How To Stay Clean Outdoors-Part 1

 

Origins of the problem

 

Camping is one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the United States!  Just last year 84.8 million Americans went on camping excursions!  The camping boom started in the post-World War II era and has maintained said popularity ever since.  As more and more people begin heading outside to reconnect with nature and seek refuge from the hustle and bustle of city life, one of the outstanding questions for many, is how do I keep myself clean while enjoying the great outdoors?  If you have found yourself pondering about this pesky problem that has bothered humanity for centuries then you’re not alone!  In this article we will be going over different outdoors cleanliness routines that are tried and true to us at Phantosmia Scents as well as go over products which are safe for our environment!  This is part one of a series that we will be sharing with our subscribers all summer long!

 

 

Common struggles and their solutions for

Tent/Car Camping, Backpacking, and Mountain Biking

 

Tent camping is when you use a shelter that typically comes packed into a bag including poles to support the structure. A modern tent will typically be made of canvas or polyester and if you’re backpacking can be just big enough to fit two full grown adults.  Some may be lucky enough to have a campsite with showers and other amenities however it is typically more common for campsites to have primitive bathrooms (no flushing) and sometimes no access to potable (safe to use) water. If you are backpacking and happen to be near a stream, then a great way to clean up is using the fresh river water and a natural biodegradable soap.  There are also portable showers available for purchase that can be brought along with you, however these would work best with a water source such as a river.  One word of warning is to never use still water or water that appears to have been sitting still long enough for algae to grow on the surface.  This water may usually contain higher levels of bacteria or other microorganisms that can cause harm to your body if ingested.  Always be sure to use moving water sources! 

 

If you are driving to your campsite and have a tent or hiking into your campsite, there may be a difference in how much space you have for carrying supplies.  If you’re driving , a good plan may be to chose campsites with potable water, showers, or pack a portable shower set up with water that you bring in a jug.  For those that prefer the primitive style of backpacking, packing a compact quality soap bar and using limited amounts of water you pack with you can be sufficient or make use of the river near the trail you’re on if there is one.  Biodegradable wet- wipes also work nicely for those with limited water supplies or who will be in a desert or other dryer environment for a multi-day hike, however do make sure to pack-in and pack-out!  This is a rule honored by many if not all outdoors enthusiasts to pack all your trash out with you as you roam around in nature! Leave no trace behind!

 

Although camping is a favorite past time for many, our personal favorite thing to do (besides making our awesome soap bars!) is mountain biking! We feel that nothing beats the feeling after making it up a climb of 1000 feet or more on a fresh spring morning when the air is crisp and clear!  A day of biking is enough to get you pretty sweaty and stinky so bringing some compact soap in your tool pouch or jersey can be a life saver if you have other plans after your morning ride.  Our mini soaps are perfect for bringing along on bike ride excursions as they fit almost anywhere and require little water to get a lather and clean you up!  If you are bike-packing and going to be on the road for multiple days, packing water for bathing may be impractical! For this case bringing along some biodegradable wipes may be your best bet but if you do plan on having access to water then packing some soap along can’t hurt either!

 

 

How do I know if a product is bio-degradable?

 

If a soap has only essential oils, natural fats (we prefer plant based fats but animal fats are included here),  and natural exfoliants such as salt or other minerals then it is biodegradable and safe to use in the outdoors.  When selecting your body care products to bring along on your camping excursion, be sure to avoid products with ingredients like “fragrance”, as this could mean many things about the scent agent used in the product, and it is unclear if it is biodegradable or not.  Although there are non-toxic fragrances out there, they may not fully breakdown when present in our wild environment.  Pthalates, parabens, and silicones are other ingredients to watch out for when searching for products to add to your outdoors adventure body care pack.  If you would like to bring along an exfoliant to scrub dirt off after a long day on the trails, be sure to avoid products with microbeads, (also known by Polyethylene or Polypropylene).

 

These chemicals take eons to breakdown and will pollute the natural flora of the environment.  Although chemicals are not always bad or harmful, many chemicals are necessary for life and the scents produced by plants are chemicals themselves, there are some that have been created outside of nature’s cookbook and are harmful for us and the planet.  For example, lye is a cleansing agent that has been combined with fats for centuries to create soap. Hence a soap that uses lye as a cleansing agent is biodegradable and can be used to stay clean when you’re out enjoying the best of nature’s beauty!  Early civilizations created lye (also known as sodium hydroxide) by burning wood and combining it with fats such as lanolin to create soap to wash the body and clothing.

 

We are grateful that you took time out of your day to read this article and we hope it was helpful and you were able to learn a little about how to keep yourself feeling refreshed while out in the great outdoors!  We offer a range of products that are fully vegan and biodegradable that come in a convenient size for you to bring on your next adventure!  We’re also always more than happy to help so please reach out if you do have any outstanding questions!

 

Happy Trails!

 

The Phantosmia Scents family 

 

 

 Useful Links:

 

 https://phantosmiascents.com/products/mystic-jasmine-minis                      - our mini soap bars made just for compact storage for hiking, biking, or climbing if that’s more your thing!

 https://phantosmiascents.com/products/mystic-jasmine                                 -another smaller soap we carry that can also be used for a multi-day camping trip