Cleanliness and camping often sound like two opposite topics. When we go camping, it is about living in the middle of nature and we subject ourselves to the element. We simply cook, eat and sleep in the wild. Nevertheless, hygienic factors still play a crucial factor no matter where we are. This is important for both our physical and mental health. The actual challenge would be whether we could still have a decent quality of life, especially if we are used to the modern lifestyle. Many of us camp for recreational purposes and we usually do this only for a rather short period of time. Nevertheless, it is essential for us to maintain a good hygiene. This will ensure our well being and we will be more encouraged to stay organized. We will go to bed each night knowing that we are doing things quite well.
Preparation could make a huge difference to the success in camping. By being fully prepared, we can stay cleaner for more than a few days in the camp. As an example, we should know about the weather forecast, such as when it is likely to be sunny, cloudy and rainy. When rain is coming, we should prepared ourselves for mud and when it is dry and clean; we may need to take a bath regularly in nearby stream. Proper camping gear should help us maintain a level of adequate cleanliness during our stay in the camp. We should be able to keep the water out if we have a well-sealed tent. It could also help us keep dirt and dust outside.
We may need to bring more cleaning items and supplies. As an example, we may need to clean up the tent floor each day and the exterior if it is covered with leaves and dust. We should properly irrigate the surrounding of our camp and choose higher ground to prevent making the interior of our tent into a pool of mud. Regardless of what we do, we should know full well that we will get dirty eventually, so we need to clean ourselves properly before mealtime and bedtime.
Because we don’t need to got the office or meet someone important, it is true that our standard of cleanliness can be somewhat relaxed. But we still need to stay hygienic. We would be covered with dust after a few hours of hike, but we should still need to regularly take a bath. That’s why, we should ideally camp near a relatively clean river whenever possible. Cleanliness is also about picking up trash and litter and put them away in the trash sacks. We should designate specific areas for our garbage and waste. There should be a couple of “policing” sessions in a day, to make sure that our surrounding is clean and safe. For people who love to camp, there is no reason for them to abandon basic practices of hygiene during camping. So, it may be a good idea to camp in designated grounds where there are showers and areas to clean ourselves.
