Personal Grooming

M

Midwest Ninja

Joined
Jun 26, 2007
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Most trips I'm out on only last a weekend, so 2.5-3 days without a shower is okay, but how about on longer trips? Any problems with parasites or insects? I'm especially curious about that when using debris shelters.

Thanks for your input everyone!:)
 
well If there is a lake near by I go swimming every morning. (use bio degradable soap )
 
Keep your hair short.
A bottle of purell goes a long way, I wouldn't worry about too mucah as long as your water is safe and you aren't in the amazon or a swamp.
 
For hiking, camping and such, I generally just bring a travel-sized bottle of Dr. Bronner's with me. My "hurricane season pack" has a larger bottle of the doctor's medicine as well as a bottle each of the No Rinse shampoo and soap products.


You can also find cheapie little travel toothbrushes that store a small amount of toothpaste in the base.
 
I once went three weeks with no grooming whatsoever (except brushing of teeth), did not change my underwear or T-shirt or wash my hair, worked and slept in the same clothes. The other three guys I was sharing the tent with were equally dirty and disgusting so no big deal.

I usually carry a very small bottle of Nizoral shampoo in my kit, and if I know I am going to be a week or more without a shower or lake to swim in I will at least try to wash my hair once every 3-4 days with Nizoral, even if from a pot. It kills any of the nasties that may be living up there causing an itchy scalp, for me itchy scalp is the worst part of not bathing for a while.

I will also bring those small packs of baby wipes, it may sound a bit disgusting, but if you can finish up your business with a baby wipe, it really extends the length of time before you really start feeling dirty :)

Dr. Bronner's liquid soap is great stuff and biodegradeable as well.
 
I carry a couple bottles of Wintergreen alcohol to clean up. It also works great for starting fires and cleaning wounds. Baby wipes work well too.
 
+1 on the Dr. Bronners. Cut the bottom 3" or so off a gallon milk jug and stash a bunch of stuff in it to make it packable. I use that for my sink and wash bucket. Take a bandana or synthetic towel/washcloth and a little Dr. B's, fill the bucket up with a little warm water and take a standing sponge bath. I decant stuff like Dr. B's into smaller bottles for short trips-- it can save enough weight to equal a fixed blade knife-- no joke.

BTW, I refuse to shave-- that's going too far :)
 
A natural sponge is great for "sponge baths." Weighs next to nothing. Compacts to small size. Lasts for years if reserved for outings.

A SMALL smokey fire can drive most of the critters out of your shelter. Build it on a rock or piece of bark so you can haul the remains out.

Amazing that Bonners is still around, decade after decade. :thumbup:
 
During a longer trip (7-10 days), I've found that the morale boost from being clean outweighs the feeling that I need to bathe. Throw in a pair of clean dry socks and I feel like King of the World !

Funny how the simple stuff you take for granted can make you so happy depending on circumstances.

Smoke baths are good too, especially if the skeeters are bad. Then you just stink like campfire, which isn't so bad....
 
I actually love the smell of smoke that comes when burning cedar on a cold day. Smells better than anything I can think of.
 
I always have a small bottle of gold bond for heat rashes in undesierable places ;) Other than brushing teeth don't worry to much about hygene.
 
I took a spare cap for a Platypus bottle and poked a bunch of holes in it. It makes for a decent handheld shower, which is better than nothing.
 
These are good suggestions. I especially like the platypus shower idea, the natural sponge, and Dr. Bronner's soap. And, speaking of that, what IS Dr. Bronner's and where is it usually available? :o
 
Midwest Ninja said:
I would NEVER imagine doing such a thing....shaving:barf:

:D Thanks for the input, I'd never heard of the Dr. Bronner's before. Is it sold in stores?
Click to expand...

In regular department stores and grocery stores it's pretty hit and miss. . . mostly miss. You can find it an almost any health food or natural foods type store though.
 
+1 on the peppermint.

Dr. Bronner must have been one weird cookie. I discovered the stuff in the early 70's. The drivel on the label makes for fun reading. From what I've heard, his kids have continued with the company. I bought some for hiking and we use liquid soap in the shower and ran out one day, so I just grabbed the hiking supply. I've been using it daily ever since. I get it at Whole Foods. You can get the small bottles at REI and many hiking stores. Trader Joes has a copy that is cheaper and okay, but it isn't as concentrated and good as Dr. Bronners.

I've read of some people brushing their teeth with it-- using VERY small amounts. I tried it and I can say without a doubt, that it SUCKS for tooth brushing.
 
In elk camp that was in a pack in wilderness area I went so far as to break ice in a trout stream to bathe. I do not remember what the temp was but it was getting up to about 45 and down to about 13 degrees in the night. I had got pretty grubby after a few days and was cold bathing, but it was worth it. No monkey-butt for me!
 
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