The No-Shower Clean Up: Men’s Edition

The No-Shower Cleanup is – for some – almost as controversial as wearing shorts over running tights, or the correct pronunciation of “gif” files (is it “JIF” or “GIF”?) So, do you scrap the morning run commute because your office lacks a shower? You shouldn’t. Here’s a detailed post on how to cool down, clean up, and smell good at the office after your run.

Note: We cover cleaning up after your morning run commute in our Getting Started series (Part 5: Sweaty to Office-Ready), but we wanted to go into a bit more detail so that you would understand – specifically – how it works.

Step 1: Pre-Run Commute Preparation

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• Take a shower at home
• Pack any refills of cleanup items (baby wipes, deodorant) into your pack
• Pack any freshly laundered cleanup items (towel, washcloth) into your pack
• Pack extra running gear for run commute home, if needed

Step 2: Post-Run Commute – Outside the Office

• Stop a block or two short of your office and walk
• If necessary, shed clothing on the way to your building to speed up the cool down process
• If you have extra time, do a few static stretches to aid in muscle recovery
• Don’t forget to turn off any blinkie lights on your pack!

Step 3: Post-Run Commute – Inside the Office

The first 5 – 10 minutes (Goal: Stop Sweating)

• Drop your gear; turn a fan on yourself, login to your computer, read emails
• Use a couple paper towels to dry off your entire head
• Go fill a water bottle and add ice if available; drink to cool down and rehydrate
• Eat to replenish carbs and protein (Clif bar, shake, etc.); read more emails; mark any follow-ups as needed (alternatively, you can do this after finishing cleanup)
• Continue until you are cooled down and no longer sweating

Source – http://blog.bikeridr.com

The next 10 minutes (Goal: Clean Yourself Up)

• Take your wet running gear off, place in a bag (if washing) or hang to dry as-is
• Wipe down your body with baby wipes
  • 2 wipes for head and neck
  • 1 for underarms
  • 1 for chest and stomach
  •  1 for groin
  •  1-2 for legs and feet
• Or, wipe down your body with a athletic/sport wipe
  • Open package and unfold
  • Wipe from your head to your feet, top to bottom
• Dry off by using the fan
• Apply deodorant or antiperspirant
• Apply body powder to groin area
  • Put underwear on
• Apply foot powder to feet
  • Put socks on
• Put pants on
• Apply body spray to chest area
• Finish getting dressed

Cleanup Supplies (l to r): Deodorant, body spray, body powder, foot powder, baby wipes, athletic wipe

Size comparison between Action Wipe and standard baby wipe

The final 5 minutes (Goal: Finishing Touches)

• Head to the restroom
• Bring a towel, washcloth, soap, and hair products
•  Stick your head over the sink and run/scoop water over your head; wash with soap, if needed, and dry your head off
• Fix your hair
• You’re done!

Notes:

• Your cleanup routine will be easier if you have short (or no) hair
• Unscented baby wipes are better than scented
• Microfiber towels and washcloths seem to work better than cotton for absorption and cleaning
• You will be fine without using powder at all, but it helps to absorb moisture and odors that arise during the day
• You can wash your running gear in the bathroom sink after you’ve cleaned up – “camp soap” works great as a detergent, as does Tide Sport.

Advanced Cleanup Technique

Clean your running gear in the bathroom sink!

Get your clothes wet, and wring the sweaty water out

Add some soap, squish and scrub until adequately soapy, then rinse and wring out again

Hang them in front of a fan in your office

By the end of the day, you’ll have fresh, clean running gear to put on for the run commute home