Mandy PhillipsTechnology is amazing, and it helps you do so much. Plus, you get to enjoy so many perks like hot water, electricity, and light.
In our modern age, technology just works—until it doesn’t. Then you are left scrambling to come up with creative solutions to awkward problems such as not having electricity for your water boiler, having a broken water heater, or being stuck in a power outage when you need to shower or bathe!
Here are the latest and hottest ways to deal with it when there’s no hot water.
How to Shower When There Is No Hot Water
When it’s the dead of winter, it’s not an appealing thought to consider taking a cold shower — unless you are stoic and already enjoy the benefits of one.
However, there are some great solutions to taking a shower or bath without having to deal with freezing cold water.
When it comes to getting clean, you may find these alternatives surprisingly effective.
1. Heat up the Water
If your water heater has blown, but you still have electricity, you can heat up water for your bath or shower.
This may be a bit of a pain, but you will still have a warm bath or shower.
For the bath, you will have to heat up enough water to warm your cold water.
It is a good idea to add the warm water first and then begin adding your cold water, checking to ensure you reach the right temperature.
A standard hot bath takes about 15 gallons of hot water, which can probably be matched with 10 gallons of cold water for a warm bath.
A shower uses 6-8 gallons of hot water. This means you will need to heat up your hot water in sessions.
In between heating up your hot water, you will have to ensure the already heated water doesn’t cool down again.
There are several ways to do this: you could close the bathroom door and windows, switch off the bathroom extractor fan, and perhaps keep the hot water in a smaller container such as a large bucket or basin before you add all of it to the tub for your bath.
These ways help keep the water hot until you have enough water for the bath.
If you have to heat up water for a shower, you will probably need a portable shower or camping shower set-up.
If you are really desperate and don’t have any of these, you can use a watering can filled with warm (but not hot) water to shower with.
To use this, you would have to quickly wet yourself, soap, and then rinse without constantly running the water.
2. Heating Up Your Bath With Hot Stones
Another interesting way to heat up the water for your bath or shower is to add hot stones to your bath.
By heating stones in the microwave, stove, or an open fire, you can add the heated stones to your bathwater, which will heat up the water.
Your stones need to reach a temperature of more than 130℉ to heat up the water.
3. Safely Drain Your Water Heater or Geyser
Should your water heater or geyser become inoperational, you can drain the pipes of your water heater.
Simply turn the shut-off valve, cutting off the water supply. Now you can let all the hot water pump into the bath.
4. Use a Shower Bag or Camping Shower
A shower bag or camping shower is an ideal way to beat the power outages blues.
These canvas showers can heat up your 10-12 gallons of water by simply adding a single kettle full of boiling water.
5. Take a Sponge Bath
Sometimes you will not even have the luck of being able to boil a large quantity of water or the ability to lay a complaint.
This is where a sponge bath can help you get clean despite not being able to shower.
Simply pour a kettle of hot water into a small bowl, wet your sponge, and wipe your body.
6. Use a Dry Shower Gel
When you can’t shower or bath, you can always opt for a dry shower.
Designed to be used by active people who want to clean up on the go, this dry foaming shower gel can help your cleaning routine when there’s no hot water available.
Simply spray on the foaming gel and wipe off, no rinse required.
7. A Powder Shower
Before innovative products like dry foam shower gels, people used to rely on a powder shower.
This is simply “bathing” in baby powder or talcum.
The baby powder removes sweat and body odor without the use of water.
8. Skip the Hair Washing Routine
If you are a typical hygiene fanatic, then you probably wash your hair daily, but when water is in short supply or there is no hot water, you may have to resort to washing your hair every other day instead.
Far from being harmful, washing your hair less frequently and in cold water is actually good for your hair.
Skipping your hair washing routine for a few days can help smooth frizzy hair and reduce dandruff too.
9. Take a Cold Shower or a Bath
Finally, when your broken boiler or broken water heater forces you to discover a cold bath or shower, you may be surprised by the benefits and just how good it feels.
Benefits of a Cold Shower or a Bath
The benefits of a cold shower include:
- Less itchy skin and settled sebum production
- Great looking hair and skin
- Better blood circulation
- Improved levels of alertness
How to Properly Take a Cold Shower or a Bath
Training your body to accept a cold water shower can help you endure the bracing experience when you have no other choice but to step into the cold water.
These steps will help you prepare mentally and physically for a cold shower or bath and actually enjoy it.
- When you are going to take your first cold shower, start with a warm shower. Gradually decrease the temperature and start running the cooler water over your extremities.
- Warm up after your shower to prevent shaking and discomfort.
- Wrap your body in a towel before you step into the shower. This helps your body to accept the cool water more easily.
- Ensure your bathroom space is warm and cozy so you can warm up as soon as you step out of the tub or shower.
