Campervan washroom essentials

Introduction to campervan washroom basics

© Photo by Geneve Brand

Campsite washroom facilities

Washroom facilities vary enormously between campsites. High-end luxury holiday parks are likely to have more than one facilities block on site, and there will be things like accessible showers and family bathrooms available.

Those open all year round will be heated and may even have heated floors. However, if you’re staying on a small site at a farm perhaps, facilities will be much more on the basic side. There might not be hot water available and toilet cubicles could be unisex.

Using campsite showers

Campervan shower towels and shoes 

© Photos courtesy of Mountain Warehouse; Pixabay

Use a microfibre towel

The first thing you’ll need for a good shower or morning wash is a towel. Whilst it’s tempting to bring a big fluffy thing from home, these are not practical for camping. Not only do they take up a lot of space in your campervan but anything made of cotton will take an age to dry.

Instead, opt for a microfibre towel. Not only do these pack up very small but they will also dry very quickly, especially if hung up outside. Microfibre towels and flannels are available in a range of sizes, just like ordinary towels, and you can even find microfibre bathrobes.

Protect your feet

You will also need some suitable footwear for taking a campsite shower. Bear in mind that shower cubicles can see a lot of campers in a day, so floors can be muddy, etc.

For hygiene reasons (for the prevention of athlete’s foot, for example) it’s a good idea to keep something on your feet at all times. Something waterproof that’s easy to slip on and off is perfect, such as flip-flops or Crocs.

Campervan washbag kit

© Photos courtesy of Bottleshower; Snugpak

Get a travel washbag

To keep all your washroom essentials in one place and for easy transportation, get a good-sized washbag with a carry handle.

Pack everything you’d use at home (such as shampoo, body gel, toothpaste, etc) but think about pack size.

For short trips, the mini bottles of shampoo, etc, you can buy in places like airport departure lounges are ideal. Keep the empties and refill them at home.

Folding travel toothbrushes are handy, too – just get a different colour for each member of your camp so you know whose is whose. It’s also worth having a folding travel mirror.

Water-free products

If camping off-grid with limited access to water, use water-free products. Companies like Pits & Bits, for example, offer a good range of things like dry shampoo and body soap. 

The dos and don'ts of electrical gadgets

If you only plan on staying at sites with electric hook-up, then you can take things like a hair dryer with you. However, get travel versions of these, if you can.

Always check how many amps you have on your pitch. Lots of sites have 16A in order to cope with the use of portable domestic appliances such as kettles and toasters, but many only have 10A. That means plugging in your high-end hair straighteners could plunge the whole campsite into a blackout!