Australian duo offering free mobile laundry now trialling complimentary shower van

The Australian duo famous for launching the world's first free mobile laundry for the homeless are now trialling a shower van as their latest charitable venture.

Brisbane boys Nic Marchesi and Lucas Patchett have turned on the shower tap for the first time on Tuesday, having built the van from scratch after receiving funds from a local donor, local media reported.

The free showers will be launched alongside the duo's complimentary laundry service van known as Orange Sky.

"Twenty-two months ago we had a crazy idea to put two washing machines and two dryers in a van and wash and dry clothes for free," Marchesi said.

"So we then had an even crazier idea of putting two showers in the back of a van. We have water tanks on board, we have heating on board, we also collect our grey water," he said.

The duo now has 11 laundry vans working across Australia and hopes to expand the shower concept if the trial proves to be a success.

"It costs us 6 Australian dollars (4.58 U.S. dollars) to wash and dry someone's clothes and it will cost us the same to give someone a shower," Marchesi said, adding that was how much the duo spent on giving free laundry service.

Marchesi added the mobile shower van was challenging because they had to find a cheap way to keep the water hot.

The pair expects to take their laundry concept overseas, with a rollout planned for the U.S. next year.

"Our dream is really basic that is to treat people how they want to be treated and to connect them in the community," Marchesi said.

"Everyone deserves the basic human right of having clean clothes and being clean themselves," he said. Enditem