Hygiene, The Outdoors, And You

Hygiene, The Outdoors, And You by Gary Benton
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My cousin Bubba always looks dirty. He is one of those people you could dress in silk and gold and he would still look a like a grease monkey after a hard days work. He looks even more disarrayed while outdoors. See, Bubba is not the cleanest guy around and hygiene is very important when you are in the woods.

To me hygiene is made up of clean water, clean and dry clothing, personal cleanliness, proper food preparation, a clean camp site clean eating utensils, and good first aid for minor cuts and scrapes. Each of them compliments the other and keeps a camper in good health. Let’s take a look at each and see why they are important.

Clean drinking water is an obvious need. Purify all water, use designated water at public campsites, or bring bottled water. Bad water will lay a person low very quickly. Never drink water you are unsure of. I suggest water purification tablets, which are small and inexpensive to carry. Alternatively, there are filtering systems out there if you prefer. The easiest and least expensive way to treat water is by boiling it. Regardless of the method you prefer to use, all water must be treated. Keep in mind that even sparkling clear streams may not have clean water.

All clothing should be kept clean, dry, and in good repair. Carry a small sewing kit to repair rips or tears. Learn to sew your clothing, or reattach a button before you venture outdoors. Clean clothing will retain better insulating qualities in cool or cold weather, and wet clothing, even in warm weather, can cause chapping. Besides, wet or dirty clothing can be uncomfortable to wear. Children, as well as some adults, may find this policy of staying clean completely against why they are in the woods to start with. Nonetheless, it must be done.

Wash your clothing regularly when you are on long trips. Use only biodegradable soaps and empty your laundry water far away from any stream or water source. Carry plastic bags to take soiled clothing home if you decide not to wash it at your camping area.

Believe it or not, you will feel better if you shave and bathe while camping. I have used streams and rivers to bathe in and I have taken a “sponge” bath when I could not reach a body of water. Shaving seems to always “lift me up” while camping. It actually feels good to get rid of the whiskers and I often feel refreshed. The main reason I strive to keep clean is to retard the chances of infection from injuries I might sustain. The cleaner you stay the healthier you remain. I wash my hands often and keep my nails cut short. Underclothing and outer-clothing should be changed daily. While all of this usually surprises the kids, when they first start camping, it is a good habit for them to get into.

An area of hygiene we hardly ever consider is dead animals. Never touch a dead animal with your hands. If you must move it, do so with caution, using a shovel or limbs. You can bury it, but make sure you cover the grave with heavy stones to keep other animals from digging it up to feed on it. Some animals may have died from diseases and their bodies could prove to be harmful to humans. Make sure your children, if they are along, know not to play with or touch dead animals.

Food preparation is another area where hygiene is important. If you spend the afternoon putting worms on a hook and return for lunch, do you wash your hands? Come on all of you guys, be honest here! Not only your personal cleanliness is an issue but also the quality of the foods. Have all perishables been kept at a proper temperature? Do you eat the green steak or discard it? Is the meat, especially ground up meats and poultry cooked to the proper serving temperatures? Keep all of the cooking utensils stored with in a dry and clean spot. I usually keep mine in a box in the tent or under a tarp. However, it doesn’t matter where you store them as long as they stay dry and clean.

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