Tips on staying clean??

[mudgirl]

I know some of you are laughing, including some girls, but being clean is important to me.  I think it's healthy.  Any tips?

I've gone 5 days w/o washing my hair but kept the essentials clean.  Am experimenting with waterless shampoos.  Know how to stay clean backpacking (washcloth, cup, pot of water (Asian mandy style washup) and fresh underwear) but I've never gone more than a few days so the weight of a few extra clean clothes wasn't a problem. 

Bikepacking means staying very light and wearing the same 2 pairs of bike shorts and 2 tops over and over.  What's the best way to do this?  I roll handwashed items in a towel and apply pressure.  But this means that I brought a towel and that the towel is then wet.  If I wash one pair/top at night, are they dry by the next morning if I'm at high elevation?  Do I end up having to stuff wet clothes into my pack bags the next morning?  How many shorts do most packers bring?  I've seen two bikepackers' lists and they had only 1!  Eewwww!  Thanks.

[Done]

There are two kinds of "dirty."

The first is simply the stinky kind. There are degrees, of course, from, "Honey, you need a shower," to "Holy sh1t, do you stink!" Basically, though, greasy hair, filthy legs, stained clothes, and copious body odor are the hallmarks of old-fashioned pioneer living. You might offend your neighbors, but dogs will generally find you pleasant--and perhaps even attractive. Most ultra-endurance athletes simply get used to this state, and it generally doesn't lead to any real issues unless you're looking for a date. Just like the wild animals that we once were, humans don't really need to shower every day--our bodies don't seem to mind being slathered in thick layers of sweat, sunscreen, and dirt.

The second type of dirty is dangerous. We're talking bacteria. Fortunately, sweat, oil, and dirt don't seem inherently attractive to the kinds of bacteria that make us sick. But there's one significant exception: poop. Yep, poop is bad stuff, full of bacteria that can make us sick--both systemically and locally. The key is to keep anything even remotely fecal nice and clean. Baby wipes are my chosen weapon for this battle--after every poop, I make sure that every molecule is wiped away. No skid marks means no infected saddle sores. I also carry a little bottle of rubbing alcohol, which I use to sterilize my hands and anything else that seems like it might need it (which often include my feet, for aesthetic reasons). Because it feels good, I also like to wash my hands and face at stream crossing.

All of that said, I'm always eager to clean myself and my clothes whenever I can do so easily. On the CTR, I ducked into a hotel in Leadville to dry out one night--and I showered and washed my clothes in the sink. My shorts were still wet in the morning, but they dried out as I rode. I also somehow got some infected cuts on my hands--probably due to having wet hands from the rain for so many days--so I washed (and bleached!) everything in Silverton. Silly to spend an hour at a laundromat during a bike race, but well worth it. But I've also gone a couple of weeks at other times without washing, and never had a problem.

Women of course may have specific needs that I don't. Sorry, I can't help with that. But there are lots of bikepacking women out there, so hopefully one of them will chime in.

[pro_out]

Staying clean is really quit easy if you leave about 95% of your vanity at home. The 5% being the hands and the down under.

[paxton coyote]

the baby wipes are essential, even for overnighters. Have you considered one of those small pack towels for drying off & soaking up laundry? Might work, also wool baselayers can go for days without getting funky, I use Smartwool but there's other brands, change into a pair of wool undies & shirt at night while your shorts are drying the best they can, I've even used a merino wool bike jersey in the heat of summer & they are great.

[Done]

the baby wipes are essential, even for overnighters. Have you considered one of those small pack towels for drying off & soaking up laundry? Might work, also wool baselayers can go for days without getting funky, I use Smartwool but there's other brands, change into a pair of wool undies & shirt at night while your shorts are drying the best they can, I've even used a merino wool bike jersey in the heat of summer & they are great.

Great suggestion. Unfortunately, I can't wear wool due to allergies--but if I could, I would wear it exclusively. It's SO much nicer than synthetics, on so many levels!

[mrlocksmith]

I understand it is not recommended to wear the same bike shorts (I am talking about the padded lycra ones)  more than once without washing them. So if you are keeping you underbits clean, what about the shorts you keep wearing?  Sound like you have to do a but more laundry too?

Mark

[chrisx]

A wool shirt helps, I prefer IceBreaker.
I've been pooring rubbing alcohol on baby wipes for the last year or so, seems to work.
Bad smells and saddle soars start life as bacteria.  Alcohol kills bacteria.  Unless I'm wrong again.
The most washed thing I have is a wash cloth.  That wash cloth has more than just 2 uses.
If I chance to cross a stream at lunch time some socks and such may dry on a rock as I eat.  Removing ones shoes and soaking the feet seems to help make the water a comfortable temperature for pooring over the head.  Also, 30 minutes in the sun can warm a bottle of water a little.
I'm happy with a Selle Anatomica saddle and no padded shorts.  On the mornings when the socks and underwear are not dry, I hang it from the handle bars.  The longer the trip the more important hygiene becomes.  A little preemptive strike on the problem causing bacteria can prevent a lot of problems.