Take the 2-minute tour ×




share|improve this question
I find it disgusting to be sweaty or dirty. Get over it, or don't go hiking. –  Olin Lathrop Jul 7 at 13:51
@OlinLathrop: That was pretty much cut throat reply! But totally agree. Love the way you conveyed it! :) –  WedaPashi Jul 17 at 11:52

5 Answers 5

up vote 12 down vote accepted

Some methods

    Advantages: Lightweight, fast.
  • Solar Shower
    Advantages: Can get pretty darned clean.
    Disadvantages: Slower, uses fuel.





share|improve this answer





share|improve this answer

Outdoor hair is full of sweat, but basically probably cleaner than the normal days. The air outdoor is much fresher than in the city. Probably we can skip the hair washing also prevent environment pollution but I would say You can try dry shampoo to clean your hair, you can look at this: http://facianohair.com/camping-outdoor

Dry shampoo is easy to carry and some really clean quite well.

share|improve this answer
Hi and welcome to The Great Outdoors. It would be preferred if you'd give some further infos directly in the answer. Maybe your link will die some day and then we miss these infos. Additionally you could sum up the content from that link so the reader of your answer gets a fast idea of what you are speaking about. –  EverythingRightPlace Jul 6 at 17:20

If you read the Snow Leopard, from Peter Matthiessen, he discusses this exact issue and looks at how the Tibetans handle it.

Part of Buddhist teaching is that as human beings we are at one with nature, with earth, with our surroundings. Understand this carefully. We are no better than anything around us - we are part of it. So the Buddhists, just as Olin Lathrop posted above, don't consider the dirt on their skin as something filthy.

Think of it. Why do you consider "clean", fatty acids and the additives from Procter and Gamble, versus the carbon atoms and minerals from "dirt" plus a little interaction from bacteria which are 10 times more populous in your body than your own cells?

Peter Matthiessen's remark is that the Tibetans don't care about it and simply embrace it.

So stay at home if you prefer Procter and Gamble chemicals on your body over the concept of becoming one with nature, which is the whole purpose of loving the outdoors.

share|improve this answer

An absolutely vital part of my camping equipment is what we call the washing up bowl: a rectangular plastic tub that's smaller than a sink, but larger than your plates and pots. I actually take two or three, stacked inside each other. They serve many purposes at once:

  • we keep all the kitchen bits and pieces (cutlery, cooking utensils, spices, little bottles of oil, matches, dishcloths etc etc in the stacked bowls, then stick that in a stuff sack. This goes in the pack with the bottom of the bowl (with rounded edges) against my back. Nothing ever digs into me.
  • we put an inch or two of hot water in each bowl after dinner and add dish soap to one for washing, and leave the other clear for rinsing (this also gets your hands truly clean)
  • the pair of them are fantastic for putting out the fire at bedtime
  • when camping somewhere that it's hard to draw water into my water filter, such as a sandy or muddy bottom and shallow water, I can wade out and come back with a washing-up-bowl full and filter that, without getting any of my potable-water containers contaminated with unfiltered water.
  • and finally, and relevant to your question, an inch or two of warm water, a facecloth, a bar of soap, some shampoo and a mug will give you an actually pleasant way to get clean. Do it well back from the water. This isn't a "sponge bath" - you can sling quite a lot of water across the parts of you that you feel need rinsing.

(Why three? So that while we're using two for dishes, the bits and pieces aren't scattered across the campsite. A hiker might decide to get by with one.) However many you choose, such a multi-tasker has a good argument for being in your bag.

share|improve this answer

Your Answer


