Maintaining a clean camp can be important, particularly in minimising the impact on the local environment. Some steps that can be taken to ensure a clean camp site can include covering and securing both food and waste products. This will reduce the chance of animals such as goannas, possums etc from eating foods they are not suited to.
Maintaining good personal hygiene is also important, particularly in something like a multi- day hike. Reducing the potential of bacterial or fungal infections can dramatically improve an experience.
Leaving no trace behind should be the most important consideration when heading into a pristine environment, and that includes when thinking about your personal hygiene practices. Some examples include:
Washing your hands- Hand sanitiser is going to be your best friend when out on the trail as you won’t always have ready access to soap and water to wash your hands. Exposure to different soil types and vegetation that we are not used to can increase the potential for bacterial and fungal infections. Hand sanitiser can dramatically reduce this exposure and ensure we remain healthy in order to enjoy the exposure.
Also, when amongst a group of people for extended periods of time, germs can spread pretty quickly which is why it’s essential to sanitise your hands every time single time you go to the toilet or prepare food.
Cooking and food storage– Avoiding food contamination and ensuring foods are fit for use is important to prevent things like bacterial infections. Some tips to ensure that our food does not make us sick include:
- Use a clean plate and clean utensils for cooked meat. Never re-use the same ones you used for the raw meat without washing them.
- When reheating food, make sure that you heat it to steaming hot.
- Cover food and store food off the ground to protect it from insects, animals and dust.
Bathing– To maintain good hygiene when away from the comfort of a running shower, there are a range of different options you can do on a lightweight adventure. Any sort of bath or shower should be done at least 50m from a natural water source such as a creek or river. This is done in order to prevent the run off of soaps and other chemicals that may be used from entering the water.
- Use a portable pocket-sized shower- This is essentially a dry sack with a shower head built into the base that can be adjusted by a twist mechanism. All you do is fill with water, put it out in the sun to warm up, and then hang it up to use. It provides enough for an almost 5 minute shower.
- Take a sponge bath- Heat up some water and pour it into a container, add in some biodegradable body wash, grab a washcloth and get started. A squeezy water bottle comes in handy here as you’ll be able to rinse those hard to reach areas.
- Wipes are great when you either can’t spare the water, or you’re just plain too tired after a long day to attempt anything else. You want wipes that will remove salt, sweat and oils from your body, so depending on your preference you might want to try unscented baby wipes. It is important to consider that these can’t be buried but will need to be taken out and disposed upon leaving the area.
- Washing in a lake or river- This is probably the most enjoyable and memorable option for most people. However it is important to remember that this can also have an impact on our environment and we need to take steps to prevent the negative consequences. It is recommended not to use any soaps/ shampoos etc to prevent the introduction of phosphates or other chemicals into these waterways. Sunscreen and insect repellent can also wash off and negatively impact on the waterways.
Washing your clothes– When hiking, the amount of clothes taken need to be kept to a minimum in order to keep weight down. As a result, washing clothes can be an important consideration on a longer trip. Using a mini- washing bag can be very useful. This involves adding the clothes, a small amount of water and biodegradable washing powder. Seal it up and agitate it for a few minutes and the clothes can be dried to be used. Again, it is important to remember to scatter the used water well away from natural water sources.
Feminine hygiene– For the ladies, this is an added consideration that needs to be planned for. An option is standard disposable feminine hygiene products. However, the planning in comes in making sure you have a way to carry them out with you – a Ziploc bag is usually best for this.
Another option is a menstrual cup. It is vital that these are kept clean and good hygiene using wipes is maintained when using and emptying them.