TrailManor Owner's Forum - View Single Post

RockyMtnRay · 10-01-2004, 09:10 AM

Hal...you're clearly not doing this right.

Bill...you're doing it right but still using too much water.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ABSOLUTE MINIMUM WATER USE SHOWER:

Step 1. With a wash cloth positioned under the shower head wand, quickly adjust hot/cold valves until the temperature is tolerable and just enough water flows to barely spray from the shower head. The water pump should be very slowly pulsing...if it is running continuously you have the valves way too far open. Water used a this point: under a pint but not completely wasted as the wet cloth will be used later.

Step 2. Barely wet skin and hair by moving shower head wand quickly over the entire body with the shower head within two inches of each skin surface. Water usage for this step: about 1 quart.

Step 3. IMMEDIATELY TURN OFF THE FLOW AT THE SHOWER HEAD AND PLACE THE WAND IN THE HOLDER AT THE VALVE. By turning off the flow at the shower head, absolutely no readjustment of the temperature will be needed later. Putting the wand back into the receptacle at the valves insures it will be easily found again...there will be no fumbling and no trying to hold both wand and soapy cloth. Since the flow has been stopped, there's no spray of wasted water while the wand is in its receptacle.

Step 4. Apply shampoo to hair. Use as little as possible. Water usage while applying shampoo: NONE!

Step 5. Apply a gel body wash...not soap...to the wash cloth that was wetted in step 1. Body wash gels make more suds than bar soap, one application is enough for anyone's body...there is no need to resoap the cloth, and the suds wash off more easily. Plus there is no icky wet bar of soap afterwards...the body wash bottle readily goes back in the bathroom cabinet. Apply suds to entire body. Water usage while sudsing: NONE!

Step 6. Put wash cloth in bathroom sink...it's already soapy so use it later for hand washing.

Step 7. Grab wand from its easily found position in the valve mounted receptacle and turn on the flow with valve in the shower head. DO NOT WASTE TIME OR WATER BY MESSING WITH THE MAIN VALVES. Quickly move wand over hair and body with shower head within inches of skin/hair surface. Because the spray is being applied so closely to the skin, it's extremely efficient in washing off the suds. Total time to rinse off the entire body: 10 to 20 seconds. Total water used in this step: 1 to 2 quarts.

Step 8. Quickly turn off the main valves of the shower. Total water usage for all steps: under a gallon. Total time for shower: 90 seconds.

Summary:

The key to rinsing efficiency is to use the wand to apply the water within an inch or two of the skin surface of each body part. This is far more efficient than allowing it to simply cascade down from an overhead spray.
Yes, it's very difficult and terribly wasteful of water to try to simultaneously wash and hold the shower head. So, turn off the flow at the shower head and put it in the receptacle provided at the valve. Don't try to do two things at the same time. Sudsing and rinsing are two very separate steps.
Yes, a great deal of water will be wasted if you turn off the flow at the valves between steps and then have to dink with the valves to get the flow and temperature correct again. Turning off the flow at the shower head precludes this.
Yes, if you drop the shower head on the tub floor, it's hard to find. So don't drop it on the floor...there's a handy and easy to find receptacle already provided. Use it every time you need to put down the shower head.
If you are properly following these steps, there's absolutely no need to install yet another shower head holder when the one at the valves will work perfectly for this admittedly very rigidly disciplined approach to showering.

10-01-2004, 09:10 AM	#12
RockyMtnRay TrailManor Master Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Colorado Springs, CO Posts: 816	Argh! Hal...you're clearly not doing this right. Bill...you're doing it right but still using too much water. INSTRUCTIONS FOR ABSOLUTE MINIMUM WATER USE SHOWER: Step 1. With a wash cloth positioned under the shower head wand, quickly adjust hot/cold valves until the temperature is tolerable and just enough water flows to barely spray from the shower head. The water pump should be very slowly pulsing...if it is running continuously you have the valves way too far open. Water used a this point: under a pint but not completely wasted as the wet cloth will be used later. Step 2. Barely wet skin and hair by moving shower head wand quickly over the entire body with the shower head within two inches of each skin surface. Water usage for this step: about 1 quart. Step 3. IMMEDIATELY TURN OFF THE FLOW AT THE SHOWER HEAD AND PLACE THE WAND IN THE HOLDER AT THE VALVE. By turning off the flow at the shower head, absolutely no readjustment of the temperature will be needed later. Putting the wand back into the receptacle at the valves insures it will be easily found again...there will be no fumbling and no trying to hold both wand and soapy cloth. Since the flow has been stopped, there's no spray of wasted water while the wand is in its receptacle. Step 4. Apply shampoo to hair. Use as little as possible. Water usage while applying shampoo: NONE! Step 5. Apply a gel body wash...not soap...to the wash cloth that was wetted in step 1. Body wash gels make more suds than bar soap, one application is enough for anyone's body...there is no need to resoap the cloth, and the suds wash off more easily. Plus there is no icky wet bar of soap afterwards...the body wash bottle readily goes back in the bathroom cabinet. Apply suds to entire body. Water usage while sudsing: NONE! Step 6. Put wash cloth in bathroom sink...it's already soapy so use it later for hand washing. Step 7. Grab wand from its easily found position in the valve mounted receptacle and turn on the flow with valve in the shower head. DO NOT WASTE TIME OR WATER BY MESSING WITH THE MAIN VALVES. Quickly move wand over hair and body with shower head within inches of skin/hair surface. Because the spray is being applied so closely to the skin, it's extremely efficient in washing off the suds. Total time to rinse off the entire body: 10 to 20 seconds. Total water used in this step: 1 to 2 quarts. Step 8. Quickly turn off the main valves of the shower. Total water usage for all steps: under a gallon. Total time for shower: 90 seconds. Summary: The key to rinsing efficiency is to use the wand to apply the water within an inch or two of the skin surface of each body part. This is far more efficient than allowing it to simply cascade down from an overhead spray. Yes, it's very difficult and terribly wasteful of water to try to simultaneously wash and hold the shower head. So, turn off the flow at the shower head and put it in the receptacle provided at the valve. Don't try to do two things at the same time. Sudsing and rinsing are two very separate steps. Yes, a great deal of water will be wasted if you turn off the flow at the valves between steps and then have to dink with the valves to get the flow and temperature correct again. Turning off the flow at the shower head precludes this. Yes, if you drop the shower head on the tub floor, it's hard to find. So don't drop it on the floor...there's a handy and easy to find receptacle already provided. Use it every time you need to put down the shower head. If you are properly following these steps, there's absolutely no need to install yet another shower head holder when the one at the valves will work perfectly for this admittedly very rigidly disciplined approach to showering. __________________ Ray I use my TM as a base camp for hiking, kayaking, mountain biking, and climbing Colorado's 14ers The Trailer: 2002 TM Model 2720SL ( Mods: Solar Panels (170 Watts), Dual T-105 Batteries, Electric Tongue Jack, Side AC, Programmable Thermostat, Doran TP Monitor System) The Tow Vehicle: 2003 Toyota Tundra V8 SR5 4X4 w/Tow Package (Towing & Performance Mods: JBA Headers, Gibson Muffler, 4.30 gears, Michelin LTX M/S Tires, Prodigy Brake Controller, Transmission Temperature Gauge)