FIELD HYGIENE BRIEFING
This Is Generic - Some May Not apply To All Locations
One of the keys to staying healthy in the field is to stay clean – a seeming impossibility, as we promised you
mud, crud, and possibly blood. You will have that and more, your goal is to stay as clean as possible
between the mud, crud, and blood! This minimizes the chance of infection through subsequent loss of skin
integrity (cuts, scrapes, etc.), establishment of fungal & parasite infections, and makes you smell a whole lot
better! Note that we will enforce hygiene, commercial and private expeditions may let themselves go to hell,
stink, and look like Yetis, but we are professionals providing care and need to look like it (and smell like it). In
no particular order:
1. Bathe twice daily or bathe once and swim in the river once a day (when available & safe to do so).
You may bathe either in the showers (when available) or in the river, but if you do the latter PLEASE use a
biodegradable soap – you can get it at Wal-Mart in the camping/RV section, or use Dr. Bronner’s Hippie
Soap. I recommend a morning swim and an evening bath just before bed but suit yourself. You may find
yourself in the river twice a day, just for fun. In any case, don’t go to sleep nasty.
2. Having some wet wipes in your pocket or pack is great for quick face and hands cleaning and a
refreshing break. Also good for wiping your bum in the field. Speaking of, there is a specific technique for
“taking care of business” in the field, see below. Allow at least 2 wet wipes per day.
3. A “Solar Shower” is worth it’s weight in gold if you will not have easy access to hot water – this is a 3-6
gallon bag, black or dark in color, hang in the sun for a couple of hours and it will warm up well. One per 2-3
person team is plenty. Belize classes have showers available, so ignore this.
4. “No Rinse” soaps are available & work well, although are a bit heavy. Nice to have a bottle along for
occasional use though.
5. WASH YOUR HANDS! Before eating, every time! ALL of the cases of traveler’s diarrhea we have
had in the past have been classic fecal-oral viral enteritis, due in my opinion, to a hygiene deficit. WASH
YOUR HANDS! I also recommend you have a small bottle of alcohol gel or foam hand wash available – you
can get little travel bottles at Wal-Mart for 50 cents. Good fire starter too.
6. If you wear contacts have a bottle of eye wash with you went out of camp. I recommend you disinfect
your contacts every night, to minimize the risk of infection.
7. Avoid all perfumes, aftershave, strong smelling deodorants, etc. They attract bugs. I use the baking
soda sport deodorant as it is scent neutral and covers up my funk pretty well. Baby powder is helpful in the
shoes and underwear.
8. When you are not wet, get dry. Loose airy clothing and footwear lets your skin dry out. Make sure your
feet get some air!
9. If you have long hair make sure you can get it up off your neck & keep it from blowing around. If you are
planning a hair cut, get it short. Long or short works better than mid-range. Remember no dryers & curling
irons will be available.
10. If you are going to shave, do so daily; hair stubble is a pathway for infection into the pores. Shave
AFTER washing with soap & water to minimize skin bugs into the pores. Or let it grow, either is acceptable.
11. If the following offends you, I apologize, but you should know this: military medical hygiene studies
and years of practical experience by those working in hot/humid environments has shown with out a doubt
that short pit & pubic hair is significantly more hygienic than 'au natural’. I am saying SHORT, not OFF. Guys
this means you too. Yes, I mean everywhere. Just FYI, it’s your call.
12. Shaving paste, oil, or powder is much better than shaving cream, lighter, compact, needs little water.
I am having good luck with Roffler “Gentle Shave” paste and Shick Quatro blades changed once/week. Or
battery powered shavers. Or, wind up shavers were quite popular in the 50’s-70’s and they show up on E-
Bay often.
13. We will have barber scissors & tools for hair trims, at your own risk!
14. Wash all cuts and scrapes with soap and water, get some antibiotic ointment on them, and cover.
Inspect twice daily for signs of infection. And don’t scratch your bug bites - that’s the number 1 source of skin
infections!!!!!!
15. Tampons work better than pads in the field, as pads trend to get water soaked.
16. Ladies may wish to consider using either a modified birth control pill plan or the Seasonale BCP’s to
stop your cycle during the trip. YOU MUST START THESE AT LEAST 3 MONTHS AHEAD OR YOU
WILL HAVE IRREGULAR BREAK-THOUGHS!!!!!!
17. Some prefer not to wear underwear at all to minimize chaffing. That’s fine if it works for you, but
remember the consequences if you take a major rip in your pants. Have some handy. A guy last year didn’t…
18. The best underwear is Underarmor, Terramar, MTS, Duofold, or similar synthetics as they wash &
dry quick, don’t hold stink (as bad), and have little chaffing. Sports bras are the way to go. Baby
powder/cornstarch helps prevent chaffing - dispose of before returning to the States!
19. Have a designated pee bottle for use in the tent. Make it a different shape than your water bottles.
This will save trips out of the tent or into the water, etc. Ladies WILL want a “Lady J” available from camping
supply places, to better manage this. Note both sexes want a wide mouth bottle. An important reason not to
use Lemon-Lime flavor sports drink also…
20. There may be areas that are “No Dump” zones for various reasons. Camps will have established
latrine pits/sites, but the trails may not. The traditional toss into the crevasse technique is not acceptable.
Digging a cat hole & burying will require one small spade per two-person team. There may be times this is
not feasible and you will need to make an “expedition burrito” with aluminum foil and seal it in a zip-lock
bag…so freezer type gallon size zip-locks become necessary. All waste WILL be disposed of properly and
toilet paper will NOT be left exposed…
21. Sleeping bag liners, either a cotton sheet or fleece blanket sewn together or a lightweight
commercial one keep your bag much cleaner, add a bit of warmth, and can be used as a simple cover
during hot weather.
22. Synthetic towels are the way to go. You can buy very expensive “travel towels” or you can go to Dollar
General and get synthetic car towels for $1 a piece that are the SAME THING, orange color. Wash them
once to get rid of lint before using though…mark one end “head” and don’t use that on your crotch…can get
several days between towel washings this way. You will want at least two. Plus a hand full of bandannas.
23. Brush your teeth at least twice per day. Dental brushing powder or paste works equally well. Avoid
white baking soda, due to its appearance, or at least leave it sealed in the boxes until after you enter the
country and throw away before returning to the States. Bring dental floss, lots of the local food likes to stick
between your teeth.
24. Bring nail clippers and a nail file. Cut your nails off straight across, past the point of contact between
the nail and skin. Round off the corners a bit to prevent snagging but do not do so to the point where the nail
can take a dive into the skin – ingrown nails are a misery when hiking! Foot/baby powder/cornstarch is
recommended – dispose of before returning to the States.
25. Hygiene kit: Biodegradable soap, comb, razor + blades + shave paste, toothbrush + paste + dental
floss, nail clippers + file, baby powder, deodorant, pocket mirror, wet wipes, hand wash gel, hair ties,
synthetic towels + bandannas, tampons, pee bottle, gallon size zip-lock bags + aluminum foil, sleeping bag
liner, contact lens solutions. Small spade per 2-person team. Consider a solar shower unit in conjunction with
a few others. Get enough supplies for the entire trip!
This Is Generic - Some May Not apply To All Locations
One of the keys to staying healthy in the field is to stay clean – a seeming impossibility, as we promised you
mud, crud, and possibly blood. You will have that and more, your goal is to stay as clean as possible
between the mud, crud, and blood! This minimizes the chance of infection through subsequent loss of skin
integrity (cuts, scrapes, etc.), establishment of fungal & parasite infections, and makes you smell a whole lot
better! Note that we will enforce hygiene, commercial and private expeditions may let themselves go to hell,
stink, and look like Yetis, but we are professionals providing care and need to look like it (and smell like it). In
no particular order:
1. Bathe twice daily or bathe once and swim in the river once a day (when available & safe to do so).
You may bathe either in the showers (when available) or in the river, but if you do the latter PLEASE use a
biodegradable soap – you can get it at Wal-Mart in the camping/RV section, or use Dr. Bronner’s Hippie
Soap. I recommend a morning swim and an evening bath just before bed but suit yourself. You may find
yourself in the river twice a day, just for fun. In any case, don’t go to sleep nasty.
2. Having some wet wipes in your pocket or pack is great for quick face and hands cleaning and a
refreshing break. Also good for wiping your bum in the field. Speaking of, there is a specific technique for
“taking care of business” in the field, see below. Allow at least 2 wet wipes per day.
3. A “Solar Shower” is worth it’s weight in gold if you will not have easy access to hot water – this is a 3-6
gallon bag, black or dark in color, hang in the sun for a couple of hours and it will warm up well. One per 2-3
person team is plenty. Belize classes have showers available, so ignore this.
4. “No Rinse” soaps are available & work well, although are a bit heavy. Nice to have a bottle along for
occasional use though.
5. WASH YOUR HANDS! Before eating, every time! ALL of the cases of traveler’s diarrhea we have
had in the past have been classic fecal-oral viral enteritis, due in my opinion, to a hygiene deficit. WASH
YOUR HANDS! I also recommend you have a small bottle of alcohol gel or foam hand wash available – you
can get little travel bottles at Wal-Mart for 50 cents. Good fire starter too.
6. If you wear contacts have a bottle of eye wash with you went out of camp. I recommend you disinfect
your contacts every night, to minimize the risk of infection.
7. Avoid all perfumes, aftershave, strong smelling deodorants, etc. They attract bugs. I use the baking
soda sport deodorant as it is scent neutral and covers up my funk pretty well. Baby powder is helpful in the
shoes and underwear.
8. When you are not wet, get dry. Loose airy clothing and footwear lets your skin dry out. Make sure your
feet get some air!
9. If you have long hair make sure you can get it up off your neck & keep it from blowing around. If you are
planning a hair cut, get it short. Long or short works better than mid-range. Remember no dryers & curling
irons will be available.
10. If you are going to shave, do so daily; hair stubble is a pathway for infection into the pores. Shave
AFTER washing with soap & water to minimize skin bugs into the pores. Or let it grow, either is acceptable.
11. If the following offends you, I apologize, but you should know this: military medical hygiene studies
and years of practical experience by those working in hot/humid environments has shown with out a doubt
that short pit & pubic hair is significantly more hygienic than 'au natural’. I am saying SHORT, not OFF. Guys
this means you too. Yes, I mean everywhere. Just FYI, it’s your call.
12. Shaving paste, oil, or powder is much better than shaving cream, lighter, compact, needs little water.
I am having good luck with Roffler “Gentle Shave” paste and Shick Quatro blades changed once/week. Or
battery powered shavers. Or, wind up shavers were quite popular in the 50’s-70’s and they show up on E-
Bay often.
13. We will have barber scissors & tools for hair trims, at your own risk!
14. Wash all cuts and scrapes with soap and water, get some antibiotic ointment on them, and cover.
Inspect twice daily for signs of infection. And don’t scratch your bug bites - that’s the number 1 source of skin
infections!!!!!!
15. Tampons work better than pads in the field, as pads trend to get water soaked.
16. Ladies may wish to consider using either a modified birth control pill plan or the Seasonale BCP’s to
stop your cycle during the trip. YOU MUST START THESE AT LEAST 3 MONTHS AHEAD OR YOU
WILL HAVE IRREGULAR BREAK-THOUGHS!!!!!!
17. Some prefer not to wear underwear at all to minimize chaffing. That’s fine if it works for you, but
remember the consequences if you take a major rip in your pants. Have some handy. A guy last year didn’t…
18. The best underwear is Underarmor, Terramar, MTS, Duofold, or similar synthetics as they wash &
dry quick, don’t hold stink (as bad), and have little chaffing. Sports bras are the way to go. Baby
powder/cornstarch helps prevent chaffing - dispose of before returning to the States!
19. Have a designated pee bottle for use in the tent. Make it a different shape than your water bottles.
This will save trips out of the tent or into the water, etc. Ladies WILL want a “Lady J” available from camping
supply places, to better manage this. Note both sexes want a wide mouth bottle. An important reason not to
use Lemon-Lime flavor sports drink also…
20. There may be areas that are “No Dump” zones for various reasons. Camps will have established
latrine pits/sites, but the trails may not. The traditional toss into the crevasse technique is not acceptable.
Digging a cat hole & burying will require one small spade per two-person team. There may be times this is
not feasible and you will need to make an “expedition burrito” with aluminum foil and seal it in a zip-lock
bag…so freezer type gallon size zip-locks become necessary. All waste WILL be disposed of properly and
toilet paper will NOT be left exposed…
21. Sleeping bag liners, either a cotton sheet or fleece blanket sewn together or a lightweight
commercial one keep your bag much cleaner, add a bit of warmth, and can be used as a simple cover
during hot weather.
22. Synthetic towels are the way to go. You can buy very expensive “travel towels” or you can go to Dollar
General and get synthetic car towels for $1 a piece that are the SAME THING, orange color. Wash them
once to get rid of lint before using though…mark one end “head” and don’t use that on your crotch…can get
several days between towel washings this way. You will want at least two. Plus a hand full of bandannas.
23. Brush your teeth at least twice per day. Dental brushing powder or paste works equally well. Avoid
white baking soda, due to its appearance, or at least leave it sealed in the boxes until after you enter the
country and throw away before returning to the States. Bring dental floss, lots of the local food likes to stick
between your teeth.
24. Bring nail clippers and a nail file. Cut your nails off straight across, past the point of contact between
the nail and skin. Round off the corners a bit to prevent snagging but do not do so to the point where the nail
can take a dive into the skin – ingrown nails are a misery when hiking! Foot/baby powder/cornstarch is
recommended – dispose of before returning to the States.
25. Hygiene kit: Biodegradable soap, comb, razor + blades + shave paste, toothbrush + paste + dental
floss, nail clippers + file, baby powder, deodorant, pocket mirror, wet wipes, hand wash gel, hair ties,
synthetic towels + bandannas, tampons, pee bottle, gallon size zip-lock bags + aluminum foil, sleeping bag
liner, contact lens solutions. Small spade per 2-person team. Consider a solar shower unit in conjunction with
a few others. Get enough supplies for the entire trip!
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