Washing Clothes When Backpacking

You don't want to carry ten pounds of clothes whenguidelines:
backpacking. In fact, for us lightweight backpackers,- Carry the clothes and water away from the stream
anything more than a few pounds is too much. Thisor lake (200 feet).
means washing clothes on the trail at some point.- Get the clothes just wet enough to lather them up
Here are some tips on how to do it right.with detergent.
Here's the easy solution for short backpacking trips,- Add soap, scrub and then squeeze out as much
those that are three days or less: just don't washdetergent and water as you can.
your clothes. That is, unless they really need it. In- Slowly pour rinse water over them, stopping when
that case proceed to the next paragraph.they are wet enough, and squeezing more detergent
Try to make your backpacking clothes less stinky. Inand water out of them.
other words, don't sweat too much. Actually this is a- Repeat this until they are sufficiently rinsed.
good idea for another reason. If you get yourIt is better for the environment and simpler too, if
clothing wet with sweat, later you may have ayou just avoid using detergent. To do this, you can
problem staying warm. It cools dramatically at night infollow the above guidelines without detergent. You
the mountains and desert, for example, and thecan also swim in a lake or stream with your clothes
evaporative effect from your damp clothing can chillon to wash them. Do this just before the heat of
you dangerously at times.the day, so they will dry on you as you hike. Avoid
The best plan, then, is to remove layers before youdoing this in small ponds that may be affected by the
start to sweat. You can also prevent sweaty feet -soap, deodorant and such that inevitably washes off
and therefore stinky socks - by applyingyour body.
antiperspirant to the bottoms of your feet forSocks and small pieces of clothing can be hung on
several days before you go backpacking. Lettingyour pack to dry as you hike. In camp, you can hang
clothing air out on tree branches in camp can removeclothes on spruce trees to help impart a better odor
some odors as well.to them. If your clothing supply is limited when
Washing Clothesbackpacking (isn't it always?), wash it early, so you'll
Of course at some point, especially on the longerbe able to dry it before the cold night comes. Shake
backpacking trips, you will need to wash your clothes.the clothing and fluff it up once dry. It will insulate
Detergent, however, is bad for streams and lakes. Ifbetter this way, keeping you warmer.
you feel you absolutely must use it, follow these