Showering During A Tropical Storm: Your Options

Important Question: Is it safe to shower during a tropical storm?

Before we explore the different options, It is important to address a valid question: Is it safe to shower during a tropical storm?

The answer to whether it's safe to shower during a tropical storm is largely no, especially if there is lightning present. However, it can depend on the specific situation.

Why It Might Be Unsafe: During a tropical storm, lightning poses a significant risk. Lightning can travel through the plumbing system in your home, potentially striking you while you're in the shower. Metal pipes and water act as conduits for electrical current, meaning that a lightning strike could travel through the plumbing and the water coming from your shower head. Lightning seeks the path of least resistance to reach the ground, and plumbing systems provide such a path. 

Why It Might Be Safe: In the absence of lightning, the risk of taking a shower during a tropical storm decreases significantly. If your area is only experiencing heavy rain and winds the primary concerns are potential power outages and water supply issues, rather than direct electrical hazards from showering. It's advisable to not shower or use running water at all during peak times during the storm and wait when the conditions calm down. Having a shower solution solution completely independent of a plumbing system or not near metal can also allow for safely showering a tropical storm.

Other factors to consider: It's also important to keep in mind some factors when deciding a shower solution during a storm. 

Duration of the tropical storm: The length of a tropical storm can influence your need for a shower. For shorter storms, lasting a few days, you can likely manage without showering or running water. However, if the storm persists for a week or more, you may need a longer-term temporary solution until weather conditions return to normal.

Severity of storm and resources available: The severity and danger of a storm can fluctuate, often decreasing when the storm ends. However, a more severe storm can disrupt essentials like water and electricity, making them completely unavailable.

So what are your alternative options if you desperately need a shower during a tropical storm? Well, there aren’t a lot of alternatives available, but there are a few that can serve as a sufficient substitute for your normal bathroom shower. Let’s explore those in detail. 

Alternatives to Shower During a Power Outage

1. Bucket or pot shower : A bucket shower or filling up water in a similar container is a quick and simple solution for a makeshift shower solution. A heating option is also available if you're able to boil the water to a safe temperature on a gas stove.The only challenge is to be sure to plan ahead and have a water source in place to fill up your bucket with water whenever it's having water in your bathtub or in a larger bucket.
2. Wet Wipes and No-Rinse Cleansing Cloths: Not really a shower but these are convenient for quick clean-ups and can help you stay fresh without the need for water. They however can be difficult to adequately thoroughly clean your whole body and would require you to use quite a few wipes.
3. Sponge Baths: Use a basin of water and a washcloth to clean yourself. This method uses minimal water and can be effective for maintaining hygiene.The Difficulties with a sponge bath are similar to a bucket and wet wipes shower.
4. Use a solar heater gravity shower: Often used for camping, a solar heater can be a great solution if you're lucky to have one on hand. The gravity-powered solution can provide a good stream of water but is relatively weak pressure wise. 
5. A Portable Shower: Probably the best alternative to all the above is a portable shower. A good portable shower will make it so you have actual water pressure when showering - making the most out of the limited water you have available. Depending on the portable shower, it may even come with a heating option. Some portable showers can also provide hot water almost instantly, or alternatively can heat the water off a portable power source like your car’s 12 volt plug. 

As you can see, a portable shower is the best solution for a temporary shower option during a tropical storm. The type of portable shower you choose is very important. There are some “portable showers” that are basically the equivalent of pouring a water jug on your head (aka the gravity shower), and there are some that are battery-pressurized so you can take a high-pressure shower anywhere. So if you’re looking for a portable shower as a backup to your normal shower during a power outage, you should consider the following factors when doing your research:

What to Consider when Researching Portable Showers

• Capacity: Unless you want to take a quick 20 second rinse off, you will want to consider capacity when researching portable showers. The more water, the better, especially if you’re a person that loves long showers. The average shower uses 2.5 gallons of water per minute, so if you want a substantial shower, you’ll want to look at portable showers with at least 3 gallons of capacity.
• Portability: If you’re going to use the portable shower in or around your home during a power outage, you’ll want to make sure that it’s easy to move around, and carry up and down stairs if needed. The size, shape and weight of the portable shower should be considered then, taking these potential uses into account.
• Ease of Use: Some portable showers can be a little complicated to set up. If your power is out and you don’t have light, or if you don’t want to have to put in too much work to get it to function, you will want to consider ease of use when doing your research.
• Pressurization Method: The difference between a portable shower and simple jug of water is that true portable showers provide a way to control the water and provide some degree of pressurization. For example, some portable showers rely on gravity, some rely on a pump, etc. So depending on how much pressure you want and how much work you want to put into pressurizing, you should make sure you know what you’re getting when you buy your portable shower.
• Heating Options: Heating water is tough. So whenever you’re choosing your portable shower, you need to be clear on how it heats up water. If it’s electric, you’ll want to make sure that you’ll have enough power in a portable power source to feed the heater. If it runs on propane, you need to make sure that you’ll be able to use it outside, as you cannot have propane running inside.

So you can see there are a number of factors to consider when choosing your portable shower. If you do your research, you’ll find that there aren’t many options available that check all the boxes to be considered a legitimate backup portable shower. There however is one that does check all the boxes.

Why RinseKit Is The Best Choice For Showering During A Tropical Storm

 

1. On-Demand Convenience

RinseKit’s portable showers are battery-pressurized and use an onboard water tank. This means that all you have to do to operate it is pour in water, press the power button, and you get a consistent, high pressure spray that does not decrease as you use water. This ease of use means you can freshen up anytime, anywhere - quickly and easily. 

2. Consistent Water Pressure 

RinseKit’s battery-powered pressure system means that they maintain a strong, steady spray, no matter how much water is in the tank. It’s the same pressure you’d get from your hose or shower at home, so you don’t have to sacrifice the pressure you’re used to.

4. High Water Capacity & Efficient 

With a high-capacity tank (3.5 to 5 gallons), RinseKit provides sufficient water for a thorough rinse while conserving water – a critical aspect during a tropical storm. 

5. Portability

Unlike other similar-sized portable showers, the RinseKit is an all-in-one solution, as in, the water tank, battery and hose are all contained within the unit. It’s also a convenient shape which allows for easy transport and can fit in small / tight spaces. They also all feature a convenient top handle, making it easy to carry and move around like a cooler.

6. Heating Options

With accessories like the RinseKit HyperHeater, you can enjoy hot showers, combining the comfort of gas-powered and electric showers. The HyperHeater heats water up to 110 F in 30 seconds, which is actually faster than your normal shower.

When a tropical storm hits, maintaining personal hygiene can be challenging, but it's essential for health and comfort. Showering during a tropical storm, especially when lightning is present, poses significant risks due to the potential for lightning to travel through plumbing systems. Even with heavy rain and winds, power outages and water supply disruptions can make traditional showering methods impractical or unsafe. RinseKit is the safe- ultimate choice for a portable shower solution during a tropical storm. It provides on-demand convenience with its battery-pressurized system, ensuring consistent water pressure that mirrors your home shower. With a high water capacity of 3.5 to 5 gallons, it allows for thorough and efficient rinsing. RinseKit’s compact, all-in-one design makes it easy to transport and store, while its heating options, like the HyperHeater, provide hot water quickly, adding comfort to your storm preparedness plan. By choosing RinseKit, you ensure that you have a reliable and efficient way to stay clean and safe during a tropical storm, making it an indispensable part of your emergency preparedness kit.