How to Keep Clean and Hygienic on the Move

Here at Lifeventure, we live for travel and love exploring new places. However, for all the many upsides of adventuring, when you’re on the move it can be a bit harder than normal to stay clean. Whether attempting to wash your clothes on the go, fitting toiletries into minimal luggage or taking on dubious or non-existing bathroom facilities, our team is here to help. With countless trips under our belts, here are our top tips to ensure you stay feeling fresh, wherever you’re headed.

1. Pack dirty gear separately

It might sound obvious but keeping dirty laundry separate from the rest of your kit is an easy way to make sure the rest of your clothes don’t become smelly or musty. We recommend taking a spare dry bag to store dirty clothing inside.

2. Don’t wait for a laundrette

If you’re travelling somewhere hot, it is super easy to wash your own clothes on the go and clean clothes will make sure you feel clean and hygienic. That dry bag we mentioned in the last tip? It can double up as a handy washing machine. Just pop some warm water in with a little bit of detergent (we’d recommend our Fabric Wash Leaves) and scrunch the contents around inside. Rinse them and hang them out to dry for fresh and clean clothes.

3. Choose smart fabrics

Travel-specific clothing and accessories are almost always designed with life on the go in mind. Look out for clothing made from fast-drying, synthetic fabrics that is easy to wash in a hostel or hotel bathroom. Items made of cotton such as denim jeans are heavier and bulkier plus will take a long time to dry if you wash them. Also, keep an eye out for treatments like Polygiene®. Featured on Lifeventure’s SoftFibre Travel Towels – Polygiene® prevents the build-up of bacteria meaning fabrics treated with it will stay fresher and odour-free for longer.

4. Be prepared for basic facilities

When you’re backpacking, you can’t take for granted that where you’re staying will have the luxuries you’re used to – for example a mirror, plug or washing line. Adding travel-sized versions to your wash kit will make it easy to create an ideal bathroom set-up and stick to your normal routine.

5. Choose do-it-all toiletries

Another obvious one but when weight and suitcase space are both at a premium, you don’t want to lug endless heavy bottles and jars with you. We recommend choosing a do-it-all wash for face, hair and body such as our All Purpose Soap and then decant essential personal moisturisers and conditioners into smaller, lightweight travel bottles. You can also look out for small perfume atomisers which are ideal for taking your favourite scent on the go with you.

6. Enjoy a wild-wash

If you’re camping or staying near a lake or river that is safe for swimmers, you can easily use it to enjoy a quick freshen up. Alternatively, many beaches have public showers nearby that are ideal for a quick full-body wash if you don’t have a shower where you’re staying.

7. Keep luggage smelling cotton-fresh

After a while clothes in your case or backpack can start to smell a bit musty. Our advice? Pop a tumble-dryer sheet inside your case. It is lightly scented and will keep your bag’s contents smelling as if they’ve just been freshly-washed.

8. Pack a flannel or biodegradable wipes

Whether you’re at a festival, on a long flight or on a van excursion, with the right prep you can easily freshen up without access to a shower. Keep a flannel or biodegradable wipes somewhere close to hand and you can give yourself a quick body shower to feel instantly fresher and cleaner.

9. Take care when brushing your teeth

Most of us know to check if the water in your travel destination is safe to drink, but don’t get caught out when it comes to brushing your teeth. Even though you don’t actually swallow the water, it’s still safer to use mineral or sterilised water for this. We’d also recommend making sure you keep your toothbrush in a clean environment too – ideally with a cap over the brush to prevent it from becoming contaminated on the go.

10. Keep your hands clean

Plane seats, handrails, door handles… when you travel, your hands come into contact with a lot of surfaces and the risk of picking up germs or bacteria is higher. Hand-washing facilities aren’t always available so make sure to pack an anti-bacterial gel such as our Dry Wash in your hand luggage. We have all used lots of anti-bacterial gels over the last few years and, although we may be biased, we think this is the best one available; cooling to use, has a nice smell and comes in a tough little bottle as well, ideal for travelling.