How to keep feet dressings dry in the shower?

December 2, 2016 8:20 PM

For reasons, I have several dressings on my feet which need to be kept dry for the next few days. Any ideas how I keep them dry whilst in the shower? I don't have access to a bath.
posted by EatMyHat to Health & Fitness (16 answers total)

Plastic bags and elastic, checking first to make sure the bags have no holes.

Or resign yourself to a sponge bath at the sink.
posted by zadcat at 8:21 PM on December 2, 2016 [6 favorites]

Can you get a shower chair? This will help so you can direct the stream of water away from your feet. Then, garbage bags and tape.
posted by pintapicasso at 8:47 PM on December 2, 2016 [2 favorites]

Since it's just a few days, have you considered not showering? That's what I did last time I had dressings on my feet that needed to stay dry. Supplement sink/sponge baths as needed. Hair can be washed in the sink too.
posted by danceswithlight at 8:54 PM on December 2, 2016 [7 favorites]

Can you skip showering for a few days? Just sponge bath the critical bits. Maybe dry shampoo your scalp.
posted by Bruce H. at 8:56 PM on December 2, 2016

Plastic bag with several rubber bands.
posted by quince at 9:18 PM on December 2, 2016

Leg cast protector is what to search for-- they show up on target and Walgreens websites--
posted by calgirl at 9:30 PM on December 2, 2016 [1 favorite]

Something like this. They come in different sizes and configurations.
posted by primethyme at 9:38 PM on December 2, 2016

Since it's just a few days, have you considered not showering? That's what I did last time I had dressings on my feet that needed to stay dry. Supplement sink/sponge baths as needed. Hair can be washed in the sink too.

To add, you can also get a bidet attachment like this or this for freshness optimization. Or you could go lower tech, if you've already got something like that around.
posted by cotton dress sock at 10:14 PM on December 2, 2016

Plastic bags then wrap the foot in Glad press and seal. This product is awesome for this very purpose. Do several layers, don't be skimpy with it. No water will get in.
posted by pearlybob at 6:35 AM on December 3, 2016

This is what Tegaderm is for.
posted by basalganglia at 10:24 AM on December 3, 2016 [1 favorite]

Yeah, nthing just skipping a shower if it's only couple days, and sponge bath-ing as needed.

Depending on your hair length and various sink set ups, you might be able to do a quick hair shampoo in one of your sinks. (This works a lot better for short hair. I have really long hair so I can't do this as easily.) Or, if you have a disposable shower head, you could try to keep your feet out of the shower and just wash your hair.

If you really need/want to take a shower, I would just go with the plastic bag trick, and try to make the shower as quick as possible.
posted by litera scripta manet at 10:56 AM on December 3, 2016

Possible Solution 1:
Plastic bag on foot, rubber banded around ankle. Small towel, wrapped and rubber banded around shin. Another plastic bag around foot that is rubber banded above towel. (Towel is to catch any drips that get through the seal of the outer plastic bag).

Possible Solution 2:
Get a sturdy plastic stool or chair and sit on it in the shower, with legs up and pointed outside of water zone, also plastic bagged to block any spray.

Possible Solution 3:
Get a shower handle on a hose ($40) and some teflon tape ($1) from a hardware store and sit on a towel on the tub edge, legs outside the tub, using the shower handle to wash your torso only.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 1:25 PM on December 3, 2016

Loosely wrap a hand towel/some paper towels over foot.

Airtight plastic bag (like for grocery store produce) and elastic. Double bag another one over that, and elastic higher up.

The first elastic will leak, but the inner elastic will generally do a good enough job, and the towel will take care of the rest.

/was in a hand splint that I had to keep dry for 6 weeks
//yes, it started smelling nasty really quickly
posted by porpoise at 2:33 PM on December 3, 2016

Response by poster: Some good ideas here - thank you all!
posted by EatMyHat at 2:50 PM on December 3, 2016

I thought plastic bags too at first thought, then I realized the potential for a nasty slip & fall with wet plastic on your feet in the shower. Sponge bath seems like the safest way to go until the dressings are gone.
posted by deliciae at 8:36 PM on December 3, 2016 [1 favorite]

Also came in to say you need Tegaderm. 3M product, easy enough to find in most first aid aisles now, ask the pharmacist if you don't see it. Miraculous product. (It's really, I think, revolutionized childhood -- you can have the most brutal knee-skinning falling off your bike in the AM, and go swimming in the afternoon or take a bath that night without getting the knee wet.)
posted by kmennie at 7:29 AM on December 4, 2016