Toilet, Shower & Sink (H20!)
Toilet, sink, and shower: three water-based amenities you can add to your van build to make your #vanlife a whole lot more self-reliant and convenient. Not one of these three things is mandatory for life on the road, but a toilet is the number one amenity we’d recommend (trust us).
This guide will cover installing all 3 of these in your van, and we’ll include some resources that go more in-depth as well.
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Table of Contents
We talk about your options for a toilet: a porta-potty or a more luxurious composting toilet. Plus, we’ll share some Leave No Trace tips if you need to go in the wild.
We share your options for a shower: either building a permanent shower in the van, using a solar shower set-up outside the van, or simply paying for showers from the road.
Part 1: Van Toilet
It’s not the most socially-friendly thing to talk about, but our toilet was one of the best additions we made to the van. No more relying on gas stations, libraries, or other businesses to open when you need to use the bathroom. Besides, no one wants to leave an A+ campsite in the wild to go use a bathroom in town quick. Besides, toilets are a great, leave-no-trace way to comfortably live on the road.
We’ve included two options for adding a toilet to your van:
Porta-potty
When it comes to toilets, a simple porta-potty is your first option. Porta-potties are really cheap, require no installation (other than a spot to store it), and are easy to dump. The con is that you’ll need to combat the smell.
Most VanLifers who use a porta-potty use it for #1 only — and even then need to use a toilet deodorizer pod for the smell. There are a few ways to minimize the smell: dump it often (in campground dump spots – lots of helpful RV apps list them!) and leave the toilet outside to air out now and then.
We recommend this option if you’re not quite willing to shell out the money for a composting toilet. For how cheap and easy they are to maintain, porta-potties are really worth the convenience!
Composting Toilet (Nature’s Head)
A second option for your van bathroom is to buy a composting toilet. The pros are that they don’t have any smell issues, they’re sustainable, you hardly need to dump them, and you can use it for #1 and #2! The cons are that they’re expensive, require some installation, and are larger (especially taller) than a standard porta-potty.
The Nature’s Head composting toilet is the popular option and what we upgraded to in 2020. Everyone we meet with one SWEARS by them, and high praise doesn’t always come lightly for VanLife products (especially, umm, ones to do with human waste). Nature’s Head will set you back just shy of $1k and will require a bit of installation: drilling a hole through the floor for the vent. If convenience and self-reliance is important to you on the road, this is worth the investment!
The Wild
If you’re out in the wild, you might wonder if you can use the great outdoors as your toilet. Well, it’s a bit controversial. Some people say yes — if you’re following Leave No Trace principles, you’re all good! Others would say no, because no one wants everyone using the outdoors as their toilet. We definitely recommend using your toilet in the van, but we want to share some Leave No Trace tips if you do need to use the outdoors.
For #1: make sure you’re more than 70 steps away from a water source (lake, river, etc.) because you don’t want to pollute the water supply. Urine doesn’t really affect vegetation or soils much, but it can attract animals (like mountain goats) who like to lick the salty residue. These animals will dig up soil and destroy plants to get at the salt, so if you can, try to pee on rocks, gravel, or pine needles. That way, if you do attract a mountain goat, they won’t destroy the area to lick the residue. When you’re finished, pack out your toilet paper because it can take a long time to biodegrade (and no one wants to stumble upon it. That’s gross.).
For #2: find a spot that’s secluded and not likely for people to hike/camp near , and make sure you’re at least 70 paces from water or camp. Use a garden trowel to dig a cathole about 6-8 inches deep and 4-6 inches wide to go in. It’s better if the area has deep organic soil that can decompose it — which means the desert isn’t a good option for this. Pack out your toilet paper in a doggie doo-doo bag (and bonus points for packing it all out!).
If you’re in the desert, you should pack all your waste out. Yep, all of it. Since there isn’t much moisture or organic soil here, it can take a long, long time for your poo or toilet paper to decompose. Plus, rain here tends to turn into flash floods, which means what’s buried now isn’t likely to be buried later. The easiest way to do this is to do your business, then turn the doggy doo-doo bag inside out on your hand to grab everything. You’ll feel gross the first few times, but remember: you’re a badass leave no tracer now! Bask in your outdoorsy glory! Just maybe don’t brag about it at the family Thanksgiving meal or a corporate networking event. Then again, maybe you should. You do you!
You can throw your used bags in an old coffee can or some other airtight container to be super sure it won’t affect the smell of your van. We do this and keep it in the garage of our van, and we’ve never had a problem with it.
Of course, check out the OG Leave No Trace tips to become more like Bigfoot. (Some advice here: Leave No Trace is a journey we’re all on – and it’s ok to take baby steps toward being better. Don’t shame yourself (or others) for not knowing better or not being a hardcore leave-no-tracer yet).
Part 2: Shower
It’s super important to establish a routine on the road to keep you sane – and not having access to a regular shower really threw Isak through a loop when we first started. It’s definitely a great convenience to have during your travels – especially if you’re out hiking, climbing, or getting dirty and sweaty exploring. But figuring out your shower routine isn’t all that hard. Whether you decide to shower on the road, use an outdoor shower, or go big by installing a permanent indoor shower, we’ve got you covered.
Paid showers on the road
A lot of VanLifers start out by using paid showers that they find along the way on their travels. We went to independent gyms for a while, but eventually joined a nationwide chain for the convenience. Planet Fitness is a popular gym option for showering. Plus you get the bonus of being able to work out on the road, too! This is especially nice in the winter. Planet Fitness plans are $22.99/mo. if you want access to each location. This membership includes unlimited guest pass privileges, which means a couple only has to buy one plan, not two. (They also have pizza once a month, which, I mean, who doesn’t want pizza and a shower on the road?).
A lot of towns have recreation centers, laundromats, or campgrounds that have paid showers. They usually range from $4-8 per shower (though you can find free ones now and then!). It can get old always googling “showers near me” though. Hot water and quality of shower is always a gamble here.
If you’re staying in paid campsites a lot (like in national/state parks or KOAs), a lot of them have a shower facility included. Most are coin operated, so be sure to bring a few extra quarters so you don’t run out of water while shampooing! Be warned that these showers can be hit or miss on cleanliness and hot water!
When we first started, we were using local showers at recreation centers and laundromats, but it wasn’t an ideal situation for us. We didn’t like gambling on a clean, hot shower if we were paying for it. For now, we’ve got a Planet Fitness membership and a solar shower, and we highly recommend this set-up.
Solar Showers
Solar showers are popular for a few reasons: they’re inexpensive, super easy to use, and allow you to shower wherever it’s convenient. All you have to do is fill the solar bag with water, let it warm in the sun (optional), then hang it from a nearby tree or the roof of your van to use it. Some of them even include an electric water heater! You can also heat up some water on the stove or water heater and pour it into the bag to warm it up a bit.
Solar showers are also collapsible, which makes storage much easier. Just be sure to use biodegradable soaps when you’re in the wild!
Here are a few options:
– Nemo Helio Portable Pressure Camp Shower
– Sterns Sunshower
– Rinse Kit
– Roadshower
There are a lot of solar shower options at different price points, but one final thing you’ll need to consider is where you’ll shower with it. If you don’t mind wearing a bathing suit, you can just set the shower up right outside your van.
If you don’t want to use a bathing suit but want some privacy while you shower, you have three options: use a pop-up changing tent, string 2 shower curtains between your rear doors, or string 1 shower curtain between a rear door and the side-roof of your van.
1. There are a number of collapsible, pop-up changing tents online. They take up hardly any space in storage and will offer you some privacy no matter where you are. We’ve seen these at trailheads a few times on our travels, and they’re pretty easy & fast to set-up and take-down.
2. If you just want to shower just behind your van, use the rear doors for your shower space. Open your rear doors and string some shower curtains around the doors so you have privacy. Just make sure you don’t get the doors or the inside of your van too wet. And of course, wait for the shower curtains to dry before to store them so you don’t get mold or mildew in your van.
3. Another smart trick for setting up a shower spot is to string a shower curtain on the side of your van instead of the back. To do this, just open your rear door as far as it will open toward the front of your van. Then, string one side of the shower curtain to the top of the rear door and the other side to the roof rack on the side of your van. This way, you won’t have to worry about where your water splashes, since it’ll all spray on your curtain and the exterior of your van, not the interior.
If using a solar shower outside doesn’t sound like it’s for you, then you do have another option: install a full, permanent shower in your van.
Installing a shower in your van
This option isn’t for the faint of heart: installing a shower in your van takes up a large chunk of real estate, will produce a fair amount of moisture, and will require a sizable water tank, water pipes, a water pump and heater, and a tank to hold the gray water. They’re also noticeably smaller than your normal shower. But if your version of vanlife means showering in your van, we have good news: lots of people build full showers in their van. Fear not!
We didn’t do this in our build, so instead we’ll link to a few helpful resources if this is the route you’re heading down:
– Bearfoot Theory – Sprinter Van Bathroom: Pros and Cons & Would I Do It Again?
– Van Dog Traveller – Building the Shower Enclosure
– Vanlife Outfitters – Building a Tiny Shower: A Camper Van Wet Bath
– YouTube!
Here are a few tips on installing your shower system from people we’ve met on the road:
– While the shower area does take up a fair amount of space in your van, you can store your toilet and other items inside it (like towels, plastic containers, etc.) when not in use to make the most of the space.
– Your water tank will take up a fair amount of space and will be heavy. You’ll likely want to put it right over the rear axle for better weight distribution – and probably centered in the middle of the van, too. Consider laying a pipe to the exterior of your van so you can fill up the water tank from the outside for ultimate convenience.
– You can use PEX water piping if you plan on traveling to cold areas, because it shouldn’t burst when it’s below freezing (your water pump will, though, so your whole system isn’t freeze-proof). Use Sharkbite to connect the piping easily. (thanks for the tips, @OurVanQuest!)
– You’ll need to mount a gray water tank beneath or in your van to catch the used water and to easily dump it, too. Remember to dump it responsibly or the #vanlife community gets a bad rap.
– Consider mounting a fan directly over the shower so you can easily vent the moisture.
Part 3: Van Sink
Sinks are actually relatively easy to install in your van. All you’ll need is a counter to place it in, two water tanks (fresh and gray) nearby with hosing, and a small water pump.
We haven’t installed a sink in our van yet, but we’re planning to in the future. We designed our kitchen countertop with this in mind so we can add it later.
A quick note: you don’t necessarily need a sink in your van. We use a Hydroblu Pressurized Jerry Can (highly recommend!) to hold and pump our water. For cleaning dishes, we usually fill a small collapsible wash basin or use a spray bottle filled with soapy water if the dishes aren’t very dirty. So far, not having a sink is easier than we imagined it would be!
If you do choose to install a sink, it’s relatively easy. You’ll start by installing your sink and faucet on your kitchen countertop. Remember to measure twice (er, thrice if you’re Isak) and cut once. Then, simply place and secure the sink into the hole and silicone around the edges to make it water-tight.
We recommend storing the fresh and gray water tanks directly beneath the sink for convenience, because it will minimize the plumbing you’ll need to use. If you’re going all-out, however, feel free to have these housed wherever you want! Use PEX piping or something similar (as long as it’s food safe) to connect the tanks to the sink and faucet.
To pump the water, you have a few different options. Manual hand pumps are a super easy, inexpensive way to move the water – simply pump your faucet handle for the water to come out. Similarly, using a foot pump allows you to pump the water with your foot, which means you can wash your dishes with both hands.
If you’re installing an electricity system in your van, adding a 12V water pump is a super easy component to add (electricity-wise), especially for the convenience it provides. These are super low draw, so they’ll hardly affect your power system.
You can also add a water heater in between your freshwater tank and the faucet if you’d like hot water. Just make sure you’ve designed your power system to handle it!
Since we haven’t installed a sink in our van yet, here are a few helpful resources for installing yours:
– Parked In Paradise – Installing A Camper Van Water System Sink & Plumbing Diagrams
– Gnomad Home – Installing Our Water System: DIY Van Build Plumbing Made Easy
– Far Out Ride – Water System Guide for DIY Camper Van Conversion
