You can be living on the wild side of life, but a lack of personal hygiene can be very uncomfortable for both you and your fellow adventurers. Water isn’t always available for a proper river bath, but even if so, you need to consider nature when taking that much-needed cleansing session. We explore some options to maintain your hygiene in a nature-friendly way.
When Nature Calls
So you are surrounded by nature when nature is making its call on you. Leaves where for ages the best they had to get a clean wipe, but we have advanced since then. Your alternative today is set between wet wipes and good old toilet paper. The guideline is that you answer the call away from campsites and water sources and that you bury your poop, including the toilet paper or wet wipes. This means that what you use needs to be biodegradable. The usual stuff won’t do, for it will sit in nature and cause havoc in the ecosystem.
Even though toilet paper seems like the go-to answer since you use it at home, you need to remember that at home you shower at least once every 12-24 hours which is not necessarily the case on a hike. Thus you need a good clean wipe from the start. Biodegradable toilet paper is also notoriously thin, and you will probably need a bit to do a proper job.
Wet wipes might be the better solution to leave you fresh as a daisy, and it can also be used to clean not only your delicate behind. They weigh more than toilet paper, and they are more expensive, but in the end, you will need less for a proper clean. Take care that they don’t dry out since then they are entirely useless. Most importantly, don’t forget to pack a shovel.
Soaps and Shampoos
You can already imagine taking a refreshing bath in the nearest river or pool. Wash the grind away of days of hiking, the sweat and glory of your efforts are intertwined, and now you have something to settle with the refreshing water. Are your soap and shampoo biodegradable? Biodegradable soaps and shampoos are made of ingredients that can be broken down and absorbed into the earth without leaving any traces behind. The ingredients in our soaps at home, which make them anti-bacterial, creating a rich lather and a long shelf life, aren’t biodegradable. These chemicals will flow into the ecosystem and pollute nature for generations to come.
When shopping for your biodegradables, be prepared that they do cost more, but this is due to their unique ingredients. These are generally plant-based cleansers with organic oils. You won’t find any parabens, silicones or other harmful chemicals in them. You can even double up and use the same product for shampoo and body wash. There are many options available, but before purchasing, be convinced that you won’t mind drinking whatever is in that product. For if the idea of drinking it is revolting, don’t put it into our natural water sources.
