History Main / OurShowersAreDifferent

* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'': One diagram of Superman's Fortress of Solitude showed a "shower" that consisted of a giant plasma torch intended to burn off his invulnerable body and suit of any dirt accumulated from his adventures.

* In ''[[Franchise/TheDCU DC]]'' alternate universe fic ''Fanfic/CourseCorrections'', [[ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} Kara]] [[https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/course-corrections-dc-comics-au-elseworlds-round-robin.396187/page-28#post-22835460 installs a "Kryptonian Refresher"]] in the Kent Farm's basement. Compared with it, Earth showers are a primitive mechanism.

* ''Film/StarTrekTheMotionPicture''. The ''Enterprise'' has sonic showers (Lieutenant Ilia's robot form appears in one).
* ''Film/TankGirl''. The title character takes a shower with what appears to be dust falling on her.
* ''Film/ForbiddenWorld''. [[GirlOnGirlIsHot Two women share a shower]] that appears to consist of flashes of orange light, but perhaps they just didn't want to distract the audience from the T&A. Earlier one of the women is shown taking a steam bath, naked except for a pair of sunglasses.
* ''Film/{{Oblivion|2013}}''. The bottom level of the Sky Tower includes a swimming pool with a transparent bottom underneath it, thousands of feet above the ground. Clearly fear of heights was not a concern.

* In ''Priest-Kings of Literature/{{Gor}}'', Cabot is in the realm of the Priest-Kings (the gods of the planet) and like all humans is required to shower several times a day because the Priest-Kings are [[TerrifiedOfGerms Terrified of (Human) Germs]]. One time he fills his water bowl from the shower and discovers that ''that ain't water!''

* In the Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse novel ''Literature/{{Shatterpoint}}'', Mace Windu gets a water shower upon arrival at the local space port, but also goes through a pro-biotic spray. On that specific planet, ships take off and land in a weak energy field that kills microscopic life-forms to counter-act a ubiquitous airborne metal-eating fungus. The spray (as well as a couple of orally-taken tablets) replace the beneficial bacteria most living creatures have on their skins and in their digestive systems.

* In the ''Literature/VorkosiganSaga'' sonic showers, toothbrushes, and other cleaning devices are frequently mentioned. Though they're not as good as "real" showers -- in ''Komarr'', Ekaterin comments that you can't clean a baby's bottom in one!
* In ''Gunner Cade'' by Cyril M. Kornbluth and Judith Merril, the entire barracks is a shower, and one soldier who is NotAMorningPerson barely gets his bedding shoved in his locker before the water vents open up.
* ''Literature/{{Boojumverse}}''. In "Boojum", the female captain of the ''Lavinia Whateley'' is bathing nude amidst her reveling SpacePirates. [[PirateGirl Black Alice]] is envious, as she hasn't even seen a bathtub in seven years.
* In a story in the science fiction anthology "The Year After Tomorrow", a stranded spaceman tries out a Martian shower, which dispenses a caustic chemical.
* In Creator/IsaacAsimov's novel ''Literature/TheStarsLikeDust'' the protagonist at one point uses a "detergent mist", described as "fine, suspended droplets that shot past him forcefully in a warm air stream". A "momentary passage" through this mist leaves him not only clean, but dry as well, without any "separate drying chamber".
* The ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'' novel ''[[Literature/TheHanSoloAdventures Han Solo and the Lost Legacy]]'' by Creator/BrianDaley features a spa with such amenities as an "omniron" which at "maximum treatment" includes fifteen-second cycles of icy water, "sonics" that vibrate the skin, waves of heat, streams of detergent, foam, air nozzles, and emollients applied by "autoapplicators". Chewbacca uses another room dedicated to "more hirsute clientele"; while he floats in a zero-gee field, an electrostatic charge separates each of his individual hairs so that old oils and other dirt can be removed, before new oils and conditioners are applied. Other areas in the spa provide a wide variety of other services for many other species (such as "gill-flushes" for "piscine or amphibian life forms").
* ''Literature/GideonTheNinth'': The Ninth House is a bleak, ascetic {{Necromancer}} cult outpost on an otherwise barren planet, so Gideon grew up with sonic showers and absolutely no amenities. Her first water bath upon traveling to Canaan House feels like [[MundaneLuxury an impossible luxury]].

* ''Franchise/StarTrek'':
** ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' and the series that follow it chronologically usually have the Federation using sonic showers.
** While generally playing this trope straight, bathtubs do crop up from time to time aboard the ''Enterprise''-D+, usually when Deanna Troi is involved.
** ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' averted this in the pilot episode, with [[TheScrappy Neelix]] taking a soap and water bath (though there was a plot reason -- to shown the [[StarshipLuxurious abundance of water]] ''Voyager'' had). Janeway also has a bath in her quarters as a Captain's privilege. Later it is subverted with an alien race whose strict rules call for purified water to be used. FridgeLogic ensues once you realize just how bad water is at cleaning if the contaminants don't happen to be water-soluble or are dangerous microorganisms. The rest of the time it is played straight with sonic showers. One is eventually shown on-screen being used by [[WrenchWench B'Elanna Torres]] (though for some reason it has a VideoPhone inside. Maybe Starfleet was hoping more hot robot babes would turn up in them?)
** ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' shows that 22nd century Earth ships still have conventional showers. This is actually serving the RuleOfCool in one scene, in which the artificial gravity fails just while Captain Archer is taking a shower, and all the water drops start hovering in the air.

** The Minbari use a chemical that removes the outermost layer of skin; it symbolizes rebirth, at least to the Religious Caste. As you'd imagine, it does absolutely horrific things to hair, as Delenn discovers when she becomes a HalfHumanHybrid (as an ordinary Minbari, of course, she had no problem with this, since the Minbari have little or no hair). She ends up calling on Ivanova to teach her about [[CosmeticHorror hair curlers]] -- and later, "[[WomensMysteries odd cramps]]."
* ''Series/StargateUniverse'' has a sort of mist shower onboard the ''Destiny''.

* ''Series/{{Pandora}}'': Jax has a ShowerScene in her room in the first episode, with the shower spraying mist against her body. It also has a door made of HardLight that shows her SexySilhouette as she showers. She still appears wet after and uses a regular ModestyTowel when getting out.

* The EasternRPG ''VideoGame/{{Opoona}}'' for the UsefulNotes/{{Wii}} has the Air Shower, which seem to be sprays of energy bubbles. In addition to appearing the world's many [[NobodyPoops bathrooms]], they're also a battle item that can be used to heal allies or damage enemies.
* The Tardisian Well Sonic Shower in ''VideoGame/TheSims 3: Into the Future''.

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* In ''Webcomic/AlienDice'' Lexx is used to sonic showers and synthetic foods, having lived in space most of his life. He allows himself to indulge in a real shower at Chel's house.
* Big Head Press regularly has "Clean-branes" appear in its sci-fi comics such as ''Timepeeper'' and ''Webcomic/QuantumVibe'' -- membranes of memory plastic that one simply steps through to strip all detritus from one's body, leaving the user not only clean as a whistle but bone-dry. In some cases it's implied to even work through and on '''clothes.'''

[[quoteright:350:[[Film/TankGirl https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tank_girl_shower.jpg]]]]

* In ''ComicBook/{{Transmetropolitan}}'', it takes less than a second for a "Voice-Keyed Physical Cleaning Unit" to strip Spider Jerusalem of all of his plentiful body hair. Given that he ScreamsLikeALittleGirl while it emits a blinding flash of light, it apparently does so with ''lasers''. It also appears to have been permanent, as he is never again shown with a single strand of hair anywhere on his body. [[AluminumChristmasTrees Not as crazy as it sounds]] -- [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_hair_removal Laser hair removal]] was developed in TheNineties.

[[caption-width-right:350:Nothin' rinses of the trail dust like some nice refreshin'...''dust''?!]]

* Averted in ''Series/TheExpanse'', but the water shortages that are a plot point are shown when the shower cuts off while Miller is still lathered up because he has exceeded his water ration. He later uses the sink in the abandoned apartment of the rich girl he's looking for to finish rinsing his hair.

* In ''ComicBook/{{Transmetropolitan}}'', it takes less than a second for a "Voice-Keyed Physical Cleaning Unit" to turn Spider Jerusalem from hairy mountainman into a full-body BaldOfAwesome. Given that he ScreamsLikeALittleGirl while it emits a blinding flash of light, it apparently does so with ''lasers''. It also appears to have been permanent, as he is never again shown with a single strand of hair anywhere on his body. [[AluminumChristmasTrees Not as crazy as it sounds]] -- [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_hair_removal Laser hair removal]] was developed in TheNineties.

* One diagram of Superman's Fortress of Solitude showed a "shower" that consisted of a giant plasma torch intended to burn off his invulnerable body and suit of any dirt accumulated from his adventures.

Note that this can be FridgeLogic when you realize that since water is recycled on spaceships and stations, there is no reason they can't spend the additional energy and equipment to have as much pure water as they want. If they don't clean the dirty water (and urine, etc.), they still have to store it (or throw it into space). It makes more sense to clean it and reuse it. Humans actually "make" water (oxygen plus glucose equals carbon dioxide and water). Although if you do allow water showers you probably have to provide more water storage space. Of course, depending on the level of technology (or how [[UsedFuture grimy your setting is]]), you can justify this by having the recycling process be time consuming compare to how quickly you would use the water by washing everything with it.

* ''Anime/AKB0048'': The ''Katyusha'' has what looks like futuristic pod showers for the girls to refresh themselves after a hard day of practice, but then it turns out they A) Dispense water just like regular showers and B) Are all ''broken'' and spew out rust until you screw around with the handles a bit. Apparently plumbing maintenance isn't high on Tsubasa's budget list.

[[folder: Comic Books ]]

* One diagram of Superman's Fortress of Solitude showed a "shower" that consisted of a giant plasma torch intended to burn off his invulnerable body and suit any dirt accumulated from his adventures.

* In ''[[Franchise/TheDCU DC]]'' alternate universe fic ''Fanfic/CourseCorrections'', [[ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} Kara]] [[https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/course-corrections-dc-comics-au-elseworlds-round-robin.396187/page-28#post-22835460 instals a "Kryptonian Refresher"]] in the Kent Farm's basement. Compared with it, Earth showers are a primitive mechanism.

* ''Fanfic/RocketshipVoyager''. Captain Janeway is late for a dinner appointment with Space Commander Chakotay, so she steps into a refresher that lathers, rinses, massages and dries her body, zaps her with bacteria-killing radiation, then lowers a dome over her head that applies makeup, and shampoos and [[LettingherHairDown restyles her hair]] from the [[PrimAndProperBun Bun of Steel]] in only a few minutes.

[[folder: Film -- Live-Action]]

* ''Film/StarTrekTheMotionPicture''. The Enterprise has sonic showers (Lieutenant Ilia's robot form appears in one).

* ''Film/Oblivion2013''. The bottom level of the Sky Tower includes a swimming pool with a transparent bottom underneath it, thousands of feet above the ground. Clearly fear of heights was not a concern.

[[folder: Literature ]]

* Creator/RobertAHeinlein's article "Where To" mentions a futuristic shower which not only pours water on you but can also do the following: "warm air drying, a short massage, spraying with scent, and dusting with powder". He mentions "freshers" (AKA "refreshers") similar to this one in several of his other stories, including "Coventry", "Literature/MethuselahsChildren", ''Literature/FarmerInTheSky'', ''Literature/{{Friday}}'', ''Literature/TheCatWhoWalksThroughWalls'', ''Literature/TheNumberOfTheBeast'' and ''Literature/TimeEnoughForLove''.
* In ''Priest-Kings of Literature/{{Gor}}'' Cabot is in the realm of the Priest-Kings (the gods of the planet) and like all humans is required to shower several times a day because the Priest-Kings are [[TerrifiedOfGerms Terrified of (Human) Germs]]. One time he fills his water bowl from the shower and discovers that ''that ain't water!''
-->I had naturally supposed the fluid to be simply water which it closely resembled in appearance, and once had tried to fill my bowl for the morning meal there, rather than ladling the water out of the water pan. Choking, my mouth burning, I spat it out in the booth.
-->"It is fortunate," said Misk, "that you did not swallow it for the washing fluid contains a cleansing additive that is highly toxic to human physiology."

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' and the series that follow it chronologically usually the Federation using sonic showers.
** While generally playing this trope straight, bathtubs do crop up from time to time aboard the Enterprise-D+, usually Deanna Troi is involved.
** ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' averted this in the pilot episode, with [[TheScrappy Neelix]] taking a soap and water bath (though there was a plot reason -- to shown the [[StarshipLuxurious abundance of water]] Voyager had). Janeway also has a bath in her quarters as a Captain's privilege. Later it was subverted with an alien race whose strict rules call for purified water to be used. FridgeLogic ensues once you realize just how bad water is at cleaning if the contaminants don't happen to be water-soluble or are dangerous microorganisms. The rest of the time it was played straight with sonic showers. One is eventually shown on-screen being used by [[WrenchWench B'Elanna Torres]] (though for some reason it has a VideoPhone inside. Maybe Starfleet was hoping more hot robot babes would turn up in them?)

* ''Series/BabylonFive''
** Water conservation is important on the station so only the executive suites and command quarters get showers with running water; everybody else has to make do with "vibe showers".[[note]]When this first comes up it's explicitly mentioned that the station does recycle water, but showers for everybody would be more than the system could cope with.[[/note]]
** Earth's space ships don't have water showers even in the command quarters; when Captain Sheridan was transferred to Babylon 5, he was seriously happy when he learned his quarters included "a real live honest-to-god shower with running water".

* ''Series/StargateUniverse'' had a sort of mist shower onboard the Destiny.
* ''Series/TheGirlFromTomorrow'' has a "shower" in the year 3000 that consists of a band of light running up the body. It even removes 20th-century permanent hair dye because it is recognised as dirt.

[[folder: Video Games ]]

[[folder: Web Comics ]]

[[folder: Real Life ]]

* Dust bathing is a typical self-grooming behavior for many birds and some mammals. Other mammals, particularly those with little hair such as elephants, prefer mud baths to dust- the mud both cools the animal in hot weather, it also protects their skin from the sun.

* Dust bathing is a typical self-grooming behavior for many birds and some mammals. Other mammals, particularly those with little hair such as elephants, prefer mud baths to dust.
* Cetaceans and some rays invert the usual "cleanse with water" approach, as they "air bathe" to dislodge parasites and dead skin by leaping out of the water and crashing down into it.