13 DIY Camping Shower Ideas That Are Easy To Make

A DIY camping shower will make your outdoor experience much more enjoyable. After a couple of days of camping in a remote location, taking a shower becomes high on the priority list. But,being fully exposed in the wilderness is not something most people would want to do.

Building a DIY camping shower that is easy to take along with you on wilderness excursions is an ideal solution for keeping clean in a private setting. These 13 DIY camp shower ideas that we bring up for you will provide you with plans for easy to make showers. Choose the one that is right for your traveling needs so you, and your fellow campers, will have the comforts of home while in the wilderness.

1- Hand Held Camp Shower

In this plan we are going to show you how to use a recycled water or tea jug to make this hand held camp shower by ccanade. So easy to make and carry along with you in your backpack. This little shower will provide you with a gallon of warm water so you can wash the day of hiking and fishing off of you before turning in for the night.

Camping in the wilderness is roughing it and you can make do with one gallon of water for a shower. A small hand held shower like this one will help you go deep into the wilderness and stay longer since it’s lightweight and small.

Make two of these recycled hand held showers so you can keep one at your back door for washing off dirty feet before entering your home.

2- Car Lighter Power

This functional camping shower is powered by the lighter in your vehicle unlike in our previous plan which uses a jug. This camp shower by popsci is easy to make and takes up very little room so it’s easy to take along with you.

A 12 volt output pump is hooked up to the car lighter so the water has enough pressure to wash away the dirt and sweat you have accumulated from the great outdoors.

These easy to follow instructions will show you how to create this DIY camp shower using just a few inexpensive components.

3- Portable Camping Shower

Get the plans to build this portable camping shower in this YouTube video that is easy to make and versatile.

This DIY camping shower is not gravity fed so the water has pressure for a thorough cleaning. The shower is small and is great for taking to the beach for a quick clean up at the end of the day. It’s also great to take along to the lake, on picnics, or anywhere else you may travel and need a way to clean the outdoors off of yourself or your children before heading home.

When the portable shower is not in use on a camping trip or other outdoor adventure, use it to water garden plants and flowers. It’s also good for an off grid homestead or to keep with emergency supplies in case the electricity goes off during a storm.

4- Solar Heated Camping Shower

This DIY solar shower by Instructables is so easy to make and very inexpensive. It’s small enough to take with you on all your camping adventures yet big enough to hold plenty of water.

You will be able to enjoy a hot shower while you are out in the wilderness when you create this camp shower that is heated by the sun.

Use this free plan to transform a plastic water jug and shower head into a solar heated camp shower. A layer of black duct tape around the outside of the water jug quickly heats the water when the jug is placed in the sunshine.

To make this diy camping shower, just fill the jug with water and place it in the direct sun then go off for a day of hiking or fishing, then come back to camp that night and enjoy a hot shower. The sun does all the heating work for you so you can easily wash away the day before getting in your sleeping bag at night.

5- No Tools Needed

If you would like to build yourself a DIY camp shower but have limited building skills, then this project is for you. No tools are needed to build this portable DIY camping shower that is easy to take anywhere the camping life takes you.

Get all the details to build this effective camp shower in this YouTube video without using of any tools. This shower is also good for use at the beach, lake, or in the back yard.

You could make several of these for home use and to take with you. After a day of gardening or yard work, one of these easy to build showers would be perfect for washing off dirty feet and hands before coming indoors.

6- Car Top Shower

Great idea for people who don’t want to spend money on hotel rooms while they travel. Follow these free plans for building a car top shower by rei that is heated with solar power. You will be able to explore during the day and enjoy a hot shower before falling asleep at night with this camp shower.

The design can also be used on top of a vehicle camper if you don’t want it on your car top. This is also a good idea for use on an off grid homestead. Build one and install it on the roof top of an outbuilding for taking an outdoor shower or bathing the family dog.

7- Fold Out Camp Shower

This fold out design fits onto the outside of your camper trailer and folds neatly into its own case. This design prevents the wet shower from having to be folded up and placed inside the camper. No wet mess. No mold and mildew. Just a good clean private shower that keeps everything outside.makezine

Watch this detailed video to discover how you can easily create this fold out shower by makezine. It’s cheap and easy to build and will make your camping trips much more pleasant. It can also be used on long road trips when you don’t want to pay for a motel room.

8- PVC Pipe Camp Shower

This DIY camping shower is created from PVC pipe and a tarp. The PVC pipes can be taken apart so the shower will take up very little space when it’s packed with the camping gear.

This is a great way to get back to nature without smelling like nature. Ideal camp shower by ehow for families that are camping for several days. This would also make a good outdoor shower for an off grid homestead.

Easy and cheap to build, it will provide you with all the privacy of an indoor shower. Hang the water container overhead on a tree branch and enjoy a warm, private shower while outdoors. It can be used as a private space to change clothes when not being used as a shower.

9- Portable Shower

It’s not only campers that need a way to clean their bodies at the end of the day. Athletes that participate in triathlons, marathons, and other outdoor sporting events need a safe, sanitary way to wash off the sweat themselves and their equipment.

Public showers located in gyms and other sporting venues don’t seem like a good choice anymore in the wake of the recent pandemic. A personal, portable shower by triathlete can meet your need for a quick, sanitary shower.

It’s small enough to take along with you to any type of outdoor event that will leave you in need of a shower. Take it to training sessions, competitions, the beach, pool, or lake, This little easy to build portable shower will give you two minutes of water spray to clean you off.

10- Water Container And Shower Combo

This idea uses a ten gallon plastic container that will hold enough fresh water to use for showering by takethetruck and other water needs while on the road.

The water tank can be filled at any service station and is perfect when going on a road trip. Use the water along the way to shower, wash dirty hands and feet, and clean eating utensils. The water will come out of the ten gallon water tank by gravity or pressure, so it can be used even in the most remote camping location.

This DIY camping shower is cheap and easy to build with these detailed instructions.

11- Camp Shower On A Budget

Buying a camp shower can be an inexpensive purchase. An outdoor shower is viewed as a luxury item by retailers and they charge high prices for all luxury items. Campers know good hygiene is still an essential part of the day even when they’re in the wilderness, and a camp shower is a necessity, not a  luxury.

Follow these detailed instructions and build a DIY camping shower by littlepeaceofhappiness on a budget so you can stay clean and keep some money in your pocket. This idea will help you have four and a half gallons of solar heated water at your camp site for bathing.

12- Five Gallon Water Jug Shower

If you like to travel and get away from civilzation as often as possible, this will be a great portable camp shower on youtube for you. Watch this YouTube video for complete instructions of this off grid shower.

It is constructed from a five gallon military grade water jug and will provide enough hot water for two people to shower. It’s easy and cheap to make, and it takes up very little space in the camper or van.

Take this DIY camping shower along with you to the beach, mud bog run, mountain bike trail, camp site, or anywhere else in the great outdoors where a shower will be needed.

13- Under 30 Dollars

You can build a camp shower for under $30 when you follow this DIY plan. A two gallon garden sprayer container and a sprayer that fits in the kitchen sink are about all you will need to create this functional and portable shower.

It’s great for cleaning up at the end of the day and for keeping your gear clean. Use it to take a shower, wash utensils, spray off dirty boots, and bikes. This portable camp shower by livelikepete is cheap enough for you to make two so you can have one designated as a shower only and the second one can be used for all gear clean up.

Ending Note!

A DIY camping shower is a necessary item you need to keep with you when you are camping. These diy camping shower ideas are the best solution for diy hiking or camping. So these are our picks of diy camping shower ideas, we hope these can help you in choosing the right shower to live offgrid.

References:

Trendhunter, by Joey Haar — November 9, 2016, “Enclosed Camping Showers”, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/evershower

Advantage, By Julia Clarke last updated July 21, 2022, “How to shower while camping: 6 quick, refreshing solutions”, https://www.advnture.com/how-to/shower-camping