How To Stay (Relatively) Clean During Long Hiking Trips

Planning a long, long, long hiking trip? Whether “long” means “the weekend” or “several months,” keeping clean is often a challenge. Unless staying in a campground with available showers, you’ll have to get creative to remain clean and (somewhat) fresh. Check out a few ideas to help you avoid saying “What IS that horrendous smell?” and  realizing it’s you:

Baby Wipes

Baby wipes take up very little space and are an ideal item to bring on long camping/hiking trips. Wipe them on sweaty armpits, nasty-smelling feet…you get the idea. Isopropyl alcohol and cotton balls are also great for quick clean-ups.

Creeks, Streams, Rivers

Never pass up the opportunity to dip your feet in a babbling brook or other form of flowing water. A five-minute soak washes away bacteria and eliminates blister-forming hot spots. Use the opportunity to rotate your socks, and if camping near a body of water, wash your socks and hang them on a tree branch to dry.

You may also choose to bathe in a flowing body of water, however try to find out how “clean,” i.e. “laden with hideous bacteria” the water is. If you have an open cut or similar wound, you may want to avoid various rivers and creeks. Should you decide to give it a go, use biodegradable soap and stay at least 200 feet away from the water’s source.

Dry Shampoo

Dry shampoo is fantastic for soaking up oil and otherwise refreshing dirty hair. Talcum powder also makes oil go bye-bye.

DIY Shower

Create your own little shower while on a hiking break with a gallon jug or water brick, rope, pantyhose and bar soap. Use the rope to hang the water jug on a solid tree branch, and place the soap in the pantyhose for easy washing. Keep the pantyhose tied to a tree branch as well to avoid jugging items while getting clean.

Staying as clean as possible while hiking and camping is important to prevent bacteria from doing unpleasant, uh, stuff.

What’s your best tip for hiking cleanliness? Share them in the comments section!