Washing your hands

mystical woodsman

mystical woodsman

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Ok… This might be a no brainer for some, but I am stumped… :confused: Let’s say you’re in the wilderness, and I am talking miles out in the bush. Imagine you are far away from the nearest stream or water source, it is not snowing and you just dispatched a furry critter… while skinning it, how in the crap do clean your hands and knife other than wiping them on grass? I mean really clean them? Let’s say you don’t have latex gloves, or any modern equipment. Does anybody know how the Native Americans cleaned up the mess? If you are far from the nearest stream, that little bit of water needs to be reserved, which is why I wonder.

While handeling the guts to use as possible fish bait or what have you (is there really any other use?), how could I prevent myself from catching some nasty disease through cross contamination?

Thanks a bunch.
 
I have used the no water sanitizer before as well as the camp soap tubes that have water mixed in with them and are supposedly biodegradable.

I think I remember reading that in the past natives and other peoples used dirt for the first round of cleaning and ashes for the second round. I could be completely wrong though.
 
In "Grapes of wrath" by John Steinbeck ,somewhere on first pages,one of characters,Jim Casy as I remember correct,cleans the knife by stab it in the ground before he attempted to clean the rabbit.Ashes was used for cleaning for centuries,so I think it will do.
 
I like the idea of using dirt and ashes... I don't know if that is how it was really done however. I wonder if there are links to this? As far as using sanitizers and what not... I would like to learn how to get my hands clean without the aid and/or use of modern stuff. I don't want to be dependent on society to supply me with stuff, because it has got to run out eventually right? I imagine my handgun will inevitably run out of bullets too... which is why I am having strong sentiments to just do away with it from the beginning. Other than protecting me from bears and the such, it would be a severe problem if I was stopped by rangers or game wardens if I happened to accidentally wander onto someones property (some people own like 100's of unused acre forest). Also, If I am not in a state such as Alaska or Vermont (who btw don't have a law against CC with no permit), I could be thrown in jail for that, whereas they wouldn't hassle me for having a 4 in knife.
 
mariobab said:
cleans the knife by stab it in the ground before he attempted to clean the rabbit.Ashes was used for cleaning for centuries,so I think it will do.
Click to expand...

What is the science behind this practice? Is there some kind of anti-microbial nature in wood ash that kills infectuous little buggers? So he killed the rabbit, then carried it to camp? Okay, what about big game? Some people have a special backpack that is designed to carry butchered animal parts in (which I WON'T have). So how would I clean my slimy, bloody hands and knife?

Also, thank you for reminding me... heck, how the crap would I transport my fresh kill (could be 100 lbs or MORE :eek:) back to camp? Would I just have to set up camp about 100 yards from where the animal now lay (like a nomad)? I heard that you should cook at a decent distance from your actual camp to prevent bears from getting too close to where you lay your head at night, as they might smell the brew.
 
I don't hunt but I fish a lot. If I'm fishing I just wash my hands in the water i'm fishing. For sticky blood and guts I grab a handful of sand or dirt and use it as an abrasive to scrub my hands clean and then rinse in the water. The same can be done with moss. I just want the fish slime off of my hands. What little is on my hands after that cakes on after drying. Rubbing my hands together makes it flake off. For the pete's sake don't stick your knife in the ground! It'll dull the edge and you might nick the blade if a rock is underground. If your really worried about cross contamination just carry a small flask of whiskey or vodka. Makes for interesting camping either way.
 
TimeConstant said:
For pete's sake don't stick your knife in the ground! It'll dull the edge and you might nick the blade if a rock is underground. If your really worried about cross contamination just carry a small flask of whiskey or vodka. Makes for interesting camping either way.
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LOL I knew that but I guess I just wasn't thinking when I replied :D As for the vodka... that is self evident, but I can't find vodka in the woods growing naturally, now can I? The point I am trying to get at, is how can I clean my hands, way out in the bush, away from any water (unless I am carrying enough that I can sacrifice using for my hands/blade and still have enough to get back to my camp and water source)? Are there natural, inventive ways to do this without having to rely on modernity?

To put it more bluntly... how would a neanderthal do it? Maybe I will just have to carry a rag with me, wipe my hands and blade with it, and then wash it with just water (no detergent). Are there plants that have natural cleaning juice in them that I could carry? This is what I am looking for.
 
mystical woodsman said:
What is the science behind this practice? Is there some kind of anti-microbial nature in wood ash that kills infectuous little buggers?
Click to expand...
Well, first ashes straight out fire should be "biologically" clean.
Second hard wood ashes are alkalin:
that means they create a caustic solution with water,
and secondly, they react with fat to create... soap

see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alkali
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saponification
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap

As for cleaning, ground might help to "mechanically" clean the blade but it is NOT clean (see Tetanus).
One might think of using boiled/hot water to clean stuff.

When cleaning my cooking pots, I generally use dirt/sand/grass to remove debris, than some detergent or I boil water in it.
 
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How about bringing a small bottle with algogel sanitizing fluid/gel/cream. Nowadays healthcare people use by the bucket and it is easy to buy in drug stores and such.
You clean off the worst guck in whatever way you want and finally make it "clean" by dripping on some alcogel on the blade.
Since it will burn easily it is good for starting fires as well.
Get a PET-preform like these http://www.bluedesert.co.il/k2g.html
and you will have alot of algocel for sanitizing your tools, sanitizing your hands, cleaning wounds, starting fire and whatnot.
 
Ravaillac said:
Second hard wood ashes are alkalin:
that means they create a caustic solution with water,
and secondly, they react with fat to create... soap
Click to expand...

Oh SNAP! I forgot about that. Bradford Angier mentioned that once I think... Thanks for the tips. Very informative. So Let's say I hike 4 miles away from camp and water resource and spot a deer. The reason I went so far, is because none of my traps for the last 3 days have caught anything and the fish are growing wise to my lure, and subsisting on grass and berries is not adequate... hence the proactive hike.

Anways, so I kill the deer (don't ask me how, this is purely theoretical lol). I would imagine, that without modern detergents, I could bring some ash in a pouch, and after I skin the animal, I could take out my small glass jar of hardened fat, cut out a glob and heat it in my pan with water until it melts. Then, all I have to do is sprinkle in some ash and wallah... INSTA-SOAP. :D I could then lather up my hands and knife, and simply wipe them off with a rag (to be cleaned later at camp, although I might have to use a scent lock bag). Hhmmm, seems feasible.

How does this scenario sound? It sounds REALLY good to me. perhaps just what I was looking for. :D

Any more tips?
 
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One other way is to have two knives. One for gutting animals and one for other things.

Gutting a deer doesnt require a big knife, get a small folder that is easy to clean and keep it in a pouch, then when you get to camp you just boil it clean.
Maybe something like a Fallkniven WM1 blade blank. :) The zytel sheath can be boiled too.
 
If you are in a area with yucca plants the sap can be used a soap,not sure just how "clean" it would get you but I have used it to clean pots and pans in the past with a little sand added
 
cleaning your knife is easy , stick it in a flame after wiping it off. Your hands, I just boil water, but if you have to conserve...use dirt, and stop picking your teeth and biting your nails:D
 
Dirt gets things mechanically clean, but doesn't get rid of germs, etc. Ash would be much better, but it takes more than just dumping it and some fat in water to make soap. It takes some work also.

From the methods you are looking for, sand and such to get rid of the big stuff, ash or boiled water for the rest. Although the ash isn't foolproof. Don't forget the average lifespan of people that did things the "old" way either...
 
Initially, I use some of the water (water bottle and/or Camelback) I carry to clean my hands and knife...once back at home or camp, I'll do a more thorough cleaning; you definately want to get the blood off your knife as soon as possible as well. You should also have a trash bag or Ziplock handy to carry any of the game, but in reality, I've dragged a dear to two some distance over the forest floor and just washed it out as soon as I got a chance. I know it's not a "primative" item, but a small bottle of hand sanitizer (or flask of whiskey) will go a long ways to preventing a small cut, scrape or nick from getting infected. Do you want to try the primative method of dealing with an infected hand, arm or leg? :eek:

ROCK6
 
I know this has not been mentioned but how about your own urine its supposed to be sterile when fresh. people have survived by drinking it when water is not avaleable.:eek: if nothing else it would prevent the blood from drying on your hands and knife making clean up easier when you found water. which maybe you should you should have done befor you went hunting.:D dont forget the rule of threes
Three minutes without Air
Three days without Water
Three weeks without Food
 
If you are fishing you will be close to water, and I have hunted big game for over 25 years now, and they will gravitate towards water to drink ( which is a good place to ambush). Game animals have the same requirements as human (as taught to by my father) food, water, and shelter. So I am not disputing your question, but even when hunting game in the praries or woodlands I have always located water and game close by each other. I wish I had saved the link, but a recent study indicates that plain water sanatizes the hands more that hand sanatizer.
The dirt method is bad, even though in mechanically cleans the blade it could leave all sorts of micros on the blade.
 
ROCK6 said:
I know it's not a primitive item, but a small bottle of hand sanitizer (or flask of whiskey) will go a long ways to preventing a small cut, scrape or nick from getting infected. Do you want to try the primitive method of dealing with an infected hand, arm or leg? :eek:

ROCK6
Click to expand...

LOL Words of wisdom. thank you. You made your point well my friend.
 
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