Communal bathrooms can be a big change when moving into a dorm or staying at a hostel.

People sharing a bathroom.

The key is to respect the privacy of others and maintain your own boundaries so everyone can use the bathroom in peace.

Gear Up

You'll need:

1. A Shower Caddy

Keep your personal care products away from communal spaces if you can.

A shower caddy will keep your grooming products organized and ready to go.

Pro tip: Get one with hooks so you can latch it onto the shower door.

A shower caddy hanging on a wall

2. A Towel or Bathrobe

You'll likely need to cover up when going from your room to the shower to your, so a bathrobe or towel will be essential.

Pro tip: Use your bathrobe's pockets as a caddy if you don't use a lot of products in the shower.

Woman jumping onto bed in bathrobe

3. Shower Shoes

It is impossible to know how hygienic the people who used the bathroom before you were.

Shower shoes will limit your risk of contracting athlete's foot or a bacterial infection.

Pro tip: Wear your shower shoes from your room to the shower and back, then clean them after each use.

A shower shoe on a sparking background

Schedule Your Time Wisely

Avoid a situation where you need to take a shower and all the stalls are occupied or the bathroom is being cleaned.

A person angrily looking out from behind  shower curtain

Do some reconnaissance and plan your shower schedule around when the bathroom is most used or scheduled for cleaning.

Woman looking at a calender

Quiz

Every morning, when Lisa takes showers at 6 a.m., her floor mate obnoxiously sings "scrub scrub scrub scrubity scrub" in stall next to her. This drives her crazy. What should Lisa do?

Be Courteous

man spraying air freshener in smelly bathroom while sitting on the toilet.

Remember that you're using a shared space. With that in mind:

Don't:

  • Take long showers

  • Use up all the hot water

  • Leave a mess

Do:

  • Be cordial but not chatty with others

  • Clean up after yourself

Quiz

Larry used up the last roll of toilet paper. What should they do next?

Take Action

Using a communal bathroom is just like using a private bathroom but with a few extra steps.

Be sure to:

Man sitting on the toilet saying

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