| ng Clean in the Wild | | | | to it throughout the camping day and evening. But also |
| Going camping and cleanliness seems to be almost | | | | stage periodic “policing” events to get |
| opposite goals. After all, the very act of camping | | | | the litter up from the camp site during the time when |
| means going out into nature, living with the animals, | | | | everybody is back in base camp. By the time you are |
| subjecting yourself to the elements and cooking, eating | | | | ready to bed the crew down, the camp site should be |
| and sleeping on the ground. Nonetheless, cleanliness | | | | clean and the trash taken away to discourage animals |
| throughout your campout experience is crucial both to | | | | from investigating it in the night. |
| the day in, day out life in camp and to your health and | | | | There is no reason to abandon basic hygiene while |
| mental serenity throughout the time you are | | | | camping. Some camp grounds have bathrooms which |
| “roughing it”. | | | | may even have showers. But even if there are no |
| The actual challenge of camping is finding ways to | | | | showers available, each camper can go to the |
| have a good quality of life without many of he niceties | | | | restroom area and take a hand towel, soak it in clean |
| that our modern lifestyle affords us. For the most part, | | | | water and give themselves a sponge bath before |
| few of us go camping because we have to. We | | | | changing into clean clothes before bed. |
| camp for recreation and probably for relatively short | | | | Cleaning up in this manner is crucial to the ongoing |
| periods of time. Nevertheless good hygiene and camp | | | | health and cleanliness of the camping experience. Be |
| cleanliness is essential for everyone’s well | | | | sure you pack plenty of clean changes of clothes for |
| being and to assure that you stay organized and go | | | | each camper. Everybody should sleep after washing |
| bed each night knowing you camped well. | | | | off and changing into completely clean clothing. |
| As with anything that leads to your success in | | | | Wearing soiled clothing to bed, even if it is only soiled |
| camping, preparation makes the difference. Part of | | | | with sweat and body fluids makes those clothes less |
| being prepared for camping and making it possible for | | | | able to keep the camper warm in the night, can cause |
| you to stay clean over several days in camp comes | | | | rashes as they sleep and can be a draw for insects |
| from knowing what to expect. So check the weather | | | | or animals who smell those dirty things and know that |
| forecast for the area where you will be camping so | | | | they can find sleeping humans and where sleeping |
| that if there is rain predicted, you can come prepared | | | | humans are they can often find food. So make sure |
| to clean up some wet and muddy campers. But even | | | | everyone changes clothes before bed and that dirty |
| if the forecast is clear and dry, it always pays to be | | | | clothes are bagged and stored away from the |
| prepared for any sudden change in the weather while | | | | sleeping campers. |
| camping. So there are some things you should always | | | | The essentials of changes of clothes and of shoes will |
| do for every campout to keep your camp site clean | | | | make all the difference in maintaining a happy camp |
| and your campers that way too. | | | | site over several days. Campers should know never |
| Good camping gear can help you maintain some level | | | | to bring dirty or wet boots or shoes into their tents. |
| of civilized cleanliness during the campout. A well | | | | Bring two or more changes of shoes so if they find |
| sealed tent can keep water out so even if some dust | | | | the shoes they were wearing during the day are |
| and dirt gets inside, it won’t turn your tent | | | | unacceptably filthy, they can have fresh shoes for the |
| interior into a mudslide. Also bring plenty of cleaning | | | | morning while their old shoes are cleaned and dried. |
| supplies to ripe down tables, clean up dirty tent floors | | | | An ample supply of large trash bags will be your best |
| and to clean up campers as well. Other than that, the | | | | defense in isolating and securing dirty items to be |
| best preparation is going to the camp site knowing full | | | | returned home for cleaning. Each camper should be |
| well that your camping crew is going to get dirty and | | | | supplied with a trash bag to dump their dirty clothes |
| being ready to clean them up for meals and bedtime. | | | | into. Then after camp is over, all bags of dirty items |
| During the camp day, your standards of cleanliness | | | | can be tied off and taken home to be cleaned |
| can be a bit more relaxed. After all, if the kids come | | | | properly in the laundry. |
| back from the camp playground covered in dust but | | | | These basic cleanliness steps that you can think |
| the next activity is a hike to the lake, just getting them | | | | through before you ever pull out to go camping will |
| to a basic health level of cleanliness such as clean | | | | make keeping a clean camp site organized and |
| faces and hands is probably sufficient. You can allow | | | | moving forward each day so much easier. It is a |
| the dirt to become part of their uniforms of a camping | | | | strategy that does not try to deny that camping brings |
| family and just relax for a while and let them have fun. | | | | people in contact with dirt. But it recognizes that getting |
| Obviously in the camp site itself, cleanliness means | | | | dirty is part of the fun of camping and puts routines |
| keeping litter and trash picked up and put away in | | | | and resources in place that everyone can return to a |
| trash sacks. To keep the trash well isolated and | | | | base level of cleanliness each day at least sufficient to |
| secured, tie your trash sack to an elevated object | | | | stay healthy and happy for the next day’s |
| such as a tent upright or a tree limb so everybody can | | | | camping fun. |
| find the current working trash bag and continue to add | | | | |