Clean & Fearless: Backpacking Hygiene Tips

When it comes to staying clean while backpacking, it’s important to understand that clean is a relative term. In the backcountry, you’ll quickly learn to compromise on what hygiene means. For instance, instead of changing into fresh underwear every day, you’ll likely rotate what you have. A moss-covered ledge might become your favorite nap spot, and the three-second rule? Well, that turns into brush it off and eat.

Over time and with experience, you’ll grow comfortable with a more relaxed state of cleanliness. This doesn’t mean you have to fully embrace the dirtiness, but it does mean finding a balance that works for you. Your companions might have to endure a bit of stench, but that’s part of the adventure. Whether you’re on the hiking trail or setting up camp, staying healthy and mindful of the environment should always be a priority.

In my years of backpacking, I’ve found that having a simple hygiene routine can make a world of difference. Pack effective hygiene essentials, but don’t overdo it—know what to leave at home. Staying fresh in the wild isn’t about perfection; it’s about being practical. From dealing with health hazards to avoiding letting things slide, these tips will help you navigate the cleanliness spectrum without losing the joy of the outdoors.

How to Stay Clean While Backpacking – Shortest Answer

Backpackers often rely on sponge baths using a washcloth and a small amount of water, along with biodegradable soap, to keep clean. Dry shampoo and baby wipes are also popular for quick refreshes without water. Staying hydrated is crucial, so on hot days, hikers use sports drinks or add a pinch of salt and sugar to their water bottles. For showers, sponge baths with biodegradable soap are common, and always stay at least 200 feet away from water sources to protect the environment. Brushing teeth can be done with clean water and toothpaste, or natural alternatives like baking soda if supplies run low.

Best Water Purification System for Backpacking

One of the most critical aspects of staying clean and healthy in the backcountry is ensuring access to safe drinking water. The best water purification system for backpacking depends on your needs, but it’s essential to choose one that’s lightweight, reliable, and easy to use. Whether you’re filtering water from a stream or treating it with purification tablets, having the right system can prevent health hazards and keep you feeling fresh throughout your trip.

What to Pack for Backpacking Hygiene

When heading into the backcountry, staying clean is about being smart with your gear. Here’s what you should bring:

• Unscented, alcohol-based gel hand sanitizer: Perfect for quick cleaning without attracting animals.
• Biodegradable soap: Keeps you and the environment safe.
• Toothbrush and toothpaste: Essential for oral hygiene.
• Dental floss: Doubles as string in a pinch.
• Cotton bandana or washcloth: Versatile for cleaning and drying.
• Unscented moist towelettes or baby wipes: Great for a quick refresh.
• Quick-dry microfiber pack towel: Lightweight and efficient.
• Toilet paper in a plastic bag: Or use leaves, snow, or smooth stones as alternatives.
• Menstrual cup or feminine hygiene products: Pack them in a sealable plastic bag to carry out.
• Sizeable plastic bag: Handy for doing laundry on the go.

What to Leave Behind

Not everything belongs in your backpack. Here’s what you should not bring:

• Deodorant: Its smells can attract woodland creatures.
• Shampoo: It’s bad for the environment.
• Razors: Embrace the beard or let your legs go natural.
• Mirrors: They’re clunky and easily broken.
• Non-biodegradable products: Harmful to nature.
• Disposable products: They’re bulky, cumbersome, and you’ll have to carry out the waste.

From my experience, packing light and smart is key. Focus on essentials that keep you clean without harming the environment.

Why Hand Sanitizer is a Must-Have

When you’re out on the trail, staying clean isn’t just about comfort—it’s about staying healthy. A compact and lightweight bottle of alcohol-based hand sanitizer is a backpacker’s best friend. Just like doctors wash or sanitize their hands after seeing a new patient, hikers should do the same after using the bathroom or before cooking and eating meals. If you don’t, germs from your fingers can easily end up in your eyes or mouth, leading to trail illnesses. While many blame contaminated drinking water, hand-to-mouth infection is often the frequent culprit.

Washing with soap and water isn’t always convenient or available, which is why hand sanitizer is a game-changer. This clear gel contains a small concentration of ethyl alcohol that kills germs on contact. Simply squeeze a dime-size drop onto your palm, rub hands together vigorously, and wait 20 to 30 seconds for the alcohol to evaporate. It’s quick, effective, and can even disinfect your eating utensils in a pinch. From my experience, carrying hand sanitizer has saved me from countless close calls with dirt and illness on the trail.

Why Biodegradable Soap Matters

When you wash your hands at home, the suds seem to vanish down the drain, but in the woods, it’s a different story. Regular soap contains phosphates that can promote harmful algae blooms in lakes and streams, damaging these precious water sources. To protect the environment, hikers should never use regular hand soap or dish soap in or near water. Instead, choose biodegradable soaps like Dr. Bronner’s or Campsuds, which revert back to their organic ingredients and break down naturally.

Even with biodegradable soaps, it’s crucial to follow Leave No Trace guidelines. Always stay at least 200 feet away from water sources when washing. This simple step ensures that you stay clean while keeping the wilderness pristine. From my experience, switching to biodegradable soaps has been an easy yet impactful way to minimize my footprint on the trail.

Why You Should Skip Deodorant on the Trail

When hiking, it’s tempting to pack deodorant to stay fresh, especially if you’re used to the persuasive arguments of the Old Spice Guy. However, deodorant isn’t one of the ten essentials for a reason. In fact, you should always leave it at home. Why? Because deodorant does more than banish odors—its sweet smells can attract bugs, wildlife, and even bears. Trust me, I’ve learned this the hard way after a close encounter with a curious bear on a remote trail.

After a few days without deodorant, you’ll get accustomed to your natural odor, and so will your hiking companions. As long as you regularly wash your armpits and groin area with soap and water, this fragrance won’t bother anyone. Plus, it’s a small trade-off for staying safe in the wilderness.

If you’re planning on bringing personal care items, opt for unscented ones. Wilderness creatures have a keen sense of smell, and unscented items help you avoid unwanted attention. This simple switch can make a big difference in keeping both you and the wildlife safe.

How Do I Shower (or Keep Clean) When I’m Backpacking?

Staying Fresh on the Trail

After a long, sweaty day on the trail, staying clean is essential for comfort and hygiene. While alcohol-based sanitizer is great for cleaning hands, it won’t disinfect your entire body—and trust me, trying to use it everywhere will sting! Instead, you have a few alternatives to stay fresh.

One of the simplest ways is to take a cool swim in a lake or river. Not only is it refreshing, but it also rids your body of sweat and dirt. Just make sure to swim away from areas where hikers collect water, camp, or fish, and never use soap in natural water sources. A flowing river is ideal because it has a lower chance of harboring harmful bacteria.

If swimming isn’t an option, a trail shower works wonders. Strip down and use biodegradable soap, a sponge, or washcloth with a few liters of water. Be sure to shower at least 200 feet away from lakes, streams, or ravines to protect the environment. Pay extra attention to areas prone to fungus and chafing, like your face, underarms, groin, lower legs, and feet.

When it’s too cold or impractical for a full shower, a sponge bath is a great alternative. Strip off your clothes, squirt some water and biodegradable soap on a bandana or camp towel, and wipe yourself down. Moist towelettes are another handy option—dehydrate them at home and rehydrate on the trail to save weight and space.

No matter which method you choose, always dry off with a lightweight, quick-drying microfiber towel. It’s a small but essential item that makes a big difference in staying comfortable and clean on the trail.

Keeping Your Nether Bits, Feet, and Armpits Fresh

• Walking long distances on the trail means a lot of rubbing, sweating, and schmutzing, which can lead to chafing. Taking care of your unmentionables is a mentionable part of on-the-trail hygiene. Here are some tips to avoid ending up red and raw:
• Use leaves instead of toilet paper for your personal areas. A leaf leaves less residue, decreasing the likelihood of chafing.
• Carry a four-ounce water bottle you can squeeze to clean your groin. Direct the stream toward your privates while squatting wide to avoid getting anything on your boots. Use soap if needed, then air dry for a minute. This keeps things spick and span and prevents detritus buildup, which can cause unpleasantness.
• Routinely switch your underwear. Bring two pairs, wash one, let it dry, and wear the clean pair the next day. In a bind, you can flip them inside out for a second day, but don’t make this a habit.
• Your feet are your most important asset on the trail. Keep them clean to avoid itchy, gross, or fungus-y issues. Change your socks frequently, wash your feet, and let them breathe by taking off your shoes and socks during breaks.
• For your armpits, skip the deodorant—it attracts bugs, insects, and even bears. Instead, give your pits a good scrub with biodegradable soap and embrace the scent of eau d’ you au natural.

Managing Your Period on the Trail

Dealing with your period while on the trail doesn’t have to be stressful. The most eco-friendly option is to use a menstrual cup, a washable, silicone product that produces no waste. Simply empty the cup properly by following cathole disposal practices, just like you would with other bathroom refuse. Always ensure your hands are clean before reinserting the cup. If you’re new to this method, a practice run or two at home can help you feel confident before trying it in the wild.

Alternatively, you can use disposable products like pads or tampons. However, remember to pack out all used items—leave no trace! Some hikers even time their birth control to skip their period altogether, which can be a game-changer for longer trips. Whatever method you choose, staying prepared and mindful of the environment is key.

Caring for Your Clothes While Backpacking

Keeping Your Clothes Fresh on the Trail

Choosing the right fabrics is key to easy care on the trail. Opt for synthetic, moisture-wicking materials that are fast drying, or go for wool, which stays warm even when wet and doesn’t stink. Light-weight options like spandex or nylon are ideal, while cotton should be avoided—it holds moisture and takes forever to dry.

Good trail hygiene starts with smart packing and knowing when to change and clean your clothing. Most hikers swap their sweaty shirt, pants, or shorts for cleaner, warmer clothes at the campsite. Don’t forget to change into fresh socks and underwear—some wait until after a trail shower or before bed. Sleeping in dirty clothing can soil your sleeping bag and lead to rashes or other skin problems. If it’s cold, tuck your next day’s clothes into your sleeping bag to keep them warm and avoid exposing yourself to the chill.

For trips lasting two days or longer, try rotating your outfits. At each campsite, remove your dirty clothes, wash them as best you can, and hang them to dry for the next transition. You can even tie them to your pack to dry while hiking. On a typical warm-weather weekend trip (think three days, two nights), I pack two pairs of underwear, one pair of hiking pants, two wicking t-shirts, one mid-weight insulating layer, one heavy-weight insulating layer, a rain shell, and two pairs of socks. This setup ensures I always have a cleaner, drier T-shirt, socks, and underwear to change into.

Washing Clothes on the Trail

• If you’re on the trail for just a few days, you likely won’t need to wash your clothes. But for a longer trek, this info will come in handy.
• Gather a gallon bag with a zip (it’s the easiest to use) and some biodegradable detergent—powder is the lightest option.
• Fill the bag halfway with warmer-than-tepid water. Pro tip: If you’re staying put, place a black bag in the sun to warm the water.
• Add your clothes and a small amount of detergent, leaving enough room for the contents to shuffle around. The friction from rubbing helps get things clean, so don’t overfill the bag—full bags won’t let the clothes move properly.
• Time for the spin cycle! Imitate a washer by shaking the bag with vigor for about five to ten minutes.
• Dispose of the used water at least 200 feet away from any water source to protect the environment.
• Next, the rinse cycle: Refill the bag with clean water and shake again to remove any soap residue.
• Finally, wring out the clothes and hang them to dry.

Washing Clothes in Natural Water Sources

Even with biodegradable detergent or soap, it’s best to avoid washing your clothes directly in a stream or lake, especially if the body of water is small and stagnant. Soap can affect water-living organisms more than simply dumping soapy water on land. Instead, try this trick: hop into a stream with your clothes on to give them a rinse without soap. It’s like getting two wash cycles in one dip—efficient and refreshing! This method is perfect on a hot summer day, though it’s less advisable on a cold winter day.

A word of caution: Some athletic clothes contain anti-microbial silver nanoparticles, which can be harmful to the environment. Always check your clothing labels and choose eco-friendly options when possible.

Can I Wash My Hiking Shoes?

After a few long trips, your footwear may start to smell ripe. While some people can ignore it, those of us with more sensitive noses might not even want to keep our funky footwear in the house. I’ve been there, and trust me, it’s not pleasant. The solution depends on the kind of kicks you have. If you’re using Fully synthetic trail runners, you’re in luck—they can go right into the washing machine.

But if you’re Hiking in leather or heavy boots, you’ll need a different approach. I recommend investing in a set of stink-absorbing fresheners, like Arm & Hammer Odor Busterz. These have been a lifesaver for me, keeping my gear fresh and my space smelling clean. Whether you’re on a week-long trek or a weekend escape, keeping your footwear clean and odor-free is essential for a comfortable journey.

Some FAQS About Stay Clean While Backpacking

How do backpackers stay clean?

Backpackers often use a small amount of water for a sponge bath with a washcloth to clean themselves without needing a full shower. For maintaining cleanliness, some use Hygiene Products like dry shampoo and other items that don’t require water.

How do you stay hydrated while backpacking?

On hot days, I use a sports drink to replace salt, potassium, and electrolytes lost through sweating. Alternatively, add a pinch of salt and sugar to your hydration bladder or water bottle.

How do you shower while backpacking?

Sponge baths are popular for camping since they use the least water. Simply wet a sponge or washcloth, add a touch of biodegradable soap, and wipe off dirty skin. Rinse and repeat until clean.

How to brush teeth while backpacking?

When backpacking, use Clean Water to brush your teeth. If you run out of toothpaste, Consider Natural Alternatives like baking soda. Remember, Swallow Toothpaste (Adults Only) if using natural options, and Keep Sugar Low. Once home, Replace Your Toothbrush.