Hi, this may sound stupid to a lot of you but what's the best way/ routine for washing when you're out and you have limited water (eg no rivers near etc) I remember seeing a program once where they were washing from only a small mess tin. Is there any procedures to follow when there is limited water to wash with?
Washing with limited water
- Thread starter Tom89
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take 1 towel, take 1 mess tin of water, using the 4 corners (and the centre 3 inches) of the towel, wash in this order:
face, feet, pits, privates, backside
then dry with the remainder of the towel, this tends to take care of the most active/odourous areas of the body.
face, feet, pits, privates, backside
then dry with the remainder of the towel, this tends to take care of the most active/odourous areas of the body.
There is a product called "Pits and Bits" that is a rinse free wash - works OK too 
Available from Casstroms amongst others.
Available from Casstroms amongst others.
As a field medic, every time I was asked this my reply is pretty much what most everyone has said with one addition.
1. hands
2. teeth/mouth then rest of face
Then as lister put it:
feet, pits, privates, backside
then hair, rest of body.
1. hands
2. teeth/mouth then rest of face
Then as lister put it:
feet, pits, privates, backside
then hair, rest of body.
I usually follow the LD hiker approach - live with the stink until reaching town - after a while you stop noticing it on yourself and other LD hikers - day hikers however smell of soap and deodorant. The only exception is that I do use a little rubbing alcohol on hands and pits as needed.
With limited water aviable as well shaving goes out the window if needed especially in certain environments.
But wet wipe wash is the the norm for a lot of squadies. Pits 'n' bits is a good product I have used it myself.
The sequence that has been said is still the best; face, feet, pits, privates, backside.
do not forget to use powder as well especially for your feet trench foot is no laughing matter.
I am currently on an exercise at the minute, with a lot of people so stinking is not an option and manage to get a shower every couple of days, but everynight wet wash happens. powder feet evry night and morning
But wet wipe wash is the the norm for a lot of squadies. Pits 'n' bits is a good product I have used it myself.
The sequence that has been said is still the best; face, feet, pits, privates, backside.
do not forget to use powder as well especially for your feet trench foot is no laughing matter.
I am currently on an exercise at the minute, with a lot of people so stinking is not an option and manage to get a shower every couple of days, but everynight wet wash happens. powder feet evry night and morning
I remember a reference, from where I don't know, that the British army in the North African campaign were trained to wash with a mug of water at most. I remember tips on Woodlore's camp craft course talk about using exfoliating gloves to help clean yourself. I've used the Water wipes myself and did so on Woodlore courses I attended.
Most serious hikers aren’t to fussed about stinking as water is a valuable source..however we’ll grab an opportunity to bathe if it comes along.
I’ve never had an problem when in the woods as there’s always water by forms of condensation what can be mopped up of the flysheet(just be careful of the chemicals they use to waterproof it)or morning dew of the grass with an absorbent micro cloth.(it’s amazing how much water you can get).
Disposable wet wipes & a roll on deodorant comes in handy too.
Hope this helps.
I’ve never had an problem when in the woods as there’s always water by forms of condensation what can be mopped up of the flysheet(just be careful of the chemicals they use to waterproof it)or morning dew of the grass with an absorbent micro cloth.(it’s amazing how much water you can get).
Disposable wet wipes & a roll on deodorant comes in handy too.
Hope this helps.
This is very true & one I’ve followed for years.
Have you noticed how sweat from stress stink’s really bad & sweat from doing what you enjoy doesn’t smell to bad.. unless I got used to it?
Since my water rates went up, this is the only way I wash now. Bonus is when I get the bus to town, by 2 stops I have it to myself!
Just last weekend this thread came up and I looked what is my usual amount of water used for washing in sauna (at cottage, no shower). About 5 l.
One exfoliant glove, with a bit of cake soap in the glove, saves you losing the soap.
E-Cloths work quite well in the short term, they will strip the grime off your face with just a little water, no rinsing needed, but after a while they do need their own real wash to clean off all the gunk they have removed from you.
A 2 litre Dromlite works very nicely for washing, the dribble spout is very economical, so you can wash pretty much everything that you would ever want to wash with that 2 litres. Hang the bag from a limb and you have a sort of shower.
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