5 Easy And Essential DIY Upgrades Every RV Shower Needs

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Whether you're taking a camping trip in an RV or you're a van-lifer traveling the country, the combination of home comforts and the freedom to roam can be a fantastic and life-expanding experience. However, there are some things that take a little getting used to. Showering, for instance, may shift a bit while living in an RV. You're dealing with a smaller space than you would in a stationary home or cabin, and you're likely getting your water from either a tank or a hookup. That means a smaller bathroom, often with less water than you'd get in a typical shower, and issues like keeping the room mold and mildew-free. While some adjustments and compromises need to be made, there are a number of DIY upgrades and essential items that can really give your RV shower a major boost.

There are great solutions out there for organization, allowing you to keep all your favorite shower accessories in arm's reach. There are also products specifically made to make your RV shower experience better, as well as a way to keep things dry. Whether you're soaking in the famous views of the Pacific Ocean in an RV park in Southern California, taking a leaf-peeping trek to see the fall foliage in New England, or hitting some of the lesser-known RV destinations across America to avoid crowds, a few easy shower upgrades can make the trip even more satisfying.

There are some basic products you generally use in the shower, wherever and however you do it. Shampoo, conditioner, and body wash are pretty essential for keeping clean. While you can certainly use a three-in-one product that does the work of all of them, not everyone's hair and skin is suited for that, especially long term. One great solution is to install a three-part shower dispenser. There are lots of them out there, like one from Cabo Deseado on Amazon.

This is a pretty inexpensive upgrade at around $20 at the time of this writing, and it's easy to install. You don't even need a drill. You mount it with adhesive stickers and screws, which are both included. You just fill it from the containers and dispense it as needed. Alternatively, you could DIY the whole setup with your own bottles and waterproof, double-sided sticky strips. It's much better than bringing a bunch of little travel-sized bottles with you that end up rolling around on the floor after they fall off a shelf. If you're someone who likes to multitask and rinse off bathing suits or hiking clothes while you're in there, one of the dispensers can also hold detergent.

If you're dealing with a small shower, and the shower head that comes with your RV doesn't move or extend, you may struggle to get all the soap off. That's especially difficult if you're trying to conserve the water in your tank. However, there is no reason you have to stick with the one you have. There are RV shower head replacements that have a hose, specifically for RVs and campers. While you have to install it yourself, you don't have to be a plumber.

There are a number of them online, like the FOCSPROD RV Shower Head with Hose on Amazon. For less than $30, you get a five-mode shower head that includes a pause mode to save water (a big deal in an RV) and a power wash mode if you take off the head. It has multiple angles if your van-mates are different heights, and it doesn't require any tools. One reviewer on Amazon said of the installation, "Love the upgrade! I've never installed a shower head before so I was worried that I would mess this up but it was so easy."

One thing you absolutely need when dealing with RV showers is a towel (unless you're drip-drying in the great outdoors with no one else around). However, it can be difficult to figure out where to put towels for easy access, especially if you have a wet shower where everything (including the toilet) gets water all over it. Self-installed hooks like Command Hooks on Amazon are the perfect way to get everything off the floor. They attach with adhesive but don't damage the walls. If you have a wet shower, you can put a hook outside the bathroom door to keep towels dry while you rinse off, and have another hook inside for after the shower is done. (These are especially helpful if you have a towel with a loop on it for easy hanging.) 

However, towels aren't the only RV bathroom upgrade that you can use hooks for. You can have one hook for a bath puff (or several, depending on how many people are in there), and even a hook for a wet/dry hairbrush (the kind that has a loop for hanging) so you can brush the conditioner through while you have your new shower head on pause mode to save water. You can also have a hook to hang the clothes you plan to wear after you're done. Additionally, put a couple of hooks up high to loop a hairdryer around so it's not taking up counter or cabinet space. Of course, you can also use an over-the-door hanger for towels if you prefer.

Space is at a premium in an RV, particularly in the bathroom. That means you may have little to no counter space or cabinet space. At the very least, you want to make the best use of what you do have. Getting items off the counter and onto the wall is the best way to solve the problem. Things that you would store on the counter in a house, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, sunscreen, and skincare products, can be stored in holders with suction cups. Luckily, there are all sorts of holders you can find that have different uses. 

The most multi-purpose type would be a cup-shaped holder, like the TAILI Suction Toothbrush Holder 2 Pack on Amazon, which can hold toothbrushes, toothpaste, and even a flosser if needed. It has vents in the bottom so it doesn't end up with standing water inside. You can also find suction cup holders specifically for razors, or soap bars if that's your favorite way to lather up. However, these holders don't have to just hold small things. You can even install shelves this way using products such as the EUDELE Adhesive Shower Caddy 5 Pack on Amazon. This has two shelves with barriers so things don't fall, a smaller shelf for toothbrushes, and two soap holders with hooks on the side for your bath sponge or washcloth. You can use them inside and outside the shower, and even in the kitchen for sponges, dishwashing liquid, and scrubbers.

In an RV, you likely won't want to linger in the small bathroom for long. That means that the faster you dry, the better. Sure, you can use just any old towel, but your best bet for saving time is a microfiber towel. They dry more quickly than a traditional towel, which means less chance for mold and mildew to grow in a damp space. You can get the Rainleaf Microfiber Towel in a bunch of different sizes on Amazon, which also have a loop on them for easy hang-drying, and come in a bag if you want to take it with you to the beach (it's sand resistant) or the gym. Microfiber hair towels are also great if you have longer tresses.

Both of these are also helpful if you decide to stop somewhere for a shower outside of your RV. Lots of van-lifers and campers visit RV parks or other facilities with showers, so it can be helpful to have an easy, on-the-go towel. (You may also want to have a laundry bag to bring with you so you can carry in your clean clothing and carry out your dirty duds.) Finally, as you begin or continue your RV travels, make sure to check out our list of the most unique and impressive rest stops in the country. Happy trails!

We selected our RV shower upgrades through a number of van life blogs and websites including The Vanimals, Winebago.com, and RVersity.com, as well as several Reddit posts. In addition, I've been on a number of bus and truck theater tours in which some of these upgrades were used in the bathroom. I also lived in a very tiny NYC apartment with a counter-less bathroom and applied some of my space-creating hacks when crafting this list. We also picked items and DIY upgrades that shouldn't require anyone's help to install.