Tips and Techniques for Cold Water Shaving

[dpm802]

I'm wondering if any of you have discovered little secrets you'd like to share about shaving with cold water?

Here's my situation: In November, I moved into a house where I'm sharing the bathroom with two others, one of whom is the owner of the house. I noticed immediately that the water there smelled funny, my soaps didn't lather, it had a sticky, greasy feel to it, and generally left my hands smelling worse than when I started to clean them.

After some experimentation, I determined the funny smell is coming from the hot water side of the faucet. The water heater in the basement is electric powered, and although only a few years old, must be corroded inside or something is wrong with it to impart all these unpleasant qualities to the hot water it delivers.

I've asked the home-owner about it, he acknowledges that it does smell funny, and promises to fix it "some day."

In the meantime, I've resigned myself to using just the cold water to wash, shave, and brush my teeth ... its not very comfortable, but it does work better than mixing in the hot water to make it the right temperature.

So I'm wondering ... does anyone have previous experience with this? I'm not looking for suggestions like "heat up water on the kitchen stove, and carry it to the bathroom." That would be too inconvenient and time-consuming.

I'm looking for ways to get the most effective use out of the cold-water faucet, since that's all I have to work with for the time being.

Thanks!

 

[rmrdaddy]

David,
While not a direct answer to the question you are asking, I was wondering if you considered either a small hot plate/mug warmer or electric kettle?
Potentially allows you to use the "clean" cold water side and get nice hot water for your lather.
As for washing, I got nothing. I recall a freeeeezing cold shower one snowy morning at an old GF's place after spending the night. They had radiator heat and a pipe in the basement had burst...
I wouldn't wish that one anyone!

Good luck amigo!

 

[Cuttingboard]

I'd find another place to live if I were you!!

 

[pauls51]

+1 for the kettle, even though you ruled out the option..

I experimented a cold water shave several weeks ago and it just didn't feel right; it felt as though the blade refused to cut smoothly unless I had soaked my stubble in hot water!

 

[dpm802]

David,
While not a direct answer to the question you are asking, I was wondering if you considered either a small hot plate/mug warmer or electric kettle?
Potentially allows you to use the "clean" cold water side and get nice hot water for your lather.
As for washing, I got nothing. I recall a freeeeezing cold shower one snowy morning at an old GF's place after spending the night. They had radiator heat and a pipe in the basement had burst...
I wouldn't wish that one anyone!

Good luck amigo!

I had thought of that hot plate, but it seems like more trouble than I want to go through. I wouldn't be able to leave the kettle in the bathroom, and I don't want to carry it back and forth from my bedroom each time I wash up.

As for the showers ... I've been relying on sponge baths mostly. I try and limit my showers to as few as I can possibly stand, because the soap doesn't lather up at all, and as noted, the stinky water leaves me feeling dirtier than when I started.

I'm looking for tips and techniques for shaving exclusively with cold water. I did this a couple hours ago, and while it works, I didn't get anywhere near the results I could achieve with hot or even lukewarm water.

I know there must be some way to improve on the process ... what did our forefathers do a hundred years ago? I doubt that they heated up water on the kitchen stove before every single shave. And I think there may be something I'm missing on how to get the best results with cold water.

Maybe the best thing is to just keep hammering on the house-owner to fix the hot water. But it seems to be a low priority for him. He's had this same stinky water for quite a few years, so I guess he's used to it. Even so, there are plenty of other things around the house that need to be fixed, and the HWH seems to be at the bottom of his To-Do list.

 

[sffone]

Trying to wet shave with cold water is a definite bummer! However, if I were absolutely forced to do it, I think I would try shaving with one of the shaving oils and just use water to rinse my razor and to wipe my face afterward.

 

[WhosYerBob]

+1 on the hot pot suggestion. I use one and it's wonderful.

If not, all I can say is that cold water makes me shave a lot faster and that I rarely even try for a smooth shave - just one pass and some blade buffing to get the worst remaining rough patches, then I'm done.

 

[dpm802]

I think I may resort to keeping a gallon of distilled water in my room, so at least I can shave with room temp water instead of it being cold cold cold.

In another thread on Foxhole Shaving, I remembered that when I was forced to conserve water because the towhship was doing maintenance on the supply pipes, I found I could complete my daily ablutions with just 4 ounces of water ... while I don't plan to scrimp on it that much, I'm sure I could get by quite nicely with a pint per day. That way, a gallon would last me about a week.

 

[Bertilak]

My suggestion: use the hot water, as bad as it is, then wash/rinse with cold afterward.

Same for taking a shower -- use the hot water then quick rinse with the cold.

 

[cvac]

The bad water might actually be from the pipes or something. Hot water will pick up water crud is in the pipes and deliver it out of the faucet. That's why every cookbook or chef will tell you you should use either filtered water or cold water from the tap. Chances are if the hot water has something wrong with, the cold water does too. It might not be completely safe. If you are paying rent to the owner, I would look for a way to make him fix it ASAP. The water quality can be tested, for one. Also, you might want to research the landlord/tenant laws in your city.

 

[matt_jr]

Check out this site.
www.smellywater.com

 

[dpm802]

The bad water might actually be from the pipes or something. Hot water will pick up water crud is in the pipes and deliver it out of the faucet. That's why every cookbook or chef will tell you you should use either filtered water or cold water from the tap.

I use a Britta filter for any water that I cook with ... I've used this every place I've lived, whether the water from the faucet is stinky or not.

Chances are if the hot water has something wrong with, the cold water does too. It might not be completely safe. If you are paying rent to the owner, I would look for a way to make him fix it ASAP. The water quality can be tested, for one. Also, you might want to research the landlord/tenant laws in your city.

The landlord has a water softener down in the basement for the cold water side, unfortunately, he hasn't finished hooking it up yet. The cold water is at least usable, if not as clean as it could be.

For what its worth, this house uses well water. He's thinking about digging a deeper well, or for about $5,000, he could have the house hooked to city water.

I don't have a formal lease here ... I moved in with just a handshake agreement. My rent is extremely cheap, about 1/3 of what I was paying in my last apartment. I want to keep on good terms with him, as I'm planning on staying here for a couple more years, at least. I don't want to take him to court to force the issue, but I'm hoping a few timely reminders will get the point through to him. Apparently, he's been living with the stinky water so long that he doesn't notice it anymore (and he shaves with an electric.) I'm trying to solve this through diplomacy and tact, not through brute force judicial means.

 

[dpm802]

Check out this site.
www.smellywater.com

That's it! Those are exactly the symptoms we're experiencing.

I'll show him that site the next time we discuss the water. I think he already knows there's something wrong with the HWH ... getting him to actually do something about it is another matter entirely.

 

[luvmysuper]

Pitcher type Brita water filter.
Fill one pitcher with the hot water, pour it through the Brita, and use the filtered Brita water for shaving.

 

[The Mick]

Really the hot pot is the way to go there cheap and they work great. I live full time in an RV and have to use propane to heat the water. So I have to turn on the heater and wait 30 min so if I'm not showering first I use the hot pot. Saves me time and money.

 

[matt_jr]

Dpm, I have a friend that would dump chlorine bleach down into the well (take the cover off) and run the hot water until he could smell it. I don't recall how often he would do this, but I think it was every few months. I think he would only use a cup of it. You'll still smell a little bleach until it is flushed from all the pipes, but once it's gone, you won't have to do it again for a while. If I remember correctly, he would do this just before going camping for the weekend. By the time he got back, the clorine smell would subside, yet the bacteria in the water heater would be reduced to an amount that it wouldn't smell for a while. From what I read on that site, it will be worse, when the water in the heater is stagnant for long periods. I wouldn't worry much about the health effects, cause it's added to city water at the treatment plants, and is suggested in survival manuals in place of iodine tablets if not available. Just a thought.

 

[kolinpl]

Dpm, I have a friend that would dump chlorine bleach down into the well (take the cover off) and run the hot water until he could smell it. I don't recall how often he would do this, but I think it was every few months. I think he would only use a cup of it. You'll still smell a little bleach until it is flushed from all the pipes, but once it's gone, you won't have to do it again for a while. If I remember correctly, he would do this just before going camping for the weekend. By the time he got back, the clorine smell would subside, yet the bacteria in the water heater would be reduced to an amount that it wouldn't smell for a while. From what I read on that site, it will be worse, when the water in the heater is stagnant for long periods. I wouldn't worry much about the health effects, cause it's added to city water at the treatment plants, and is suggested in survival manuals in place of iodine tablets if not available. Just a thought.

I grew up on well water and we used to shock our well every 6 months, maybe every year. You gotta do it.

Info here:

http://www.oclanalytical.com/index_files/page0019.htm

The process is called shock chlorination . . . good to know!!

K

 

[Deltaboy]

http://www.bizrate.com/tea-kettles/rival-hot-water-pot/

Less than 20 bucks and very portable.

 

[JMan424]

I shave starting with cold water

(less than $20 I think)

Every morning I get this out from the bathroom cupboard, fill it up, turn it on, get my other shaving crap laid out, by that time the water's hot, dump it in my scuttle (or use your mug or whatever), put my brush in, then do my other morning clean-ups (shower in my case, sounds like other creative solutions on your part), and by then everything is thoroughly pre-heated for a luxurious shave.

If I were you I would particularly like this because it would sanitize your water of the bacteria that makes rotten egg smell because once that stuff is in the pipes it doesn't matter if the main colony lives in the HWH, it's in *all* the water coming out of those pipes.

In the meantime I would find another place to live. Times are tough I know but you need to take this as a sign that your landlord couldn't care less about the maintenance of your home or the safety of those inside and GTFO before you develop some funky skin conditions or your internal organs start shutting down because you know he isn't going to man up and help you out with the bills when that hits the fan.

 

[matt_jr]

I grew up on well water and we used to shock our well every 6 months, maybe every year. You gotta do it.

Info here:

http://www.oclanalytical.com/index_files/page0019.htm

The process is called shock chlorination . . . good to know!!

K

That's the ticket right there. I've been on a well up on a mountain for the last 7 years.. best water I've ever had. Never smells, but sure could use a water softener.