What Do You Do With Dirty Clothes When Backpacking?

By Anna Duncan

Backpacking is an activity that can be enjoyed in many different places around the world and provides a great opportunity to explore nature while getting some exercise. One of the challenges of backpacking is dealing with dirty clothes.

It can be difficult to keep clothing clean and fresh when you are spending extended periods of time in the outdoors. Fortunately, there are a few strategies that can help you manage your dirty clothes while backpacking.

Wash As You Go: One strategy for dealing with dirty clothes while backpacking is to wash them as you go. This may sound daunting, but it’s actually not too difficult.

All you need is a biodegradable soap, a bucket or basin, and access to some clean water (this could be from a river or stream). Fill the bucket with water and add a few drops of the soap, then place your clothes in the bucket and swish them around until they are clean. Rinse them off with some fresh water, then hang them up in a sunny spot or near your campfire to dry.

Pack Separate Bags: Another useful strategy is to pack separate bags for clean and dirty clothes. This allows you to keep your clean clothes from getting dirtier as well as helping you stay organized.

You can use one bag for your “clean” clothing and another bag for your “dirty” clothing and carry both with you on your hike. If you need to change into something cleaner or fresher during your trip, just grab what you need from the clean bag.

Leave Dirty Clothes Behind: If all else fails and dealing with dirty clothes becomes too much of a hassle while backpacking, another option is simply leaving them behind at camp when moving on. This might seem counterintuitive but if done properly it can actually be quite beneficial. Make sure that any clothing left behind is secured in an area away from animals and other people so that it won’t become lost or damaged.

Conclusion:

Dirty clothes don’t have to be an issue when backpacking; by washing as you go, packing separate bags for clean and dirty clothes, or even leaving dirty items behind at camp when moving on will help make sure that everyone has fresh, clean apparel throughout their adventures!