View Full Version : staying clean on the trail
Mountain_Goat
12-12-2010, 20:33
was just wondering what other people do to stay hygenic on the trail?
Oh you didnt mean sobering up?! Well, take a dip in the drink every other week or so. That should do it.
Oh you didnt mean sobering up?! Well, take a dip in the drink every other week or so. That should do it.
That is awesome. Seriously though, jump in a creek or something.
There's this biodegradable peppermint shampoo/soap/shaving gel at the Mast General Store. It makes your skin feel amazing. Jump in, jump out, lather up, jump back in.
I carried hand sanitizer in the travel size. Worked well for me..my hands.
I carry a nylon bucket and if it's warm enough get a bucket of water from a stream, walk into the woods a few hundred feet and have a nice refreshing sponge bath.
Ironbelly
12-12-2010, 20:52
Every few days or so I put a few drops of Dr. B soap into about 2 cups of hot water and give myself a little sponge bath with a bandana, and then rinse off with another few cups of water. Obviously it's a little easier with two pots. Cold water works just as well, but hot water feels sooo nice. Dr. B doubles as a great shampoo as well.
And Dr. Bonners like all castile soaps is biodegrable
Dr. Bronner's makes you feel all tingly.
WILLIAM HAYES
12-12-2010, 22:44
I carry an extra nalgene bottle cap with small holes drilled in it and use it as a hand held shower -works well and only adds minimal weight to my pack
The hiker funk is what it's all about. Don't foul the water sources. Just wash ur hands before eating and shower when you get to town.
This Platypus "shower attachment" (http://www.jackson-sports.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=3888) offers a fantastic alternative to staying clean on the trail. Tag-along and I used this frequently throughout our AT hike - off in the woods and away from camp water sources.
The tubing material that it comes with it is ridiculously long, and should be cut down to just a couple inches.
Odd Man Out
12-13-2010, 00:08
I can live without a shower, but I have to wash my face to feel human. Ivory Soap is cheap, lightweight, easily available, biodegradable (just plain pure soap). I like the bottle cap with holes idea. I may try that.
Pick up some of the small packs of baby wipes. Clean face and all the important parts, helps to cut down on chaffing too.
Hand sanitizer before eating.
Stidex pads with Aloe are great for quick cleaning your face after you've sweat all day.
Trailweaver
12-13-2010, 03:31
Water in a pot (heated or not, depends on outside temp) with a bandana and Dr. Bonner's. Sometimes I use the towelettes - always use those to wash my hands before cooking/eating. It's not hard, really, to stay reasonably clean. Just please, please don't do your bath in or near the creek that we drink from!
garlic08
12-13-2010, 08:58
All the above, plus don't let other people put their hands in your food. There's some intelligent conjecture that most illnesses on the trail are spread this way. When you share, have them hold out their hands and put food into them. Same thing for your own hands, keep them out of your food.
I was having lunch at a shelter in CT and a filthy hiker walks in, bragging to friends he just caught up with that he hadn't bathed since PA, and complaining of the runs. The guy was a walking cesspool. As I edged away, his friends all shake his hand and they start eating together. If/when they got sick, they probably blamed the water.
What garlic08 said.........
Makes me quiver just thinking about it.
daddytwosticks
12-13-2010, 14:38
Hand sanitizer, baby wipes, ziplock bag filled w/water and my bandana. Use all these techniques as appropriate. The worst part is crawling into your sleeping bag all dirty and clammy/sticky from sweat. I gotta do something to TRY and clean up before turning in at night. :)
Bags4266
12-13-2010, 15:17
I carry an extra nalgene bottle cap with small holes drilled in it and use it as a hand held shower -works well and only adds minimal weight to my pack
x2, excellent lightweight way to shower. I can take a whole shower including a shampoo on 1 liter of water. I have a buzz cut though
wornoutboots
12-13-2010, 15:53
I carry an extra nalgene bottle cap with small holes drilled in it and use it as a hand held shower -works well and only adds minimal weight to my pack
Super Idea!!
Blissful
12-13-2010, 16:05
I wait until I get to town for major wash up. Town is only 3-4 days away. I do use baby wipes for certain things as needed. Washing at camp is a pain.
Toolshed
12-13-2010, 21:26
Hand sanitizer, baby wipes, ziplock bag filled w/water and my bandana. Use all these techniques as appropriate. The worst part is crawling into your sleeping bag all dirty and clammy/sticky from sweat. I gotta do something to TRY and clean up before turning in at night. :)
Ditto. I admit, though, the smell of Dr. B's soap thoroughly nauseates me now.....
StubbleJumper
12-13-2010, 21:50
Well, I guess it kinda depends on how you define clean. I try to maintain some semblance of hand hygiene just to prevent intestinal illness. But the rest? No way. When I hike, I sweat. My clothes will stink and I will stink. If there's a pond and it's a nice day, I'll go for a swim, but it seems pretty pointless to make much of an effort to get clean. Once your clothes are funked up, it takes a laundromat to really have any impact.
Did I mention what my trail-hikers smell like? Pure evil! :rolleyes::rolleyes:
Bama Jack & Sadie
12-13-2010, 22:05
Anti bacterial baby wipes once in the AM, once in the evening. They even come in convenient travel size packs that make it easy for packing too. Depending on how funky you are, dry them out after use and they make great fire starters!
wrongway_08
12-13-2010, 22:15
Every 3 days I took a shower at the shelters or along the trail.
Just take your 3 liter platypus or camel back and fill with water (I even filter my shower water, no froggy smell using the hiker pro filter), you can warm it if you like. Hang the bladder from a tree and strip down, water up - soap up - water down - towel off.
I havent seen or used the water attachment for either the platypus or camel back, it was easy enough to just squeeze the bite valve and wash off that way.
i saw a few people doing it in the creek
There's this biodegradable peppermint shampoo/soap/shaving gel at the Mast General Store. It makes your skin feel amazing. Jump in, jump out, lather up, jump back in.
Even if soap is biodegradable, please don't jump in the water with it all over your body. Rinse off with a bottle or something first.
I just use a bandana and some water.
KingKrawler
12-13-2010, 23:05
During my thru hike this summer, I carried a travel size bottle of hand sanitizer but my secret weapon were baby wipes. I used them every night before turning in, managing to keep myself and my sleeping bag clean.
stranger
12-14-2010, 09:01
Collapsable (spelling?) dog bowl, small piece of pack towel, 1.3 oz of soap from Sea To Summit, wipe down the essentials, keep clean, etc...
I also carry those Wet Wipes anti-bacterial for privy visits, good for hand as well.
I like the holes in cap idea as well!
Buzz Saw
12-14-2010, 09:40
Norwex, makes a wash cloth that kills the bacteria using only water and at 30 grams even I can carry it. You don't have to contaminate any water source. Have been using mine form a while just to see how it works and seems to be working great. You can use it over and over just rinse good and dry. Its going to be nice crawling into the sleeping bag clean instead of having things crawling in my bag. I bought mine from a gale down the street,
[email protected].
chiefduffy
12-14-2010, 10:27
I dip a gallon of water into my packcover, walk away from the water source and hang it from a tree. Strip off the hiking clothes and use the water in the packcover to bathe. Then throw the hiking clothes in the pack cover to soak. Put on my camp clothes, wring out the hiking clothes, dump out the water, and go fix supper.
Bandanna wipe down is the best bet I think.
Good to rotate clothes too. Rinse socks and shirts, and simply hang them out, or on your pack as you hike.
No need to take drastic measures to "clean" up as the next day/hr/night you will be just as dirty and smelly.
I would skip the fancy wipes and sanitizers. Just use your camp suds and call it a day!
~ClassY
I dip a gallon of water into my packcover, walk away from the water source and hang it from a tree. Strip off the hiking clothes and use the water in the packcover to bathe. Then throw the hiking clothes in the pack cover to soak. Put on my camp clothes, wring out the hiking clothes, dump out the water, and go fix supper.
Wow, that's clever. I never would have thought of using a pack cover that way.
Ladytrekker
12-14-2010, 13:58
I am one that has to have a bath every night before bed at home, but on the trail I can go a week without a bath not sure what is up with that. I carry a bandana that I use for wiping myself down every chance I get.
I know that my truest friends are my outdoor friends because they still love me when I look like hell and smell. LOL.....
the goat
12-14-2010, 14:03
i brush my teeth......that's about it.