Camping is a lot of fun, but it comes with its challenges.
Every region varies from the other. Some places are very friendly while others may seem hostile, but it’s you to make fun out of it. Life cannot be enjoyable without water. Every living organism needs water to survive.
- Bring water jugs of water, drive to local store if out
- Bring a water filter
- Jump in lake or stream
Nature may at times take its course and subject you to some unusual circumstances. It’s essential to think outside the box and equip yourself for any circumstance or issue that may arise and when faced with any challenge, think very fast on how to go about it.
Mountain climbing is one of the greatest fun anyone would wish for, but you’ll have to learn on how to survive without water.
It happened to me at one time, and I had to survive without water for about two weeks. It’s possible to survive such situations, and at the end of it, it could be a lot of fun though at first, it may look terrible.
All you need is to be organized and be a first thinker. I want to show you some great tips on how to survive without running water.
I had to develop some skills to help me survive and keep clean without running water around me. This includes cleaning your body, utensils and any other material that you are using in the camp.
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How to wash utensils without water
There are various ways that you can use to clean your utensils when camping in places where there is no water. My case, I had to carry with me some water reservoirs like aqua-tainer. Before I begin the process of cleaning my utensils, I had to wipe and scrape off the food particles or soak the utensils.
Try as much as possible to avoid using sponge since they keep a lot of bacteria instead use non-porous material or steel wool for pots. There are some other three methods that you might try like the cowboy method (licking the plates) use of baking soda to help alkalize your plates, wood ash to replace soap and salt.
Alternatively, you can use a spray bottle filled with vinegar, water or hydrogen peroxide. Another great way of cleaning your kitchen equipment is through sterilization. You can naturally sterilize your dishes using the sunshine, which is a natural sterilizer.
How to clean yourself without a shower
Staying without taking a bath for more than two or three days could make you very miserable and might even lead to some serious issues. Apart from stinking, your body might start itching. Staying without a bath might also lead to fungal infections, yeast infections, sores, rashes and many more.
With some little water that I carried while going camping, I actually set up a solar shower and off-grid shower. You can do this through deck sprayer or solar shower which is very cheap. This means you can actually take a bath with warm water anywhere as long as there is sunshine.
In an extreme case where there is minimal or no water, you can try some techniques used by homeless people. There is no other better way to keep clean without water than to use baby wipes or bath wipes… Using wet wipes is very effective, and you can also make one using essential oils.
Keep at bay yeast infections between your legs by using apple cider vinegar. It’s very important that you keep your private parts clean; you can do this by pouring vinegar into a paper towel then using it to pat the part. You will have to do this regularly to avoid stinking in extreme cases where there is no water at all.
Another fantastic way is through bidet, just a splash of water. Using bide is a good way to survive when you run out of toilet paper. Lubricant gel can help you get a dry shave. This may sound ridiculous since these lubricants are used for making love but trust me, it works perfectly well.
Keep your body clean by using a warm wet cloth. When using a warm wet cloth to do the cleaning, start with the least dirty areas like your face as you move to other parts that need intensive cleaning, this will leave you feeling better and fresh.
Carrying extra outfit to change while in the camp saved me a lot. I could remove the dirty one and wash it with some waters around me and hair it at night to keep fresh. If there is no water in the place where you are going to camp, try to bring some water with you to help you wash your panties or bras.
Look around you if there is any stream or lake where you can wash your inner garments to save you the embarrassment of the awful smell.
How to Bath without water
Just look for a river, or any lake around you then dive inside. Swimming will help keep you fresh and cool as it rids your body of dirt and sweets. Keep clean by using baking soda as a dry shampoo. Keep skins clogging at bay by using olive oil and to keep your body moisturized. Deodorize your armpit by using apple cider vinegar.
I consider washing hands as an essential way of keeping germs away. You can clean your hands by using water and soap, but if water is not available, you can use wipes, hand sanitizer or by rubbing alcohol. Use dry powder as a shampoo to keep your hair fresh
How to find water
Water is an essential survival resource. Going without water for even 24 hours will deplete both your mental and physical strength, which eventually makes it very difficult to perform most tasks.
Your body needs at least two liters a day to help in the circulation of blood and food in your body and for the regulation of your body temperature.
Finding water should not be a problem at all. You can find water anywhere through various means but be sure to purify it before drinking it. Drinking unfiltered and unpurified water might subject you to several health conditions which may bring a lot of discomforts.
When camping in any place where there is no running water the first thing that should come into your mind is a clear flowing stream; their flow doesn’t encourage faster growth of bacteria. Rivers, lakes, and ponds are some of the most common water sources to look for.
How can I find them and I am new to this place? Just listen keenly; you’ll hear the running water around you. Another way is to try to find animal tracks, watch bird’s behaviors or animals’ behavior around you.
Birds normally like to gather around in places where there is water. Take a walk around the place. Naturally, water flows downhill, follow the ditches, valleys or galleys to locate the running water.
One of the safest ways to get water for drinking and any other use is by collecting rainwater. I could collect rainwater by either using containers around me and by tying the corners of poncho or (tarp around trees some feet from the ground by placing a small rock in the center to create some depression to allow water collection.
Find water by collecting heavy morning dew. You can do this by simply tying some absorbent cloths or tufts around your ankles and then taking a pre-sunrise walk through meadows or tall grass until the clothe become saturated then wring it. When doing this, avoid poisonous plants.
Another source of water that I found to be very interesting is from fruits/vegetation. Fleshy plants, roots, fruits, cacti, and vegetables contain a lot of water. You can collect either of these as you scout then smash them with a rock in a container to collect some water.
This may not yield much water, but it’s very helpful in extreme cases and especially in a tropical environment where there are a lot of fruits and vegetation.
Another great way of collecting water is through plant transpiration. This process occurs naturally when plants absorb water from the soil using their roots, and the water is then transported to the leaves where it’s then released to the environment as a moisture/vapor. To achieve this, tie some large bag around a green branch. Ensure the bag is sagging to allow water collection.
Digging an underground still could be of great help to you when camping in a place where there is no water. This method of water collection is very reliable and helps you with planning as you’ll know exactly how much water you’ll be able to collect.
When camping or scouting on mountains, I easily got water from snow and ice. You can easily identify fresh water from ice. They’re crystalline in structure and bluish in color and splinters easily. When you capture the ice and freeze it, fresh water will be the first to freeze.
While camping in last areas, don’t use water alternatives to quench your thirst as most of them will dehydrate you even more. For instance, using alcohol will dehydrate and cloud your judgment, sea water or ice, on the other hand, will also dehydrate you since it contains around 4% salt.
So plan yourself very well before setting out for camping. This means carrying the right clothes, utensils, and anything relevant.
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