| You don't want to carry ten pounds of clothes when | | | | guidelines: |
| 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. This | | | | or 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 wash | | | | detergent 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. In | | | | and 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 your | | | | It is better for the environment and simpler too, if |
| clothing wet with sweat, later you may have a | | | | you just avoid using detergent. To do this, you can |
| problem staying warm. It cools dramatically at night in | | | | follow the above guidelines without detergent. You |
| the mountains and desert, for example, and the | | | | can also swim in a lake or stream with your clothes |
| evaporative effect from your damp clothing can chill | | | | on 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 you | | | | doing 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 applying | | | | your body. |
| antiperspirant to the bottoms of your feet for | | | | Socks and small pieces of clothing can be hung on |
| several days before you go backpacking. Letting | | | | your pack to dry as you hike. In camp, you can hang |
| clothing air out on tree branches in camp can remove | | | | clothes on spruce trees to help impart a better odor |
| some odors as well. | | | | to them. If your clothing supply is limited when |
| Washing Clothes | | | | backpacking (isn't it always?), wash it early, so you'll |
| Of course at some point, especially on the longer | | | | be 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. If | | | | better this way, keeping you warmer. |
| you feel you absolutely must use it, follow these | | | | |