How to Use a Coin Operated Shower

Co-authored by Amber Crain

Last Updated: June 5, 2022 References

Showers are hard to come by if you spend a lot of time road tripping or camping. The next time you're on the road and catch an eye-watering whiff of your own personal musk, a coin-operated shower can fix you right up! You can find these showers at most state campgrounds and they're super easy to use. Grab your quarters and toiletries, jump in, and scrub up. You'll be refreshed and off on your next adventure within minutes.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Taking Your Shower

1
Do a quick inspection of the shower before stripping down. Since most coin-operated showers are on campgrounds, you never know what kind of creepy crawlies might be hanging out in them. Quickly scope out the shower area for snakes, rodents, bugs, and other critters.^{[1]
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- While you’re at it, take a look at the shower itself to confirm it’s in working order.
2
Check the pricing and grab plenty of quarters to cover the shower. Coin-operated showers have time limits, so once you drop your quarters in, it’s a race against the clock. Check for a sign posted nearby with the exact price and time frame for that facility.^{[2]
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- For example, a shower might charge 50 cents for 3-4 minutes of water.^{[3]
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- Bring a few extra quarters with you. You may lose some time fiddling with heat settings or waiting for the warm water to kick in.
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3
Grab your toiletries, clean clothes, flip-flops, and towel. Collect everything you need for your shower and put on your flip-flops or shower shoes. Then, set up the toiletries in the shower so they’re within easy reach.^{[4]
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- It’s fine to strip down to your birthday suit in a public shower, but always wear shower shoes or flip-flops to protect your feet from germs.
- If you’re on the road a lot, put together a zip-lock bag filled with everything you need—shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant, razors, a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a hair tie or headband. That way, you can just grab your bag and get to it.^{[5]
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4
Strip down and pop your coins into the machine. Once everything is set up, get undressed. Drop your coins into the machine and stand with your head under the spray. Brace yourself—it might start out cold!^{[6]
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- If you know how long you want to spend in the shower, drop in enough quarters to cover that time span. That way, you’ll get an uninterrupted spray of water.
- If you’re traveling with someone and don’t mind if they see you naked, consider showering together to save time and money.
- If the shower doesn’t have a timer or visual countdown, use the timer on your cell phone. Place your cell phone in a dry spot where it won’t get wet, though.^{[7]
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5
Shampoo and condition your hair first to get it out of the way. Washing your hair takes the most time, so do it first. Wet your hair, apply the shampoo, and lather it up. Rinse it out completely. Then, apply conditioner and rinse it out right away since time is of the essence.^{[8]
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- If your hair is pretty clean, you can always wash it next time and use dry shampoo for now.^{[9]
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Soap up your body and rinse off quickly and thoroughly. Hit the hot spots first since those are the dirtiest—your pits, groin, and bum. Then, lather up your limbs, torso, and so on. Rinse off as fast as you can! 3 minutes pass quickly and you don’t want to be left standing with a soapy body and no water.^{[10]
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- You can wash your face in the shower or use the sink if you run out of time.
- Use any remaining time to shave or just relax under the warm water.
7
Towel off and put on a clean set of clothes. When the water stops, grab your towel and dry off quickly since it might be pretty chilly. Apply deodorant and put on a fresh set of clothes. Now you’re squeaky clean and ready for a new adventure!^{[11]
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- Microfiber towels are the most absorbent kind—invest in one if you shower on the road a lot. That way, you can dry yourself off super fast.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Finding Shower Facilities on the Road

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Stop at state campgrounds to find coin-operated showers. Most state campgrounds have coin-operated showers, so they’re a pretty safe bet. If you want to be prepared, pick up a state map from a visitor or welcome center that lists all of the state campgrounds and their available facilities.^{[12]
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- Some campgrounds require you to pay for a night of camping. Others allow you to park outside and just use the facilities. Be sure to find out the rules for the grounds you’re on.
2
Get a gym membership and use their facilities for regular showers. This is a great option if you’re heading out for a long road trip or spend a lot of time traveling to different camp sites. Choose a national gym chain, like 24-Hour Fitness, that has plenty of locations. That way, you can grab a shower in pretty much any city you pass through.^{[13]
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- Most gym memberships are relatively low monthly payments that are automatically deducted from your bank account.
- Some gyms might have other awesome perks you can take advantage of, like saunas and spas. Imagine that after a long day of hiking!
3
Pull over at a truck stop for easy access to facilities. Truck stops are usually pretty nice and you can find them all over the country on major highways and interstate roads. Typically, they require a flat fee to use the shower facilities (somewhere between $7 and $15 is pretty common), but you can stay in there as long as you want. Some may even provide soap and shampoo.^{[14]
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- While you’re there, grab a few snacks and take advantage of their free wi-fi.
- This may not be your go-to option if you’re on a budget, but an occasional truck stop visit is worth the cost if you’re a road warrior.
4
Invest in a pocket shower if you camp outdoors a lot. You can pick up a pocket shower online or at places that sell sports and outdoor equipment. To use it, fill up the durable pouch with water and let it sit in the sun for a few hours to warm up. When you're ready for a shower, hang the pouch from a tree branch, lantern hook, or your vehicle’s boat rack and get to it.^{[15]
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- You’ll need to find a private area to use a pocket shower. If you hike or camp in remote places frequently, a pocket shower may be a great investment.
5
Keep baby wipes on you for times when you can’t find a shower. If you’re on the road a lot, there may be times when you just can’t find a shower. Stow a package or canister of baby wipes in your vehicle and use them to wipe down your body in between showers.^{[16]
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- To keep your hair clean between showers, give it a quick spray of dry shampoo and brush your hair to evenly distribute the product.^{[17]
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