Your Ad Here

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Keeping clean on the road

iKeeping clean is by far the hardest task on the road or at least it was for me. It wouldn't a big problem if it wasn't so important to keep appearances to get jobs and rides. So here's some tips for keeping clean on the road:

~Large truck stops generally have showers and bathroom facilities you can use for free or cheap. It's pretty easy to sneak in the showers in the larger ones. 

~Universities and high school locker rooms are easy enough to go into and wait for the place to clear out and take a quick shower. I would only advise this though if you can fit into the age group. University dorms might also have shared bathrooms you could pop into at night depending on the security. You can pay students cheap to get you in with their pass if you need to, they could use some extra pocket cash.

~Knock door to door at hotels and motels and ask to pay for a quick shower. People might want five bucks for the snack machine. Be polite and do this during the afternoon you don't want to get thrown out of the place by being rude or waking people up. 

~Carry a small travel kit with toothbrushes, toothpaste, combs, and shaving tools. Women might want to bring a small makeup case if you're going to be looking for employment. You can go into public bathrooms and wash up with a small towel and clean up a bit It's best to look clean and not like a hobo because people judge you very harshly on the road.

~Cheat your way through cleanliness. If you're a guy cut your hair short to keep from looking greasy. If you want to keep your hair long or you're a woman try wearing hats or keeping it tied back. Visible dirt can be washed away at gas station bathrooms. If you stink carry a can of Axe and if your clothing is starting to get a odor lie them out in the sun for a few hours. Blue jeans can be worn for long periods of time with out looking nasty and they rarely carry noticeable body odor. Underwear should be changed often, if you don't have a clean pair air one out in the sun for a bit and change into it. You can get a rash around your waist from not changing them often. Socks also collect grime and begin to get crusty if you air them out. Just run them under hot water in a sink and leave them to dry.  

~If you're going to be applying for jobs carry one nice pair of clothing. Roll them into a cylinder shape and wrap them in plastic. Rolling your clothing saves space and doesn't wrinkle them as much.

1 comment:

  1. Gym memberships are great for this. Some big national chains are $20 or $30 a month, and have locations everywhere. You can stop in and take a proper shower any time, and they're good for making personal connections that can land you a job.

    ReplyDelete