Hygiene

Hygiene is one of the most neglected things you will probably not come across while on the road. Although kurt cobain made a killing even after his death by being one of the most non-hygienetic people on the face of the planet, dont think he didnt have a wardrobe manager who carefully rolled his jeans in sanitized mud, and micromanaged every single tear in his shreaded jeans. Yes kids, hygiene is important, although neglecting it for a little while is ok too. But heres some tips from me, and things I have found that help keep you clean, and smelling fresh like a lemon and not like a dumpster while on the road.

Teeth.

These pearly whites (or yellows in some cases) keep all non drinkable food you come accross from being wasted. When youre hungry and all you find are apples, and chicken legs, gumming these bad boys wont provide you with the nessicary nutrition your body demands. There fore keep your teeth in good condition so they still work when you need them to. There are a few ways you can do this. Sure a toothbrush is a good idea, but be careful not to get one that is to hard. You can actually help deteriorate your teeth by brushing with to hard of a brush which erodes enamel and is like taking a wire brush to a pastel painting. Toothpastes can also be harmful, as many of them are filled with sugar to keep you comming back for more. Be weary of sugar filled toothpaste, and actually as redneck as it sounds, the best thing you can use when you dont have toothpaste is baking soda. Dab a bit on your toothbrush and away you go. Flossing is a good idea, but lets face it, even those of us lucky enough to have a home with floss in our bathroom patiently sitting next to our toothbrushes, rarely do it. Toothpicks are a good way to go, and for the rest of the crud in your inbetweens, mouth wash is a good idea as well. And hey if you drink, you can swallow it. Thats what people used to do in the old days to have fresh breath. No its not dangerous, unless you do it all the time. For those times when you dont have access to a toothbrush, and many of us dont, I have found towels and paper towels can double as a toothbrush, simply take some in your hand ball it up, and brush your teeth with it, you will notice a huge difference. The fur will be gone, i promise.

Other ways to keep your mouth in tip top shape are; tea, if it wernt for tea, the brittish wouldnt have any teeth at all. Tea is extreamely good for your gums, and should be consumed as often as possible, as its not only good for your mouth but your whole body and make sure its not sugared down, cheese, as soon as cheese is placed in the mouth, it corrects the ph balance, and promotes healthy bacteria which fight off bad bacteria, and hey cheese tastes good too! Sugar free gum is an excellent way to fight bad gums and teeth, as it produces saliva the bodies natural cavity fighting solution, plus it brakes down food and crud stuck in and on your teeth, and helps keep them from turning your teeth into abandon parking lots.

washing your body, see the chapter on showers. just make sure you get all the smelly areas, pits, feet, cracks, face, and you will be fine.

washing your clothes. see the chapter on laundrymats.

The crapper.
Always always always if you use a public bathroom, wipe the seat down with a handful of toilet paper first, then give a courtesy flush to let all those people germs wash away incase of splashback. if youre really germaphobic, layer the seat with two ply toilet paper, and double it over if you like, toilet paper is free, and all the waste you are not producing living carefree and homeless, you deserve to waste a few extra squares of toilet paper fighting butt germs.is there anything im leaving out?