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6 Easy Ways To Upgrade Your RV Shower

This post was updated on March 15th, 2024

Having a shower wherever you may roam is pretty awesome. After all, what could be better than washing off after a long hike in the middle of nowhere? This is something not many people can do, and if you own an RV, you’re one of the lucky few that can.

That said, if you own an RV, you also likely know all too well the hassles that RV showers create. While it is handy to shower anytime and anywhere, there are many less-than-handy things about RV showers. Fortunately, most of these annoying design flaws can be fixed quickly and easily. Why not give it a shot?

Below are simple changes you can make in your RV shower to make it more useful and enjoyable.

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1. Replace your showerhead

One of the first things you probably noticed when using your RV shower is the fact that the hot water runs out really fast. The second thing you probably noticed was just how quickly a shower can drain your freshwater tank and fill your gray tank.

shower
Photo via iRV2

Obviously, these are some really big issues, and not things you want to deal with all the time. That’s why every serious RVer needs to replace their showerhead. A low-flow showerhead such as one made by Oxygenics will reduce the amount of water you use, cut back on the amount of wastewater you produce, and help make your hot water last longer.

2. Install an on-demand water heater

If you find you still run out of hot water, or if you’re just sick of waiting for the water to heat up after every shower or dishwashing session, the next step is to invest in an on-demand hot water heater.

These handy gadgets can be quite pricey. That said, they are well worth the money if you use a lot of hot water.

Wondering if you can use your on-demand electric water heater while boondocking? The answer is yes—as long as you have battery power, these gadgets will still run. This means you can continue to run wild and free while staying warm and clean.

3. Get a curved curtain rod

It’s no secret that RV showers are small. For tiny people, this is no problem at all. However, for average-sized people, this can become really annoying, especially when the shower curtain starts sticking to your skin and getting pulled around every time you move.

The simplest solution to this problem is to purchase and install a curved shower curtain rod. These rods hold the curtain out away from the shower in the middle, giving you more room to move without pulling the curtain along with you.

If your RV bathroom is super tiny, a traditional curved rod may not work. In these cases, this Extend-a-Shower rod might be just the thing.

Don’t have a curtain in your RV shower? If you’re stuck with a shower door that makes it impossible to maneuver in your tiny shower space, you might consider taking the door out and replacing it with a curtain on a curved rod.

4. Invest in soap dispensers

Sometimes taking a shower after moving day is super frustrating. Walking in to find shampoo bottles on the floor of the shower with their contents spilling out is never fun, nor is digging the toiletries out of whatever cabinet or bag you stored them in during the moving process.

To fix this issue, simply invest in some wall-mounted soap dispensers. These make showering in a small space much easier and remove the need to keep track of all those bottles that love rolling around as you drive down the road.

shower
Soap dispensers – Photo by editor

Dispensers are also great because they allow you to purchase larger bottles without having to mess with actually using those gigantic things. This saves you money and helps keep the earth a bit greener by reducing the amount of packaging you use.

See also: Save Space In Your RV With Soap Dispensers

5. Make a DIY baby bathtub

One issue that many RVing parents face is the fact that their RV doesn’t have a bathtub for bathing a baby. Because it’s no fun to take a little one into the shower, finding a solution to this problem is necessary.

Luckily, the answer is pretty simple: a collapsible laundry basket. Collapsible laundry baskets (the ones with solid sides) are exactly the right size for an infant or toddler bathtub.

They can be set in the shower floor and filled with water, then dumped out when bathtime is over. Best of all, because these makeshift bathtubs are collapsible, you can fold them up and store them flat when you’re done. This is a huge bonus in a small RV and something every RVer will appreciate.

6. Put up a towel rod

Want to know something weird about RV bathrooms? Most of them do not come equipped with a towel rod. Obviously, this is a problem and should be fixed as soon as possible. After all, you need a place to hang your towel both during and after your shower.

shower
Photo via iRV2

A towel rod can be screwed or stuck on the wall. However, if you’re hesitant about doing this, you might consider an over-the-door towel rod or a set of hooks. Another option is to purchase some heavy-duty Command Hooks to put on the wall. No matter how you do it, you’ll be glad to have a place to hang dry your towel.

If you find your towel has a hard time drying in your bathroom, you might consider shopping for some Turkish towels. These dry much faster than traditional terry towels and are perfect for RV use.

Making these simple adjustments to your shower can maximize your enjoyment of your RV more than you might imagine. Go ahead and take the plunge and get started on these projects right away. We promise you won’t regret it!




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