Camping is all fun and games until you notice there’s no bathroom or shower around! This means you’ll have to deal with your usual cleaning and grooming habits using alternative methods. Luckily, modern times offer campers a wide array of products for a safe camping trip without any unpleasant repercussions (think insect bites, rashes, infections, and so on).
However, beginner campers can have a bit of an issue choosing the right hygiene products and may end up bringing way too much and, more often than not, unnecessary things. So, if you want to make sure your camping trip will be a pleasant experience, here are the top 5 hygiene habits to keep close to your heart:
#1: Take Care of your Sensitive Parts
Remember when I said there is no bathroom? Well, this means that, when nature calls, you’ll have to find a bush, squat down, and do your business. Still, there is the issue of taking care of your sensitive parts without having a shower nearby (especially if your trip takes more than a few days).
The best option here is to have some wet wipes that don’t cause irritations and are gentle enough to use for this sort of job. A great product for this is the flushable DUDE Wipes because each wipe is individually packed (no need to carry a big box in the bushes) and they are mostly water (meaning they’ll disintegrate naturally).
#2: Filter your Water
Water is a must-have when you’re out in nature, but it is difficult to bring along more than one or two bottles. That’s why it’s best to use the available local sources, but these are not always safe since water is a great source of life for tiny beings (like parasites or bacteria). So, to make sure you won’t get any health issues, it’s important to filter the water before drinking it (this applies even if the water looks clean as most organisms living in water can’t be seen with the naked eye).
#3: Take a Bath
Wet wipes are great for caring for various parts of the body but after a few days, it’s difficult to keep yourself fresh. So, if it’s available, take a bath in nature (aka a river or a stream) and sop yourself up. It may be a bit of a shock at first due to the difference in temperature, but the experience is incredibly freeing. Plus, you’ll feel a lot better afterward!
A quick tip: don’t bathe in a pond or stagnating water as if there’s no current there’s a high chance there are bacteria living there.
#4: Take Care of Your Teeth
No, just because you’re sleeping under the stars, it doesn’t mean you can forgo daily hygiene habits like properly brushing your teeth and flossing! Chances are you won’t have the opportunity to eat cooked meals too often during the day so you may have to rely on fruits, energy bars, and other similar products. Those have high sugar contents and can produce a lot of damage to your teeth if you don’t take care of them as usual.
#5: Stay Dry
While you hike or climb, you will sweat and there is always a chance for the weather to go bad. Therefore, you need to be prepared with clean and dry underwear and socks (which should be changed every day anyways), waterproof clothes and footwear, towels, and maybe a pair of rain boots. Staying dry is crucial for your health, so if you sweat a lot during the day, take a break and change your shirt and underwear. This way, you’ll be able to continue going without feeling down or catching a cold.
At the end of the day, it’s important to stay safe and cozy during your trip, which is why it helps to have a few tips on hand.
