The city of Miami has installed public toilets for homeless people. Even Pope Francis set up a free laundry for homeless people in Italy. Why are we so behind?
When you walk past a public bathroom or see a mobile laundry van, you might not give it much thought. Yet for people experiencing homelessness, these facilities can mean everything.
Access to a shower, a washing machine, or a clean toilet isn’t just about hygiene—it’s about dignity, belonging, and health. Leading the way are many projects worldwide, whose efforts have shown what’s possible, when a community comes together.
Hygiene Facilities for Homeless People
Living on the streets or in insecure housing makes meeting basic needs a daily struggle. Without access to showers, laundry, and toilets, people not only face higher risks of sickness, but also loss of self-respect.
Clean clothes and fresh skin help people feel normal, connect with others, and search for work.
Lack of hygiene can also lead to infections, skin issues and trouble managing ongoing conditions like diabetes. Bad smells or stained clothes can also push people further away from society.
Here a few case studies around the world, where teams have found creative ways to help. They are standout examples to show what’s working:
ShowerBox (free showers for London’s homeless people)
ShowerBox (London and Birmingham) run mobile showers in the two cities that have the highest percentage of homeless people.
The founder (a volunteer for homeless charities) heard that donating clothes to homeless people is virtually useless without showers, as the person needs to be clean, for the clothes to be clean and fresh too, for comfort and interviews etc.
Local people also benefit from hot drinks, free underwear and free use of hair clippers.
With enough support, this could become England’s version to ShowerUp, a US organisation that is sponsored by local businesses and churches, to provide mobile showers throughout several states, combined with volunteers (some also give haircuts).
We are not here to make ‘dirty people’ clean. We are here to give hopeless people HOPE!
One Voice Mobile Showers (Australia)
One Voice Mobile Showers began in Melbourne, and now offers mobile showers (along with towels and toiletries), across several Aussie cities. Vans park in busy spots, run by volunteers who greet guests with a smile. Relying on donations and community help, it helps homeless people feel seen and respected.
Orange Sky Australia: Laundry on Wheels
Imagine washing your clothes, while chatting with a friendly volunteer. That’s the core idea behind Orange Sky Australia. With bright orange vans fitted with washers and dryers, they travel across Australia, washing clothes for free and offering hot showers too.
What sets Orange Sky apart is its focus on human connection. Volunteers are trained to listen, share stories, and help guests feel at ease. Those chats often matter just as much as clean clothes.
Pit Stop San Francisco: Clean, Safe Restrooms
In San Francisco, Pit Stop offers free public bathrooms for homeless people. They have running water, soap and hand towels, plus areas to dispose securely of dog poop (and needles, if they are drug addicts, to avoid leaving them littered in public).
Each site is staffed by paid attendants, which boosts safety and stops vandalism. Pit Stop’s success rests on regular cleaning, friendly staff, and services tailored to the area. The bathrooms are also painted in bright colours, by local artists.
Such schemes become even more important, now that many councils are charging to use public bathrooms, for residents and tourists.
Local people have to then ask: where do homeless people go to the toilet, if there is nowhere for them to go – apart from say in parks or on the streets?
And sometimes urinating or defecating in the street is classed as a public offence (and can even end up with people classed as sex offenders, if say a child walks by at the same time, with charges of indecent exposure a possibility). Councils need to act, to sort this.
How to Help Homeless People in England
There are presently around 250,000 homeless people in England (this includes rough sleepers, sofa-surfers and people living in temporary bed-and-breakfast accommodation).
Homeless people can claim benefits (usually Universal Credit), giving the address of a family member or friend, or a local hostel or job centre. Having this income helps pay for food (and pet food), interview clothes, and accommodation deposits.
People without a bank account can use the government’s Payment Exception Serviceto collect benefits from a local post office or PayPoint outlet.
If you see someone sleeping rough, send a report to StreetLink, whose local outreach teams visit rough sleepers at night, to alert them of support to find benefits and accommodation (if the person is under 18, call 999).
Read our post on helping rough sleepers that live with dogs.
