how to wash with water issues

[Irishred]

Long story as short as possible...Here in the US the southeast has been hit with the hardest and longest freeze in over 100 years. Well, Most houses and plumbing are not built for this here, they are built for the heat. For us this meant some pipes in the basement froze on the long run to the bath room (thawed and a hole near the area plugged - no problem), and then our longer term problem of the leach field freezing and clogging up the septic. For that to be fixed, we have to wait for it to thaw. Thankfully we are getting some warmer weather, we just hope it will last and clear the problem.

While we have running water, we have VERY little drainage. We have been creative to this point with needs but DH is insistent he cannot get clean without a shower. We have been sponge bathing to keep clean but hair (especially mine) is getting to a point it NEEDS to be washed.

Does anyone have any suggestions for washing without drainage? I have thought about using a couple large buckets but I see difficulty and water being spilled...

Oooh, I just remembered, we have a camp shower, I bet that could be very helpful.

Any other ideas?

Thanks in advance.


I may be in to read but may not respond....

[ravenreed]

I like dry shampoos. Spray them in, brush them out. I don't use them all the time though, because my scalp still needs to be washed. They just get the oily look to go away. I would just suggest that if you do shampoo, make it as low suds as possible to make rinsing easier.

When I have been camping for long periods of time, I have used baby wipes to keep clean. They have a built in cleanser that can remain on the skin while still getting the icky off. I wouldn't want to do it all the time, but sometimes it works even better for me than sponge baths, since there is no rinsing to worry about.

[teela1978]

Is there nowhere else you can go shower? A gym? Work? Friends/family?

If you don't need it forever, just a 2-week free trial at a gym would be sufficent I would think.

[manderly]

Is it possible to use a bucket and toss the water out the window?

So fill, wash, dump
Fill rinse dump

[Konstifik]

Maybe a herbal rinse? And then rinse with just water?

[Isilme]

could you go swimming and use their facilities?

[Irishred]

Trying to respond to what I can here...

There are 6 of us (3 children, a teen and 2 adults). A free gym trial would be unlikely for this many especially the kids. No shower facilities at work. We don't have any friends that I feel are close enough to ask if our family can come raid their house and bathroom for 2 hours while we shower. No family in the area either.

DH is kinda silly, he just doesn't think he gets clean unless water flows some how. he spent 2 week in hospital when he couldn't shower and had sponge bathes, he was insane to "shower".

I do have some large buckets and the camp shower.... I think that idea will work. I have washed my hair in the sink before so I think doing the bucket thing then a last rinse with fresh water would work for me and DD. Probably washing all our heads that way would work.

Thanks for the ideas... supposed to be warm again today and the low tonight I think will be above freezing.... I just hope so.

Any other ideas let me know. I'll try to check back in here.

[Ash]

Some gyms allow you to bring a guest, perhaps one person could get a membership, maybe your DH since he seems to have the worst of it and then he could bring a different family member along each day (or twice a day if he has time) as the guest?

Another alternative is to put a drain stopper in the tub and shower as normal and then use a couple of buckets to bail out the water and take it outside.

[Anje]

I suspect the answer lies somewhere with along the lines of combing your hair forward toward the top of your head and repeatedly dunking in a bucket of water. A 1-step process like CO might be easier if you can make it work, so you only have one rinse step rather than 2. I suspect you can get decently rinsed in a 5 gallon bucket, and a quick final shower would finish the job. Putting the bucket in the bathtub solves the spills problem.

I wonder if your kids have friends with families you'd feel comfortable asking if they could take a shower at their house. Then you're only asking for one shower, not six. For that matter, I'd suggest asking around. You likely do have friends or coworkers who would be happy to allow you to use up their hot water, at least once a week. Many people are willing to make little sacrifices like that to help others, but they don't know you need it. Consider it a goofy, self-effacing way to get to know them better. Perhaps offer to buy dinner (pizza or something) for everyone in return.

One more option -- what about the local high school (especially if your teen is there)? Surely their locker rooms have showers. Local pools, especially indoor pools with the park & recreation department, have to have shower facilities as well, and there's no reason you can't all go swimming while you're there.