Camping is a pleasurable recreational activity, especially when the skies are clear for a starry night and the weather is cool and breezy for some toasty marshmallows around the campfire. Camping has become particularly popular among Americans, with millions going out to breathe in nature every year. Perhaps, this has to do with camping’s stress and depression relieving qualities!
However, with longer stays and so many urban dwellers heading out to the clear lands, staying clean in the wild while staying environmentally friendly can become a challenging task, especially when you have planned a longer, overnight trip with friends and family. This is why we are here to help you out with how to stay clean while camping.
What Will You Need?
- One gallon zip-lock bag.
- Unscented, biodegradable laundry detergent
- Arm & Hammer Odor Busterz Balls
- Shower Pouches
- Squirt Water Bottle
- Dry Shampoo
- Sleeping Bag Liner
8 Tips on How to Stay Clean While Camping
Tip # 1: Do your own laundry and keep two outfits.
After a full day of outdoor activities, your clothes are more than likely to be muddy and stinky that you’d not want to wear the next day (for your own sake as well as that of others). Given you can’t carry your closet with you while camping, keep two workable outfits. When one gets dirty, launder it, and wear the other one in the meanwhile.
To wash your clothes, either use a nearby freshwater body or pack some extra water for laundry. Put the clothes in a gallon-size zip lock bag, fill it with water and an unscented, biodegradable detergent powder – shake everything well and leave for 5 minutes. Throw away the dirty water (at least 200 ft away from any water source to avoid contamination). Repeat the same with only clean water and hang your clothes to dry overnight.
Tip # 2: Take moisture-wicking clothes with you.
If your trip is more short-term and you would like a quick solution to keeping your clothes fresher for longer, then moisture-wicking clothes are your best bet. While what you wear on your camping trip will depend on the weather as well, moisture-wicking clothes made of synthetic polyester or wool will help wick any sweat, bacteria, and stink away. Moreover, you will stay warm and dry after sunset.
Tip # 3: Use Odor Busters to keep your shoes from stinking.
Camping usually involves walking in nature and exploring the land around you once you have settled with your tent, food, and fire. Having shoes on for most of the day will definitely leave them less than aromatic, and so, just cleaning your clothes will not be enough. Odor Buster’s balls work the best in this case – nothing too big or heavy to carry – tossing these in your shoes overnight will leave them smelling fresh in the morning. Just remember not to leave them behind.
Tip # 4: Befriend baby wipes and hand sanitizers.
Baby wipes and hand sanitizers are extremely handy when you want to stay clean while camping, especially if you do not have any ‘bathing facilities’ or do not plan on bathing altogether. From our list of ‘what you will need,’ shower pouches are a terrific steal. They are super compact and have a wipe large enough to clean your whole body!
Tip # 5: Leverage Nature to the fullest – bathe in it!
Over a long camping trip – you will miss taking a shower or bathing in warm water. While it may be cold, a dip in the stream or lake nearby can be highly rejuvenating and an experience of its own kind. Do not miss the opportunity! Just make sure not to use any soaps or other synthetic cleaning products as they can contaminate the freshwater body.
Tip # 6: Bring along a squirt bottle.
This is very handy camping gear, and a lot of people do not realize that. If you are carrying a bunch of water bottles, you should include a squirt bottle in them. They are great for cleaning dirt and sweat underarms and after you have relieved yourself. The water exerted with pressure provides cleanliness that is not possible with a normal water bottle.
Tip # 7: Keep your hair looking fresh with dry shampoo.
Once again, this is a great camping hygiene product as you just have to put the magic powder in your hair to cut on all that grease without using water. It saves time, water, and space – all the while adding volume to your hair if you are trying to impress someone special on the trail. Make sure to include in your’ how to stay clean while camping’ checklist.
Tip # 8: Use a sleeping bag liner.
If you have not cleaned your clothes properly and fear that the dirt and sweat will infuse with your sleeping bag, a sleeping bag liner will be your saving grace. It does not only help you keep extra warm (in case it gets chilly at night) but will also prevent any grit from soaking into your sleeping bag.
Our Final Thoughts
These were our best eight useful tips on how to stay clean while camping. The famous outdoor activity is a refreshing experience for one’s mind and soul but being out in nature can make it a tad bit challenging to maintain sanitization and cleanliness. However, thankfully, there are now several environment-friendly products and tips that can help you keep fresh after a day of fun-filled activities. And we hope the ones we shared help you stay clean and fresh on your trip. Happy camping!