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Do they shower in space?

Published in Space Hygiene 1 min read

No, astronauts do not shower in the traditional sense while in space, especially on the International Space Station (ISS).

Instead of conventional showers, astronauts use a water and soap mixture from pouches to clean themselves. Here's a breakdown of their hygiene routine:

  • Liquid Soap and Water: Astronauts squeeze liquid soap and water onto their skin from pouches. Since there's no gravity to make the water run off, they use towels to wipe it off.

  • Rinseless Shampoo: For hair washing, they use rinseless shampoo with a small amount of water and towel dry.

  • No Shower Stalls: Because of the challenges of containing water in a zero-gravity environment, there are no shower stalls on the ISS.

The lack of showers is primarily due to the difficulty of managing water in a weightless environment. Water would simply float around, potentially damaging equipment or causing other problems. Using pre-moistened wipes and rinseless products is a more practical solution for maintaining hygiene in space.

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