What are your tips/tricks for hygiene in the field?
Ask A Biologist Monday 1/16/23
Answers from Biologists:
Bring a tiny hand sanitizer for the inevitable gas stop. Those pumps are gross.
Wet wipes to freshen up and clean hands before eating.
I carry baby wipes in every field bag and truck.
Travel sized deodorant, bandana for sweat, and always an extra pair of socks.
After not being prepared too many times, I now bring my backpacking poop kit with me just in case.
I love my Kula cloth. It’s nice to have a piece of gear dedicated to keeping a vagina clean and problem free.
Fresh socks and underwear in your field bag.
Pee rag.
Summer’s Eve makes a pH balances wet wipe that comes in individual packages. Better than a baby wipe.
Period underwear is also good for butt sweat or leaks on long day trips.
Hand sanitizer and old washcloth to scrub off salamander slime.
Soap sheets and extra water for grimy hands.
Invest in muck boots or some similar kind of footwear.
Wet wipes. Make sure you bring bags though so you can dispose of them when back in town.
Fresh shoes for the drive back.
Menstrual cups.
Wet wipes. They really help if you spend multiple days in the field.
Bar shampoo in case you find a water source and have a chance to wash up.
Baby powder. Helps with the sweaty bits and greasy hair.
A poop bag with bags and wipes to carry out. The urge can hit anywhere, anytime.
Baby wipes and a life straw water bottle.
Always have a hair brush, tooth brush, face cloth, and deodorant.
Wool felted bar of soap and micro fiber towel. Great for washing hands.
Always bring extra socks.
A hankie instead of tissues. Less chapped nose and no tissue pulp hiding on laundry day.
Rinse field cloths in the shower so your hotel room doesn’t stink by the end of the stint.
Invest in leather gloves and Technu wipes for poison ivy contact.
I always keep toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and deodorant in my backpack.
Swedish dishcloth for body cloth/wipe/towel. Portable and so quick dry.
Toothpaste tabs. Portable, lightweight. There are fluoride or hydroxyapatite versions.
Kula cloth for those who squat to pee.
Cleaning wipes.
I alternate shirts if possible. Air dry them inside out in the sun.
Cowgirl bath: bucket, bar soap, rag and towel. Basically a rag wipe down in the comfort of your tent.
Never wear shoes inside your tent.
Keeping my hair tied into a bun under a hat. Keeps it free from dust/twigs/bugs/webs.
Always extra socks. And liner socks to go with thicker cold weather socks.
Showering as soon as I’m done for the day. Prime time to do a good tick check.
Pouch with every type of charging cable.
If staying in a hotel and tick country, keep your field gear in the tub overnight. Easy to spot them.
Nail brush. The undersides of your nails can get gross fast.
Hand sanitizer is great but doesn’t remove dirt. Bring wet wipes or a wash cloth.
Wool: anti-microbial and insulating against heat and cold.