Volume 1: Adventures in Bucket Showering (as if I needed more reasons not to shower)
1) Blue bucket of water contains scalding hot water. Pour sufficient amount in larger yellow or white shallow bucket and add cold water from faucet (yes- running cold water!) until I have reached desired temperature.
2) Stand in bathtub (watching my head, clotheslines hangs low – gives new insight to the expression ‘getting clothslined!’) Options: a) face forward with bucket in front of me b) sideways c) forward with bucket behind me. Solution thus far, option a.
3) Using smaller cup, fetch water from bucket, bend down, put head down so that hair falls in front of me and rinse hair. Let water drip back into bucket (limited water supply here guys, cut me some slack). Repeat until hair is reasonably wet (meaning, wet enough). I’m also experimenting with crouching and dipping my whole head in the bucket of water. This is proving to be a delicate manuveur which requires flexibility and balance (Robin and Tiff, we should have taken more yoga classes!)
4) Apply shampoo in small quantity (most of my shampoo burst in transit to Africa. Shout out to Anna who recommended separate zip log bags for everything which minimized shampoo disaster) and rub throughout hair.
5) Rinse hair with small cup and water. Careful not to have soapy water drip back into original water supply. Tip here is to pivot, pivot, and rinse away from bucket.
6) Apply conditioner in small quantity. As water is limited, ability to rinse out all of conditioner is questionable. Better err on the side of caution as not to attract flies and dust to stick to scented and not fully rinsed hair.
7) Repeat step 5.
8) As body is “wet enough” after steps 3-7, apply soap generously. I refuse to skimp here – you have to draw the line somewhere. (Shout out to Shannon for buying me L’occitane lavender soap as my one luxury item for the trip.) If motivated, shave armpits and legs (ha!).
9) Rinse soap off body. Here, I use the hand scoop and rinse method as it has proven too difficult to occupy 1/2 of rinsing capacity (one hand) with a cup scooper. Better just hunch over, grab water from bucket with hands and splatter over body.
10) Every 10 days (that’s how many underwear I brought), I must also couple showering with laundering of said underwear. In this instance, I will refill bucket with hot and cold water, add laundry detergent and launder until clean ( I hope). Rinse with cold water until no longer soapy. Wring dry and hang dry on clothesline in safety of own room to avoid Benedict from acquiring pink Victoria Secret thongs.
11) On normal showering / non-laundering days, skip step 10, dry myself, change into clothes and proceed to room.
Note: Entire process takes about 20 minutes, 30 if laundering. I am open to suggestions on how to improve my bucket shower. Please leave comments below.
Hey – I was just going to ask how much time this takes you – 20/30 minutes?!! That’s crazy!
Would suggest that you keep the limited shampoo to your scalp and be conserative on the conditioner.
Glad you’re soaping up – so necessary / I’m sure it makes you feel so much better.
Otherwise, I have no other/better advice for you!!
Enjoy!
I never quite figured out how to master the bucket shower…I had a soap dish that doubled pretty well as a scoop, but that’s about as clever as I got! At least you have tile and you’re not showering in a “shower” made of mud!! Hope you’re having a wonderful time lady!!
I want to call this the “trickle down effect”: Once you start getting your hair wet to shampoo, the water from hair should trickle down to the body, you should then apply soap to the body on top of applying shampoo & conditioner, then when you’re washing your hair, you’re also washing your body, kill two birds with one stone
Man, Kat, that’s nuts. All I can say is.. don’t get dirty!
keep working with dipping your whole head in the bucket…i know you’re flexible
maybe you can do it before you step in the shower by putting the bucket in the sink and then it will be higher for you to dip. wring out hair in the bucket then step into shower. kev’s idea is a good add-on. good luck!
Advice on bucket showering…hmm..none that I can think of except possibly cutting your hair? Easier to manage!
) Other than that, I really liked some of your potential ideas, especially regarding savings habits and important issues like using microloans to pay unexpected medical costs.
kath, I don’t know what was up with that smiley emoticon. it was supposed to be a smiley face. xoxo take care & good luck with future bucket showering ideas.