Our Cape Charles beach house taught us early on how useful an outdoor shower can be. Having a place to rinse off before you go inside keeps sand off floors and out of plumbing. It took us a couple of summers to fully enclose and finish the outdoor shower there, so it was a pleasant surprise that our Florida house already had one built—if “built” includes non-working plumbing and grime-covered walls.
At first the space baffled us. It looked a bit like an open-air sauna, and between the accumulated dirt and leaves, neither of us wanted to spend much time in there. During the initial renovation we asked the contractors to prioritize other areas of the house, so this shower remained mostly untouched. That photo above is what it still looked like last week.
We did get the plumbing connected so it could function as a basic rinse station, but the showerheads were far from ideal—one was rusted and clogged, the other stuck and sprayed at the wall.
Over the last few days we devoted a few hours each day to freshening the space so it would be a clean, functional spot to wash off, hang things to dry, and enjoy the view of the leafy branches overhead. There are a few longer-term changes we’re considering (I’ll mention those near the end), but a little TLC made a big difference.
That TLC mostly meant pressure washing. We rinsed every surface—the walls, floor, bench, shelf and door—to remove layers of grime and mildew. We used a medium (orange) nozzle and the difference was immediate and satisfying. Some areas needed a couple of passes to fully come clean, but the first pass always showed dramatic improvement.
I took a photo before power washing the floor on day three so you could see the contrast between the cleaned and uncleaned sections when both were dry. The washed wood looks noticeably brighter, though some spots needed an extra pass to return to their full color.
Be careful when pressure washing wood: too much pressure or holding the nozzle too close can cause splintering or a fuzzy surface. This wood wasn’t new and responded well to careful pressure washing, which let us avoid harsh chemical cleaners. Still, go easy—too aggressive a pass can damage the material.
Before:
After:
We still plan to apply teak oil to the wood to protect it and enrich the color—especially the bench, which looks like it was previously stained. Even before that finishing step, the shower feels refreshed.
We replaced the old showerheads (including a handheld sprayer), added hooks for towels and swimsuits, strung soft LED string lights across the rafters, and added plants for a bit of green. Those simple updates made the shower far more inviting.
Now the whole family loves using the outdoor shower—some even prefer it to the indoor shower. It’s sunny, airy, and the overhead branches sway in the breeze, making it feel unexpectedly luxurious.
A common question was whether people can see in from neighboring properties. The short answer is no. While an upper balcony on an adjacent house is visible through the open roof from certain angles, you cannot see down into the shower from there. Photos that show the balcony were taken with the phone held high and angled upward; from head height inside the shower you only see the wood wall and the trees beyond.
I took a shot at head level from the spot where you stand to shower so you can see what’s visible during normal use—nothing but the wall and foliage.
If we suspected even a small chance that someone could peek in, we would build a taller side wall or screen the opening with plants. Privacy was a priority, and this layout checks that box.
On the electrical side, we removed and capped the old light fixture wiring with an electrician’s help, then strung LED string lights across the upper framework. The wiring is discreetly nailed along the underside of the wooden arches and the lights are plugged into a smart outdoor outlet so we can operate them with voice control. Held-up-angle photos show the balcony in the background, but the lighting itself looks soft and even from within the shower.
Seeing the lights at night was a pleasant surprise—much gentler than the harsh spotlight that the old fixture would have created.
We’re considering a few more changes in the future. One idea is converting the space into a true pool bath with a toilet and sink so kids can use it without tracking wet footprints through the house. We also plan to add a doorway that will lead directly to the future pool area; that would sit where the center of the bench is now. If we add a door, we’ll likely keep the bench sides so plants still have a spot to sit.
For now we’re happy to leave the shower mostly as it is—aside from applying teak oil to the wood with a rag. A small, accidental perk: the Trex decking color on the adjacent porch (Havana Gold) matches the original cedar inside the shower surprisingly well.
Some visible differences came from opening up the old screened porch, which made this area feel more open and bright. That change, along with the cleaning and updates, has transformed the space into something we use and enjoy every day.
There’s still a bit of work to do outside the shower. The underside of the covered porch shows the raw metal roof structure, and we plan to prime and paint it a soft green that complements the surrounding greenery. We’ll also install a large exterior fan to keep the area comfortable.
P.S. If you want to follow the full Florida house renovation, we’ve documented the project across several posts detailing the exterior makeover, living room and kitchen updates, and other projects planned from afar.
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