Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Hygiene: All You Need is a Little Arm and Hammer


My goal is to leave the smallest footprint I can while hiking the AT. The products I use to brush my teeth, wash my hair and body, clean my clothes and scrub my pots will have the biggest environmental impact. I’m sure you are familiar with baking soda as a cooking agent, however, there are many other uses for this product:

Personal Hygiene
  • Toothpaste
  • Mouthwash
  • Deodorant
  • Shampoo
  • Exfoliating scrub
Cleaning Agent
  • Dish washer
  • Clothes softener
  • Removes odors
Medical uses
  • Reduces indigestion and heartburn
  • Antiseptic- sterilizes
  • Reduces itching
The Ancient Egyptians used baking soda as both a household cleaner and a personal hygiene product (http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/salt.htm). Can you imagine all of your hygienic needs being met with a little "soda" from a little orange box for the unbelievably low cost of only 58 cents? And this knowledge dates back to 3150 BC! I'm casting aside brand name products like Campsuds, Camp Soap and even Dr. Bronner’s and making room for baking soda in my pack.

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