Do Portable Solar Showers Really Work

Portable solar showers are plastic bags that you fill with water and leave them in the sun to heat. After a while you have warm water that you can take a shower with using the built in shower nozzle.

These showers are sold as an outdoor and camping item but they can also be for home use. I tried one of these last summer and it worked so well that I started using it at home instead of the regular shower. Home water heaters are one of the biggest energy hogs in a home and with a solar bag shower that I bought for less than $20 I eliminated that bill as far as showers go.

Solar bag showers are made of tough plastic that is clear on one side and dark on the other. You fill it with water and lay it out in the sun with the clear side facing up. On a warm sunny day after 2 or 3 hours it's warm enough to take a shower. In some cases it may even be too hot and you will have to add some cold water.

Once it is hot you hang it above head level and turn on the valve. You can do this outdoors or bring it inside and use it in your home or RV shower if you install a hanger or shelf to put it on. I found the 5 gallon solar shower to be plenty for one person to take a fairly long shower.

A solar shower bag is not for cold weather. Unless the weather is warm and sunny the water will not get warm enough. I have an outdoor shower set up and if the weather is above 70 degrees I can just leave the bag hanging in the shower position and it gets plenty hot. If it's only in the 60's I have to set it down flat so it will be exposed to maximum sun.

If you enjoy camping or if you want to switch your showers to solar power during the warm months of the year a solar bag shower is an excellent low cost solution.

Learn more about and where to buy a solar water shower.