A lot of people ask us about personal hygiene, especially women,..so here some info about that :)
1. WASHING
Felix and I were seen as cleanbeans. We jumped in the water as much as we could and rinsed out our clothes at the same time. We washed our feed and teeth every day before sleeping, changed our clothes before sleeping and took off our shoes and socks while having a break. I cleaned myself between my legs and under my arms every day, a lot of times more than once. (Cleaning in the tent: a drop of water on a towel / on trail: jumping in ice water.
A lot people ask: 'how many underpants did you carry?'...'ONLY TWO?!?' Yes only two, even one will be fine. My ritual: I putted on clean underwear when I went to bed. When possible, I cleaned my dirty underwear in the morning with water (stream / river), hanged it on my bag to dry. A lot of times I just wasn't wearing any underwear.
TIP: We rinsed out our socks / underwear in ziplockbags during dry streches.
TIP 2: Wear a skirt, it's very practical.
We both didn't had any chaving and hardly any blisters (I had three in total). We didn't use soap in the wilderness.
2. TOILET
Because I was wearing a skirt, I could pee very 'modest' and quick, I was back on track within 2 minutes. I carried a pee-rag to whipe off, just a piece of bandana. I rinsed it our several times a day (i it said that the rays of he sun will help to kill some bacteria...).
Pooping you do in a cathole. You have to dig a hole of about 8inches deep. (I just used my trekking poles). For cleaning I used toiletpaper that was pre-calculated in tiny rolls in a ziplock which contained another 'dirty-paper' ziplock. (LEAVE NO TRACE! Animals will dig your stuff up). In the beginning it all sounds weird, but it is very doable and the dirty bag doesn't look that dirty at all if you just clean it up properly. After I went to the toilet I always used handsanitiser. (On trail, you don't shake hands, but you give eachother a fist).
3. MENSTRUATION
"How can you see that a hiker has her period?..... She is only wearing one sock." (mentioned by Carrot Quinn)
I didn‘t got my period, because of the minerva spiral, which of course was very convenient. Other woman were mostly using tampons or the menstrual cup. ALL Toileteries should be taken to a trashcan, the wilderness isn't one. If you are afraid of bad smells, just use a small odorproof bag, you can get them at any outdoorstore.
4. (BODY)HAIR
A lot of women on trail leave there body hair like it is. I prefered to shave / wax. I did this every time I was in town.
I washed and cambed my hair almost every time I came into town. Because I did't camb, my hair stood straight up, which looked really funny. You can camb though, I just didn't feel like taking time for it in the morning.
5. MORE?..
Send a mail if you have any question!
1. WASHING
Felix and I were seen as cleanbeans. We jumped in the water as much as we could and rinsed out our clothes at the same time. We washed our feed and teeth every day before sleeping, changed our clothes before sleeping and took off our shoes and socks while having a break. I cleaned myself between my legs and under my arms every day, a lot of times more than once. (Cleaning in the tent: a drop of water on a towel / on trail: jumping in ice water.
A lot people ask: 'how many underpants did you carry?'...'ONLY TWO?!?' Yes only two, even one will be fine. My ritual: I putted on clean underwear when I went to bed. When possible, I cleaned my dirty underwear in the morning with water (stream / river), hanged it on my bag to dry. A lot of times I just wasn't wearing any underwear.
TIP: We rinsed out our socks / underwear in ziplockbags during dry streches.
TIP 2: Wear a skirt, it's very practical.
We both didn't had any chaving and hardly any blisters (I had three in total). We didn't use soap in the wilderness.
2. TOILET
Because I was wearing a skirt, I could pee very 'modest' and quick, I was back on track within 2 minutes. I carried a pee-rag to whipe off, just a piece of bandana. I rinsed it our several times a day (i it said that the rays of he sun will help to kill some bacteria...).
Pooping you do in a cathole. You have to dig a hole of about 8inches deep. (I just used my trekking poles). For cleaning I used toiletpaper that was pre-calculated in tiny rolls in a ziplock which contained another 'dirty-paper' ziplock. (LEAVE NO TRACE! Animals will dig your stuff up). In the beginning it all sounds weird, but it is very doable and the dirty bag doesn't look that dirty at all if you just clean it up properly. After I went to the toilet I always used handsanitiser. (On trail, you don't shake hands, but you give eachother a fist).
3. MENSTRUATION
"How can you see that a hiker has her period?..... She is only wearing one sock." (mentioned by Carrot Quinn)
I didn‘t got my period, because of the minerva spiral, which of course was very convenient. Other woman were mostly using tampons or the menstrual cup. ALL Toileteries should be taken to a trashcan, the wilderness isn't one. If you are afraid of bad smells, just use a small odorproof bag, you can get them at any outdoorstore.
4. (BODY)HAIR
A lot of women on trail leave there body hair like it is. I prefered to shave / wax. I did this every time I was in town.
I washed and cambed my hair almost every time I came into town. Because I did't camb, my hair stood straight up, which looked really funny. You can camb though, I just didn't feel like taking time for it in the morning.
5. MORE?..
Send a mail if you have any question!
