How to beat the stink when camping

Brian, a 17-year-old Eagle Scout from Troop 965 in Chicago, whips through his daily grooming routine and feels clean all day.

But when he went on a long camping trip to New Mexico, things got dicey.

“I got one shower every seven days. In between, I needed to do whatever would make things bearable,” Brian says.

Dallas Shewmaker, owner of http://www.lowergear.com, a camping-supplies rental company, offers these hygiene tips for campers:

• Carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer in your pocket and use it frequently — especially after going to the bathroom and before eating.

• Rub down with isopropyl alcohol on cotton balls each night. Make sure you hit underarms, feet and groin areas.

• Don’t wash your hands in a standing pool of water. Often, the water will have more bacteria than your hands.

• Carry at least two pairs of socks. Wash out one pair each night.

• Carry a small bottle of biodegradable soap to give yourself an occasional sponge bath.

• Using antiperspirant in the backcountry is generally not recommended. Scents attract animals and bugs. But if you do, make sure it’s unscented.

• Carry a travel-size toothbrush, toothpaste and dental floss — and use them often.