How to Bathe when Water Is Scarce

Last Updated: June 2, 2021 References

Even when water is scarce, you still need to keep clean. Luckily, you have a few options available to you, such as taking a sponge bath, or if you have a bit more water, a navy shower. You can also take steps to conserve water in the shower even if water isn't scarce in your area.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Taking a Sponge Bath

1
Fill a bucket with of hot water and baking soda. Add 3 cups (710 ml) of hot water to a metal bucket. Stir in about 3 tablespoons (44 ml) of baking soda. Try not to leave any grains in the bottom.
2
Wash your hair in the mixture. Soak your hair in the water, and comb it all the way through. Dump out the water, and repeat the process. Leave your hair wet in a towel.

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3
Refill the bucket with hot water and less baking soda. Add about 3 cups (710 ml) of warm to hot water to a bucket. Add 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of baking soda to the water. Stir the mixture to combine.
4
Scrub your body with the mixture. Scrub down your whole body, rinsing out the cloth often. You can use some soap on hairy areas, but only a little. Use water on the rag to rinse it off.^{[1]
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- Using too much soap means you have to rinse it out, which is difficult to do with a sponge bath.
- However, medical supply stores also carry products that don't require much water to use, such as no-rinse liquid body soap.^{[2]
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5
Rinse out your hair with 2 cups (470 ml) to 3 cups (710 ml) of water. Put fresh water in the basin. Dunk your head in the basin, getting it completely wet. Use a comb to remove the dirt and baking soda. Dunk again if you need to, and then dry off per usual.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Using Dry Methods

1
Use baby wipes to clean yourself if you don't have any access to water. They won't get you completely clean, but they will help. Just be sure to use more than one wipe as each one gets dirty.^{[3]
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- Apply lotion after you use the baby wipes to moisturize your skin.
2
Spray in dry shampoo. Hold the dry shampoo about a foot from your head, aiming just at the roots. Start with enough to cover your hair, but don't spray too much. Let it sit for a few minutes, then use your hands to rub it in. You can also brush it in. If your hair still looks greasy, you can try again.^{[4]
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3
Apply deodorant at night. To keep yourself smelling good between showers, you can apply deodorant. Try applying it at night and in the morning. Applying it a night gives it a chance to work in a moisture-free environment.^{[5]
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4
Avoid tight-fitting clothing. When you aren't showering as much, you want to stay as cool as possible. The hottest areas of your body will smell the most. Loose-fitting clothing will help you stay cool in those areas and smell less.^{[6]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Taking a Navy Shower

1
Turn the shower on for 30 seconds. Turn on the water long enough to just get yourself wet, about 30 seconds. Make sure you get your hair and whole body wet in this amount of time, then shut the shower off.
2
Turn off the shower, and lather with soap. With the water off, proceed to lather up your body. Put shampoo in your hair, and rub it in well. Soap up your body. Keep going until you've got your whole body covered in soap suds.
3
Shave as needed. While the water is off, take the time to shave. If you need a little water to rinse off your razor from time to time, fill an old cup with water. Then just agitate it in the water to clean it off before moving on.
4
Turn the water on, and rinse with soap. Turn the water back on. Starting with your hair, begin rinsing off the soap. Rinse from the top down so you're not adding soap back to areas you've already rinsed. Leave the shower on just long enough to rinse off your whole body.
5
Repeat the process for conditioner. If you need to use conditioner, turn off the water again, and lather up with conditioner. Once you're done, turn the water on again to rinse it out. Alternatively, use a leave-in conditioner that doesn't need to be rinsed out.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Saving Water when Bathing

1
Reduce the number of showers you take. If you take a shower everyday, you're not alone. However, most of the time, you don't need to shower that often to stay clean. Try reducing the number of showers you take until you reach an equilibrium of taking fewer showers and still staying relatively clean.^{[7]
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- Sometimes, showering every other day will do, and some people even shower once a week.
2
Opt for a low-flow shower head.^{[8]
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Expert Source

Kathryn Kellogg
Eco-friendly Living Expert
Expert Interview. 28 June 2019.} These shower heads use less water per minute, so you're saving water while using them. Most of the time, you won't even be able to tell the difference between a low-flow shower head and normal shower head.
- It also helps not to turn the water on full-blast.
- You can find these at most home improvement stores. Typically, the run about the same price or a little more than a conventional shower head. Most of the time, you can install them yourself.
3
Take shorter showers. Another option is to just try to shorten your shower as much as possible. While a hot shower feels great on your muscles, it wastes a lot of water. Try to take a shower as fast as you can. Start by timing yourself, and then try to reduce your shower by 30 seconds every day.
4
Shower instead of taking a bath. Filling up a bathtub takes a lot more water than simply taking a quick shower. When you can, opt for a shower instead. When you need to take a bath, only fill it up about a quarter of the way.
5
Share a bath. You and your partner can hop into the bath or shower together rather than using twice the water to bathe separately. Kids can also share one bath, helping to save water.^{[9]
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- Of course, if your kids aren't comfortable bathing together, it's not a good idea to force them. You could also let them wear bathing suits for privacy.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I convince my children that they have to go in with their siblings?

OrangeBerry2846

Community Answer

If you have young children ages 8 and under, you can try to get them to bath together by making it fun. Bath bubbles, bath toys and simple hand games can help convince them. However, if they are ages 9 and older, it's best to find a strategy where they can bathe separately.
Question

How can I take a bath with 1 liter of water?

Community Answer

Instead of a full-on bath, put the water in a bowl, and use a washcloth to wipe down your body.
Question

How many days can I go without bathing and not smell funky?

Nate848

Community Answer

It will probably only take a day or two before you start to smell, depending on what climate you live in and what work you are doing.