make you smell bad if you do not clean daily.
Rinse off the conditioner and soap, you may need to run your hands through your hair and make sure all the conditioner is rinsed out. If you do not wash out all the conditioner, this will make your hair greasy.
Give yourself a final rinse.
Rinse the tub or shower stall so that there is no sign of your visit other than drops of water. Be sure all hairs, soap, and shower debris is washed down the drain.
Turn off the water, make sure it is turned off tightly.
Exit the shower. Standing on the rug or mat, gently dry your head, face, torso, abdonminal area, pelvic region, legs, and feet. If you have done this carefully, the only water should be on the shower mat or rug, not on the rest of the floor.
Put your clean clothes on, starting with clean underwear, followed by clean clothes and socks or a bathrobe.


[edit]Tips
If you are worried about getting shampoo in your eyes while rinsing out the suds, keep a washcloth nearby in the shower and close your eyes while rinsing. When you are done rinsing, get the washcloth and gently rub your eyes to make sure no soap or shampoo got in your face. Open your eyes carefully.
If you want to smell fragrant, use a special shower gel like Black Amethyst.
Some shampoos have conditioner built in with them, which is good for people that don't want to waste time conditioning or are on a tight schedule.
OPTIONAL- If you want to really keep your long hair smooth and soft, I suggest bringing a (waterproof) comb or brush into the shower with you, putting some conditioner on it, and brushing thoroughly through your hair. It reaches the 'back' of your hair and the areas that your fingers don't normally reach.

 

[wokofshame]

You forgot to mention peeing in the shower. that's essential.

 

[Rash L]

eeeek! shampoo, conditioner, facial soap, regular soap, beard shampoo...... that sure is a lot to carry around...

 

[The Cheshire]

George Carlin squared this away for me a few years back. Armpits asshole crotch and teeth! I was good to go once a week but the new job doesnt dig it...

 

[SLAW]

i take chlorophyll. mainly all summer when i'm sweating like madwoman. it helps cut down on the stink. you'll still smell - but if you were smelling pretty bad, specially from a poor diet, it will make your smell a lot less funky.

but i am in love with a good stink. i have a few people whose stink i love.

 

[Dirty Rig]

How to Take a Shower...

i literalol'd

 

[Cardboard]

I bet it is the fragrance put in some soaps that may attract bugs. Try using the non-scented soaps. I stay clean and use soap. There are no bugs on me.

Not sure if it's true or not, but I heard that it's not so much attracting them, as it is making it mre hospitable. something like lice can hold onto clean hair better than hair that is unwashed (not neccesarily dirty, but natural oils that you wash away when you use soap).
I've got the little fuckers now though, and my head was really dirty.

 

[CrustLife_guard]

bath when you need to. If you have a cut/abrasion/tattoo wash the area regularly. I have some of those REI underwear: they don't smell that much, but I'm not really a fan. They don't dry out as quickly as they advertise. Quick bandanna baths are the best, especially when on the road. I don't shower often, but I enjoy it when I do. I don't shower often cuz I don't need to. When I'm dumpstering/trainhopping a lot a shower more then when I'm bumming around town. If you like fancy showers I suggest my ultimate favorite shower of all time: Some delicious tobacco from your favorite pipe while drinking Irish coffee. I like to make every shower special.

 

[psychoviolinist]

When i was going to uni and squatting we would all sign up to a gym for a months free trial membership and use their showers. worked pretty good untill we ran out of gyms as there where only 4 in town. so then we just stopped bathing, it was waaaay easier
Ever since then ive been a once a weeker with a sponge under the arm pits every now and then.

 

[Hottboxx]

im qnti-soap and water...when it rains i take my sirt off and rub off the tan....my dirt ;ayer blocks my stench

 

[Blackout]

dirty kids

 

[dirty_rotten_squatter]

Shit when im on the road the last thing on my mind is a shower. maybe once every 2 weeks or so. and i dont take showers. Ill find a gas sation bathroom and rinse and shit there. Or a lake or river or something. I don't think it gives me "crust points" for not showering, I'm just too lazy, don't care, thinking more about getting to my destination. Ive never caught bugs or anything by not showering. I got scabies once, but that was from direct contact from another who had it.

 

[wildboy860]

for sure. when traveling I don't shower for over a week easily, when in a house I shower once a week maybe. I never got bugs or anything either.

 

[Franny]

Showering with soap can help prevent bugs right? But does it really help fungus that much? I am pretty fortunate about not contracting skin conditions (except a fucking terrible case of athletes foot), but am curious what anyone knows about the effectiveness of soap in preventing/treating skin conditions.

In my experience, soap makes these things worse. Lemongrass is the uber-cure for fungus. If you can get the oil, use that, otherwise make a poultice of it for your feet. The fungus will die and start oozing out. It will look like dried blood, so don't be alarmed.

And for the record, I do shower. Frequently even. But soap and shampoo I haven't used in years. And all the ringworm, athlete's foot, yeast, etc. that I used to have quite often when I used soap doesn't happen very often to me at all now.

Water is just fine for cleansing. Just use friction (loofah, rag, rock, whatever). Yeah, infections happen, but not more frequently for lack of soap in my experience. I'd get into a long rant about over-sanitation and mutant bacteria but I'm holding myself back for now. If I'm really really dirty, like covered in grease or something, I use baking soda on occasion (or vinegar for hair) but I think it's a terrible misconception that something or someone can only be clean if it's been lathered in a myriad of chemicals.

....And honestly, the smell of soap now makes me kinda want to barf. I'd probably be crawling out of my skin if I had to smell that on myself all the time. It's rare that I can smell the human smell through the perfume on other people, but I really appreciate it when I do. And I don't much care if other people think I'm "dirty" or "smell bad" for smelling like a Franny is supposed to smell.

 

[skelabunny]

I ALSO enjoy a nice cold beer in the shower.
You should try n play that game where you bring a 6 pack in the shower and you gotta drink them all before they get warm... LOL

 

[psychoviolinist]

I ALSO enjoy a nice cold beer in the shower.
You should try n play that game where you bring a 6 pack in the shower and you gotta drink them all before they get warm... LOL

i assume cold showers would be cheating then?

 

[Peregrin]

A prost to drinking beer in the shower!

I haven't seen this covered anywhere, but where do you wash your ass on the road? I am all for the pirate shower/bird bath, whatever you want to call it... but where are some places that offer showers that are easily accessible? I will suggest camp grounds, some rest stops, marinas, and public beaches. I have bathed in rivers before too, thats kind of refreshing.

 

[Franny]

Peregrin- go into one of those cookie cutter suburban neighborhoods early in the morning. Find a lawn with its sprinklers on. Use it as a bidet.