Maybe a silly question

[DDH]

For those of you that commute to work, do all of you have showers at work or do you just wash off and dress after you get there?
I was just wondering. My DH has thought about commuting maybe during the cooler weather, but they have no place to take showers or anything after he gets there and he cannot be at work stinky all day.

I was just wondering what you gals do and how do you carry all your stuff you need for work?

[crazycanuck]

We commuted in auckland and are soon to be commuters once again when we move to our new home.

We plan on driving into work on a sunday to drop off all our clothing for the week & some lunch items. I just leave my toiletries in the showers at work and replenish them when needed.

The other plan is -I am getting back into my swim & run routine on mondays and tuesdays so theoretically i could bring my clothing in then when i drive to the pool & run session..

I have heard of people who don't have showers at work, using the showers at one of the gym's in the city...

c

[betagirl]

I don't have showers at work or school. I do shower in the morning before I leave and try not to hammer into work so I don't get too sweaty. That way I can just wipe down with a washcloth. The key to getting dressed without a shower is to make sure you wait about 10 minutes before you start getting ready so you stop sweating. If you do this right away, you'll just sweat over what you cleaned off :)

I do keep clothing and shoes at work so I don't have to carry it every day. I take stuff home to wash and swap it out the next trip. It works pretty well. I also carry a comb and deodorant. I use a medium Timbuk2 messenger bag to carry everything I need.

[donnambr]

I don't have a long commute at 3.5 miles and I don't have to contend with high humidity like I imagine there is in Texas, so showering isn't really necessary. I shower before I leave and wear a different top and bra from what I'll change into at work. When I get there, I use rubbing alcohol on my underarms, reapply my deodorant, put on new bra and top (or dress), and use toner for my face and neck. I've got some unscented baby wipes if I have to get grime off my arms or legs. My boss says I don't smell at all, and believe me, she tells it like it is.

[Duck on Wheels]

No questions are silly, and thanks for asking. I was wondering too. I know some who ride up to campus here shower when they get here. I can't see myself having time for that. Also, showering entails changing my ostomy bag. I'd really rather do that at home. But I figure if I bring a clean shirt etc. I can dump my stuff in the office, cool down for a couple minutes, then wash and change at the bathroom sink. With my short, fast-dry hair and simple 'do, I can even stick my head under the faucet, then brush the 'do in shape and not have helmet hair all day. Should work. Soon as this pissy rain stops again I'll give it a try.

[betagirl]

Buffs are great for helmet hair also. I have longer hair, so I just tie it up and put a buff on over it. Voila.

[Tater]

I have an hour commute in, but no showers once I get there. Beta is correct in that the key is to wait a bit before getting dressed, about ten minutes or so. Typically it is cool enough in the mornings here in Boise that I don't sweat like a piggie on the way in. Once I get to work, it takes me a bit to lock up my bike, take off the lights and water bottle, then head up to my cube. That is enough time for me to cool down and stop sweating. I carry my work clothes, shoes and food for the day in a backpack and it has worked well so far. I do carry unscented wipes in case I need more of a wipedown than what a washcloth can do. So far it has worked.

[Lise]

I've found it very helpful to carry a dry hand towel. Mostly I need to wipe off the sweat. When I've tried to wash with soap and a washcloth, I end up wetter and sweatier feeling. A "wet wipe" for the underarms and neck gets me clean, but not wet.

[RoadRaven]

I have THE BEST SHOWER IN THE WORLD at my work

We moved into a new building last year (new office, new classrooms - and right above the library! woohoo!). Anyways, the section mananger is a triathelete, and insisted in the design phase - which we had input on (woohoo!) that we have a shower on the second and third floors!

So, in one drawer at my desk I have soap, shampoo, toothbrush/paste, moisturiser, hairbrush, deodourant etc etc and I have three towels that sit on a shelf. i have one change of clothes I leave at work... but when i can I take down a change the day before.

I will be commuting 3 times this week - spring is awesome in this country, so am coordinating leaving fresh knickers etc down there - though I do have a small backpack that can fit my diary, a few "smalls", my keys and money for lunch.

When I dont have time for a full shower - though usually I try and leave in time so I can) then I just have a "cat-wash" as I get changed and am liberal with deodourant.

I think showers should be a compulsorary part of our work environments - particularly like the one I have at work - wish I could bring it home, the pressure is awesome!

[Geonz]

There's really no law that says "you must perform complete ablutions after the slightest hint of exercise."
We do have showers here... but they don't seem to have hot water when I get to them, so I gave up on them. So, like the other folks have said, I piddle around for ten minutes (or an hour... depending...) and then duck into the ladies room with my change of clothes soap and washcloth and do a wipedown of the critical spots.
I don't sweat a whole lot anyway... and I try not to work too hard (but that doesn't always work). I'm afraid I've never been Hygiene Queen...
And with my Xtracycle, yea, I can carry a week's worth of clothes in if I want to on any given day. Heck, I could put a garment bag in the back. *That's* not a problem :-)

[light_sabe_r]

We have showers in the carpark... However for a hospital it's almost as if those showers have been forgotten by the cleaning staff.

I hate hospital showers. Don't get me wrong the hose thing is great! It's the "Openess" of them, Ya know the "no ledges" thing means all the water goes everywhere BUT into the drain.

So I've given up on them.

After a wipe down the only thing I wash is my face... Then apply moisturiser at my desk. If I don't do this in the morning it's ZIT CITY the next day. grrrr.

But that's not the advice correct for your DH is it DDH? He could ride dressed in summer clothes, singlet and breezy shorts. The COLD he'd be feeling would make him avoid sweat.

AND avoid backpacks. Use panniers instead. My back sweats like CRAZY under my backpack and is usually the only part of me that is wet from sweat when I arrive at work.

[DDH]

Well he would definitely have to take his gear in ahead of time. He would not be able to carry it all.

Thanks girls for all your advice and info.

[Bex]

I ride to work 5 days a week, all year long, and down here in the New Orleans area, I do sweat like a piggie even in the morning during my 30 minute commute. I shower in the morning and pat myself down well with cornstarch powder before I leave home. No showers at work, so I loll around for ten minutes or so after arriving to cool off, then I do a full body wipedown with unscented baby wipes, apply fresh deodorant, some cooling footspray, and cologne, touch up the makeup. I keep the toiletries and shoes at work, but carry my work clothes and fresh undies and bra every day in a rear rack trunk. Cycling clothes get hung out to dry on the bike which I'm lucky enough to be able to keep sheltered in an outbuilding.

[Quillfred]

There's really no law that says "you must perform complete ablutions after the slightest hint of exercise."
)

My o my, I love reading Geonz' quotes! :D

The spot-cleaned Quill

(Now, I do go around work begging co-workers to tell me if I, uh, have a bit of an odor)

[HipGnosis6]

I miss working with hippies... even on days where I was a little rank, I was unlikely to be the smelliest person in the room.

[Kitsune06]

I miss working with hippies... even on days where I was a little rank, I was unlikely to be the smelliest person in the room.

Hear, Hear! ... were you in a software company, too? ;)

I spot cleaned, but honestly, sitting next to our QA department, I couldn't smell myself, and I don't think anyone else could smell me, and EVERYONE commuted.