I did a search on bathing, & didn't get much. Maybe it's not important to all the guys here, 'cause guys think sweating is cool.

We women think differently, so here's a little clue I picked up (from TMEN, I think). Granted, if you're short on drinking water, bathing is not an option. But sometimes you're somewhere where there's sufficient water, but not suitable for bathing.

Heat up a quart of water to a comfortable temperature, & add 1 tbsp. of baking soda. Wash all over with a washcloth.

That's it. No soap, no rinsing. And it really cuts that greasy sweat, & leaves you smelling fresh.

But you do have to wash out the birdbath when you're finished -- sorry, it's not perfect. <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Susan:

Doesn't carrying a birdbath in your backpack add a heck of a lot of weight?

Bountyhunter

Cut about 1/4 height of a gallon milk bottle off the bottom. The "bird-bath" weighs nothing and will give years of service!

Also provides a litle structure to the bottom of your pack which can be helpful in packing and setting the pack down on the floor.

I got myself a solar shower, basically a 2 gallon plastic bag thats black on one side and clear on the other. fill it and leave it in the sun and it heats up nicely. It also doubles as a great bulk water holder.
It may not be spoken about much on the board but keeping yourself clean is "preventative medicine" in my book.

Dave

Well, you don't take the PEDESTAL, too, silly! <img src="images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

When I first saw those "solar showers" my imidiate thought was "gimmic". I went camping with a friend who brought 2 along with him. We actually had add cold water to make them comfortable to shower with!

(Note: these things were in direct sunlight for about 5 hours. on a partly cloudy day, they still reached high enough temperatures to have a very comfprtable shower. Just my personal thoughts and opinions)

Susan,

It is possible to bathe pretty thoroughly with just a quart of water. You would need to be in a place that will give you the privacy you want, AND to be able to pour the water over you. (not in your tent)

Wet down your (very wet) washcloth and apply soap lightly. Do this all over. You will have used one washcloth full of your qt. of water. To rinse off, use your washcloth again and again to wring out water over you for rinsing. Don't pour from the water container. You will be amazed at how clean you will feel.

Next time you have a little extra time, prepare a Qt. of water and try this method while standing in your bathtub/shower at home. We learned to do it the hard way by using too much soap and not preparing enough water for the rinse-down. I had to resort to another rinsing session with cold water.

<img src="images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

Viniger is also a good thing to use for quick personal cleanups. For hair and sensitive skin areas. No need for rinse and nothing to wash but the laundry. The smell evaporates away fairly quickly A little viniger on a wash-cloth or cotton ball and wipe away the grime or for the hair simply dilute the viniger something like 4 tablespoons to a liter of water and rinse the hair thoroughly.

Not if it's your neighbor's birdbath....... Late at night. <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

.....CLIFF

Susan,

Welcome!

You're right, we don't talk about that much...

I can think of several examples in my own experience that made the ability to bathe important. I won't bother you with the (usually disgusting) details, but, whenever I'm afield I carry a small zippy bag with baby wipes, individually wrapped hand cleaner wipes (usually Lava brand), and a bottle of alcohol based hand sanitizer. Most times they are a luxury, but occasionally they are neccessary. I've been experimenting lately with the larger, heavier duty wipes marketed to caregivers of bedridden patients (Comfort Bath and others). I vastly prefer them to regular baby wipes for "field expedient baths", but the considerable additional bulk and expense tend to negate that preference. Regular baby wipes are cheap, easy to find, and compact.

Take care,

Andy