How do you bathe if your water heater goes out...for five years!?

Paco Dennis

Paco Dennis

SF VIP
Location
Mid-Missouri
I have mentioned this elsewhere that I have lived in an Intentional Community since 1986. I only have $670 in SS a month. The other monk brings in about the same. When our water heater died we looked into replacing it. The plumber said our old building's water pipes would need replacing too. The cost of it all was prohibitive. We decided to sponge bathe in cold water and a good soap. Today we decided we need to a hot shower or bath because we are getting build up of dead skin, dirt and oil. Visiting our friends would be an imposition one of us thinks/feels, so we looked into renting a B&B, or motel room for a night and using their shower/tub. Then I got the idea of covering my body with dish soap and letting it set for 5 minutes and then rinsing with cold water. This is the results.

Before the endeavor

20210715_110321.jpg

Build up

before.jpg

Soaked with dish soap

soaked.jpg

After

after.jpg
 

A good ol' 5 litre kettle you can heat on the stove is a good source of hot water too. I bought one online a couple years ago to save on electricity wasted by my old water heater and for when the water heater finally broke down. We always had a big kettle at my mom and dads place. They didn't have a water heater. We took baths in a metal tub and heated additional buckets of water on the coal heater or the gas stove.
 
Judycat said:
A good ol' 5 litre kettle you can heat on the stove is a good source of hot water too. I bought one online a couple years ago to save on electricity wasted by my old water heater and for when the water heater finally broke down. We always had a big kettle at my mom and dads place. They didn't have a water heater. We took baths in a metal tub and heated additional buckets of water on the coal heater or the gas stove.
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We boil hot water on our electric stove and fill one side of our kitchen sink to warm/hot water then sponge bathe.
 
I have been in that position a couple of times. I used a five gallon bucket and heated water to put in it. Put it in the shower and used a large pitcher to douse myself with water, then soap up everywhere and then rinse. You don't really need 5 gallons, 3-3-1/2 is perfect. Have also done that in a barn (long story LOL).
 
So, it's sort of like a commune but you don't share everything?

State parks and campgrounds often have a building used for showers that anyone can use. Big truck stop/ gas station/ restaurant combos, usually have showers that can be used for a low price.

I wish you could come to my house, we have a huge jacuzzi tub that I have to clean every week because all the dust and dog hair in the air seems to float and land there,, but we never, ever use it because it's a little hard to get in and out of.

I really want you to have the pleasurable exfoliating action of a rough washcloth and lots of hot water, even if your method of melting it off with chemicals did seem to work well.

$12 at Loves Truck stops.

https://www.thefitrv.com/rv-tips/how-to-take-a-shower-at-a-truck-stop/
 
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Well, I sure am spoiled!
I could have saved a fortune by buying a big kettle & heating it up for hot water.
I re-piped my house last year & the plumbers "Threw in" a new water heater.
Yeah.....they "Threw it in" after I paid $18,000.00 for the copper re-pipe. 😂
 
win231 said:
Whew! I was concerned about what you would show us. 😂 😂
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Now I'm traumatized after seeing those photos. 😢

I ran cold water in a bucket for several years and washed off from the bucket while standing in the shower stall. I always used a wash cloth, and could soap up and wash it off when I wanted, but don't like getting all soapy so that was rare. A friend kept asking "why do you use a bucket?" I said because it's easy and I didn't want to waste water.

My shower does have a low flow shower head though, so eventually I started to use it again and I guess it's easier than the bucket. So now I just use the shower. But I still have the bucket!
 
win231 said:
Well, I sure am spoiled!
I could have saved a fortune by buying a big kettle & heating it up for hot water.
I re-piped my house last year & the plumbers "Threw in" a new water heater.
Yeah.....they "Threw it in" after I paid $18,000.00 for the copper re-pipe. 😂
Click to expand...
I'm sure if Paco Dennis had 18,000.00 to spend on his plumbing and hot water heater he would be spoiled too. But with only having 670.00 a month to live on, his options are few as with many seniors who live on such a limited income they do the best they can.
 
I use these at times.

Member's Mark Adult Washcloths​

https://www.samsclub.com/p/mm-adult-wipes-240-ct/prod21063583?xid=plp_product_3

They are great; if you don't have a sams membership, maybe a friend that has one could get you these. I also found them at Wallgreens with Different names but the same product inside.

I like putting them in the Microwave for about 1+ minutes to heat them up. I'll be 86 Monday & I've been using these ever since they started giving me sponge baths in the hospital with similar cloths. My Dermatologist says these are great for your skin.
 
Judycat said:
A good ol' 5 litre kettle you can heat on the stove is a good source of hot water too. I bought one online a couple years ago to save on electricity wasted by my old water heater and for when the water heater finally broke down. We always had a big kettle at my mom and dads place. They didn't have a water heater. We took baths in a metal tub and heated additional buckets of water on the coal heater or the gas stove.
Click to expand...
Yup

Up at the cabin we heated bathing water in an old canner, on a propane camp stove, but mostly on the wood stove, in winter.......for five years.

Summer?

'Sun' bathing

I do miss that

RIUU9CK.png
 
Gary O' said:
Yup

Up at the cabin we heated bathing water in an old canner, on a propane camp stove, but mostly on the wood stove, in winter.......for five years.

Summer?

'Sun' bathing

I do miss that

RIUU9CK.png
Click to expand...
Love this, it sparked a memory of about 20 years ago. Due to some odd happenings, water damage, tub not unusable. I had my grandparents old galvanized tub so I filled it up (outside) and placed some old windows over it. Redneck solar heating 🤣, and had a nice bath in late afternoon. 🤣
 
When we ran out of water for 6 months due to well problems, I bathed in one of those huge plastic storage containers. They were plenty big for bathing. I’d boil half the water and the other half was room temperature spring water from containers. It worked.
 
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Keesha said:
When we ran out of water for 6 months due to well problems, a bathed in one of those huge plastic storage containers. They were plenty big for bathing. I’d boil half the water and the other half was room temperature spring water from containers. It worked.
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That is a great idea, @Keesha!
 
Are there any caravan parks or even a public pool around you?
Surely they would be cheaper than a B&B.
I would have boiled the kettle and used that water to bathe in.
 

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