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I commute to my office in my bike, and after cycling 40kms, my clothes will be soaked. I change vest and shirt, but pants and underwear will be soaked, which is uncomfortable.

I would like to change my pants and underwear too. But the problem is, the only place where I could change is in the office bathroom, which is wet and dirty. So, when I remove the pants and put on the fresh pants, the leg part of the pants will be dirty.

Standing on the toilet seat cover is not an option because it's too old and risky. There are no malls nearby.

Are there any life hacks for this problem?

I’m looking for an independent way. I could come by bus but it would take one and half hours to reach due to traffic. On the bicycle, it would take only two hours and I could add the workout also in that plus it’s safer during the pandemic.

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  • Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.
    – Chenmunka
    Jul 1, 2021 at 17:23

11 Answers 11

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Well, I had to change few times in public toilets which weren't in a good shape, so came up with a technique.

The trick is to not wear the pants while standing, but rather while sitting, with the legs in the air. Requires some effort, but worth it. So all it takes is a clean toilet seat cover, which you can clean with toilet paper if needed, or even bring wet wipes and use them to clean.

Since your legs are in the air, the clean pants and underwear won't touch anything dirty.

Good luck! :)

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  • 1
    Thanks for the idea. I’m already using tissue papers on seat before sitting. I just have to bring a slippers to office. This would work.
    – Robert
    Jun 22, 2021 at 8:03
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    @Robert didn't think of the legs, yeah, and you didn't mention it in the question. But with loose pants and large boxers you can change even with the shoes still on. Jun 22, 2021 at 8:06
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    Yes, I think it will help with slight modifications as needed. Thank you, Shadow The Vaccinated Wizard.
    – Robert
    Jun 22, 2021 at 8:15
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    This is genius, or I am an idiot for never having thought of it all these decades, or both! :-)
    – uhoh
    Jun 23, 2021 at 9:25
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    I used to change on the train using a very similar approach. No need for slippers unless your shoes are very nice - put your feet down on the shoes.
    – Chris H
    Jun 23, 2021 at 10:07
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Stand on your shoes

Your first problem is the wet floor. Once you've taken your shoes off, what do you do about that? Answer: stand on the shoes like stepping stones. It takes a bit of balance, but it's totally doable. If you've got two pairs of shoes (and you probably have from cycling) then this is even easier - put two shoes next to each other so that you've got more area to stand on.

Bunch up your pants legs like a donut before you put them on

Now you've got the problem of getting your pants on without wiping them over the floor. You can bunch up the legs so that you've still got a clear hole down the leg to put your foot through, and now your scrunchie-like roll of fabric is clear of the floor. This is harder with jeans, but works very well with suit pants.

Learn to balance on one leg, Karate Kid stylee

Threading your foot into your pants leg is still awkward, especially if you have to bend down. If you can balance well on one foot, you can lift your knee up nice and high, and then you can thread your pants leg over your foot whilst stood on the other leg, without having to bend down.

Use the door

Surfaces are often dirty. So is the seat - even assuming there is one. But there's always a door, and cubicles often have space over the top of the door. Use this to hang your clothes over, whilst you go through the changing process.

Don't forget your socks

You mention changing everything else. Don't forget that your socks are going to be at least as damp as your underwear. If you don't want to subject your co-workers to cheesy socks the rest of the day, bring spare of them too.

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  • 3
    Changed in and out of suits at gas station bathrooms using these techniques more than once.
    – FreeMan
    Jun 22, 2021 at 17:53
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    This pretty much describes my weekday morning routine when changing at the local pool after a swim, they have usually just finished washing the change rooms, which is now done every few hours via pressure hose (thanks COVID) so every surface is wet. Jun 23, 2021 at 3:24
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    I've done all of this when changing out of bike gear in pub toilets in the UK (aim doesn't tend to be great in the circumstances, and the water on the floor probably didn't come from a tap) as well as badly designed campsite shower facilities where everything gets splashed. Balancing on one leg is aided a lot by a shoulder/elbow/back or even head against the wall.
    – Chris H
    Jun 23, 2021 at 13:28
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Buy a roll of "butcher paper" and keep it at home. Cut a square of paper (about 45 x 45 cm) from the roll each work day, fold it until it fits in your bag and take it to work. In the work bathroom, unfold the paper and place it on the floor with the smooth, waterproof side down. You now have a clean, dry square where you may stand and change your clothes. When you are dressed, discard the paper in the bathroom trash.

Butcher paper, made for wrapping meat or fish, is a cheap white or brown paper that is coated on one side with a substance that makes it waterproof. I see it is for sale in India on Amazon.in and the daily cost of one square cut from a large roll would be about the same as the cost of one piece of chewing gum.

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    Butcher paper with waterproof side seems good. But there is a lot of old newspapers lying around. Good thinking btw. And very huge thanks to everyone for the answers.
    – Robert
    Jun 23, 2021 at 1:10
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Put something disposable on the floor, like newspapers. Or get something like a camping or yoga mat cut in half (but be sure which is the clean side and which is the dirty one). You might need to clean it once a week.

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  • 3
    Exactly this. I keep a plastic shopping bag in my car so I can change shoes anywhere, just standing on it.
    – RedSonja
    Jun 23, 2021 at 13:21
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Dirty floor?

One cardboard box, killed, laid flat on the floor.

It will present a suitably large surface, is sufficiently waterabsorbing to not get soaking wet immediately, and can be disposed easily.

Either source the box from a local tip, if available, or collect a few and stash them in a dry place. If you must, above a toilet stall works just fine, and won't even be noticed by your co-workers.

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4

There's a much easier solution. Bring a plastic bag, open it, fold, roll or scrunch it down, and step into it when you take off your shoes.

The pant legs will rest inside the bag, and not touch the floor.

When done, just reverse the bag and fold it up. No mess.

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How do you undress and dress on a beach? By using a towel as a "skirt". Just do that in the cloakroom. As long as you don't make a fuss about it (and change your shirt in the bathroom to avoid showing your torso/upper body etc in public) I see no problem. Everyone that see you know that the bathroom is dirty.

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  • You mean you don't put your swimsuit on under your clothes? I do.
    – Joshua
    Jun 24, 2021 at 17:47
  • On the way to the beach, when it is dry, I sometimes do that, but when I go back I want - of course - change to some kind of regular clothing. Are you American or what? And have never been out of the US? All Europeans change on the beach. So do people all over the world.
    – d-b
    Jun 24, 2021 at 20:06
  • Yeah I'm American. Americans change on the beach. I just found it was too much trouble as compared to a pair of jean shorts.
    – Joshua
    Jun 24, 2021 at 20:10
  • Indians usually don’t change on most beach. And since it has become a taboo, when foreigners, specifically women, come to Indian beaches in bikini, Indian men will be so eager to watch. This has reduced to a some extent due to the internet and global culture. But apart from big cities, still if any girls show a bit of cleavage or wears shorts showing thighs, men will go drooling on that. For men’s parts, no one will go drooling, but people won’t allow changing in public, where they have that power. In offices, bosses and colleagues who joined earlier do have that power.
    – Robert
    Jun 25, 2021 at 17:12
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Changing pants in office bathroom?

As you say: in that case be humble to ask if There is no malls or individuals who would allow you to you to use their shower before work. Even for a small fee.

In that case please ask around. I have let others do this very thing in my flat, because of particular situations!

Truck stops occasionally have showers that are available for a dollar or two. Ask around!

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    That is a good suggestion but I have asked a few colleagues not far away from work and they had their excuses. It’s not their fault. They doesn’t trust me since I’m new. Plus they are asking me to come by bus and prevent these hassles. Added more information to the question.
    – Robert
    Jun 22, 2021 at 4:29
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    And to add to the above comment, I am a guy who is scared to ask a girl out with the fear of rejection. So asking strangers for this is not an option. The real purpose of cycling is to get into shape and boost some confidence.
    – Robert
    Jun 22, 2021 at 4:40
  • My office already have a bathroom with toilet and bucket but it’s dirty. In India, shopping malls have a personal designated to clean the washrooms for the next person to go. But other places, the cleaning is rare and that cleaning is also throwing a bucket of water to the ground. So gas stations are also not an option. I can use any toilets for urinating but for changing pants, the pants will be touching the floor and public toilets won’t help.
    – Robert
    Jun 22, 2021 at 7:45
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In India, you could easily use a Dhothi and then change the pants in public.

If people watching concerns you, make a colored bedsheet into a pyjama like in Carlie Caplin’s ‘The Kid’ movie.

I recommend you not to change like this in office because your bosses and colleagues may not like this attitude in India and it may affect your work life. You can change near any shop backyard or even roads. No one cares a stranger guy changing clothes. If it is only someone they know, they will come up with some complaints.

I regularly see Hindu priests with no shirt and a towel wrapped in Kerala walking in public in the morning to do the religious things.

Inside office premises, you are under them but outside office, you are your own boss.

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My hack is to

  • Clean the bathroom.

which needs doing anyway.

Don't ignore the greater problem!

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    Cleaning the office bathroom doesn’t seem to be a viable option.
    – Robert
    Jun 22, 2021 at 8:01
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    I agree with @Robert. He talk about case where the floor itself is very dirty, it's not viable to bring a mop and start cleaning. :( Jun 22, 2021 at 8:04
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    Cleaning the bathroom seems a stretch. Asking your company to keep their filthy bathroom clean seems much more in keeping with what would be seen as normal/acceptable.
    – Valorum
    Jun 22, 2021 at 16:55
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    @WeatherVane - His issue is that the "office bathroom which is wet and dirty", so the obvious solution (thinking laterally) is to go yell at the person whose job it is to clean it, not to clean it himself.
    – Valorum
    Jun 22, 2021 at 17:02
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    @WeatherVane - Metaphorically yell, not actually yell. Actually yelling would mark him out as dangerous lunatic, not least because he's walking around without trousers on at this point in the conversation
    – Valorum
    Jun 23, 2021 at 7:00
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Since the old clothes are drenched in sweat and you'd probably want to carry only one extra plastic bag to keep these wet clothes in it, carrying more bags or materials isn't a feasible option.

I think the the most efficient solution would be where you can lay down the wet cycling clothes on the wet floor and keep your feet on it (the wet clothes) all the time while wearing the new clothes. No matter how wet your wet clothes are, they won't make your new pants wet, since the water (sweat) is absorbed totally by the wet plant unlike in the case of floor where drops of water remains at the surface and gets absorbed by the new pants immediately.

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  • Eww, the floor is dirty and not just wet.
    – Robert
    Jun 25, 2021 at 16:58
  • Aahh I see. My solution only works for wet floors which aren't dirty (bathroom floor just after you've taken a bath)
    – mnuizhre
    Jun 26, 2021 at 12:20
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    When reading the question, I assumed right away that @Robert means there is pee on the floor, and that's the wet part, not only water. People just don't care when using toilets not their own and when they don't clean their mess. Jun 26, 2021 at 15:50
  • Ah, apologies then @Robert
    – mnuizhre
    Jun 26, 2021 at 16:05

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