Freshening up
 

I commute 15 miles each way to work, and I have been lucky enough to work in an office that has private baths where I can lock the door, and wash up with soap and a wash cloth over a sink.

Now I will be starting a new job in December, and the office only has public baths with stalls. Won't be getting the privacy I would like to freshen up, so I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations as to what i can do as an alternative.

I was thinkin about purchasing a bulk load of baby wipes and body spray? What do some of you do? I have a long commute, (obviously). I really dont want to be offensive, and it looks like my changing/ freshening up routine is going to be confined to a handicap stall in the bathroom, so if anyone has any suggestions or reccomendations for cleaning up at work, I would greatly appreciated.


Thanks!

Dan

Baby wipes are good. Bring an old plastic bag to use as a trash bag, just to make it easier to carry the used ones out.

Take a shower and shampoo before leaving the house, That keeps the sweat from the ride a little less smelly.

That's what I do; shower at home, ride in, change in the bathroom after wiping down with wet wipes (which simply get flushed when done), and maybe some body spray. My ride is between 7 and 9 miles A(depending on route) and, even in the summer, works well. I've never once had an issue with post-ride stink.

Yea I always shower before i leave the house in the morning... and that does help...the fitness club idea is great...i will definitely look into that, although I am skeptical that any club in NYC is gonna have a reasonably priced shower only membership.

Looks like consensus is the baby wipes and possibly body spray. Now only if they had super large wipes for adults....

guess we cant have everything.

Thanks for all the responses

Dan

There are quite a few threads about this.

I can get away with just making sure I'm dressed cool (temperature-wise) then splashing some water on my face, cooling down for about 15 mintues, full change of clothes, and good to go. Shower at night.

Thank God my office has showers.

don't forget to reapply nice-smelling, strong-ish deodorant!
also someone here suggested wearing only freshly washed bike clothes, so i wash my clothes as soon as i get home (with other stuff i need washed) for the next ride. seems to work.

I really like body powders like shower to shower. Gets rid of the sticky feeling I get after sweating better than wet naps. i use a powder puff to apply it without getting the powder all over everything.

No one else ever seems to recommend this when the topic comes up so I'm beginning to get self-concious. :(

Yeah, whatever you do don't wear a shirt that you wore for even a short, mostly sweatless ride. Whatever sweat was in the shirt will grow a nice stinky bacteria that will go crazy as soon as you sweat in the shirt again, not good.

The last place I worked had showers, I've only been at this place durning cooler fall months. I'm not sure what I'm going to do when summertime rolls around, but for now the cooler temps along with a moisture wicking jersey have kept the sweating to a minimum. When I get to work I stay in my riding clothes for a few minutes (I don't wear spandex shorts and my jerseys are pretty low key) before I change. This seems to help a little. I try to get here before the masses so it's not as obvious.

thanks for all the great tips!

Dan

It's less of an issue in the Fall, but in summer I shower in the a.m. Put on clean bike clothes & take everything off at work, use wet wipes, toss them & apply deorderant. Works well enough. On REALLY hot days I could definitely use a shower, but we don't have one.

Just a quick FYI. Unless the baby wipes are labeled septic safe, you probably shouldn't be flushing them down the toilet. The trash will do just fine. http://www.dnr.state.md.us/Bay/protect/home.html

Why bother. Syl has worked up a unique way to make office networking memorable for the cyclocommuter.

I have been using baby wipes to clean up and a clean change of clothes. I also like to use Old Spice Red Zone body spray, just an extra level of not stinking. I am very concerned with being smelly at work.

I used to commute in Tokyo in summer so we are talking about 36-40 C and humid as hell.

I used to take a wash cloth about 1ft square and a bottle of 70% rubbing alcohol. strip off in the toilet cubicle. Spash and wipe on the cloth = squeeky clean (and cooler). I think a bottle from X-Marts are around 50 cents. 1 bottle will last about a week or so. Its cheaper and more eco than baby wipes.