Hand Washing _ Winter

[5thGenTexan]

Its Texas so its not a "real winter"   However the camp water has been turned off since December save for a few frostless faucets around camp.  What are some hand washing strategies at the campsite?  This is Cub Scouts, so they are nasty anyway on a good day when water is plentiful.  Campout will be Feb 28 - March 1.  As it is Texas I have no idea of the weather, could be 45 for highs or could be 75.  

[Treflienne]

1)  Hand sanitizer pump bottle located right outside the latrine.

2) For actualy hand washing, you could use something that will let water trickle out,  but not too fast lest you be needing to refil it too often.     You can improvise homemade stuff (milk jug, with hole poked in side near bottom, with golf-tee plugged into hole) but in my experience those tend to be finicky.     You can also use something like this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005S4LOYY - a beverage dispenser -- this one does not have an air intake, so the water tends to trickle out slowly, which is a plus for the handwahsing. 

A quick web search turned up a picture of the classic improvised version:

https://craftingagreenworld.com/articles/camping-hack-make-a-handwashing-station/

 

[mrkstvns]

I like Treflienne's suggestions.  Hand sanitizer is a quick way around the problem, but it really isn't a substitute for actual washing with soap and water. Washing in a trickle of water, followed by the hand sanitizer can be a good approach. Even if the camp turns off water spigots in the winter, cubs usually car camp and tossing in a couple extra water jugs so you have water for hand washing seems like prudent planning.

I would also add 2 points:
* provide a way to dry hands, towels are environmentally friendly, but paper towels are more effective at reducing bacteria
* consider temperatures: water freezes, wet towels can freeze, wet hands get cold fast, sanitizers sap body heat faster than water

[Treflienne]

1 hour ago, mrkstvns said:

Hand sanitizer is a quick way around the problem, but it really isn't a substitute for actual washing with soap and water.

I agree.   I meant have both available.

1 hour ago, mrkstvns said:

provide a way to dry hands, towels are environmentally friendly, but paper towels are more effective at reducing bacteria

Ok,  I am not familiar with Cubs,  but from my experience with Brownie/Junior girl scouts:

Paper towels are a problem.  The kids go through a lot rapidly.  And then you have the garbage piling up, and, worse, blowing away.

Most of the time the kids are fine with waving their hands dry.   (And, in warmer weather, the kids are fine just drying their hands on their shirts, so there is no problem.)

If you insist on towels  -- each kid can bring his own bandana to dry his hands on.   Another possibility (which I have never actually used with kids, but was promoted at a girl scout leader camp training I attended)  issue each kid a handiwipe at the beginning of the weekend, which they keep, carry with them, and dry their hands on like they would a bandana.

 

[SSScout]

Tripod lashing (Scout Pioneering camp gadget requirement) tripod about 5 feet tall.  . Gallon milk jug dangle from tripod with appropriately long rope. On other end of rope, dangling is a nylon mesh bag (kneehigh stocking? Cherry tomato bag? ) of soap chips collected from Whitlin' Chip instruction/earning  (camp out activity?) . draped over tripod is old, big colorful beach towel (mine is the Suncrest Raisins, always a hit).  Tip jug, rub hands, tip jug, wipe hands. Fun.  Place someplace where the drainage is not a problem, NOT adjacent to the hydrant, outside the latrine.  Assign/rotate duty to refill jug.   Den Chief project? 

Good in any but freezing weather. 

Edited January 13, 2020 by SSScout

[5thGenTexan]

When I was a Cub Scout long ago we used a milk jug or something with a golf tee in the hole at the bottom with soap hanging in a kneehigh nylon.  Just was wondering if there was something better I wasnt thinking of.  Sounds like that may still be the go to.

 

 

[mrkstvns]

34 minutes ago, Treflienne said:

Paper towels are a problem.  The kids go through a lot rapidly.  And then you have the garbage piling up, and, worse, blowing away.

They are, indeed. Wasteful and messy.

From the perspective of effectiveness in getting hands dry and germ-free, they are not to be beat --- except maybe by shaking hands dry, which can be a problem outdoors in winter where some days, some places (outside Texas), you might shake your hands frozen before they get dry. 😉 

[MattR]

Cubs? Once a day put up a wash line with warm water and get them all through. That way nobody has more than a days worth of grime, and that's reasonable. I always volunteer to wash dishes at night so I can clean my hands in hot water before I take my contacts out. Below zero, doesn't matter. Feels wonderful. I've been told hand sanitizer is worthless unless you use a huge amount. 

[SSScout]

Usta be Summer camp:  Camp Director , on wednesday,  requires anyone who wants dessert (special peach pie ! and Ice cream !)  MUST present themselves at dinner bell with at least wet hair, betoken of having taken a shower before. Name list on  shower house porch is checked by a Counselor as the kids come out...…  So at least,  the camper came "close" to the water and soap.  

 

[T2Eagle]

22 hours ago, MattR said:

 I've been told hand sanitizer is worthless unless you use a huge amount. 

You want their hands clean before they eat.  So have an adult stand at the line right before they receive their food, and squirt a BIG dollop of hand sanitizer froma big bottle onto each kids hand as they approach the serving area.  

Also, take a moment just before you start to have an adult demonstrate how they should use the sanitizer --- all over fronts and backs, in between fingers, etc.  It should take about 20-30 seconds for them to do thoroughly before it dries.

[Eagledad]

Hmmm. Of course cleanliness is a virtue and one of the a points of the Law, but ya'll sound as if you've never been on a Boy Scout camp out.

Barry

Edited January 14, 2020 by Eagledad

[David CO]

42 minutes ago, Eagledad said:

Hmmm. Of course cleanliness is a virtue and one of the a points of the Law, but ya'll sound as if you've never been on a Boy Scout camp out.

Barry

My thoughts exactly.  It sounds like "primitive camping" is out.  Hand sanitizer is in.  Welcome to modern scouting.

 

Edited January 14, 2020 by David CO

[Treflienne]

1 hour ago, Eagledad said:

ya'll sound as if you've never been on a Boy Scout camp out

I've heard some stories from the scouters of the boys' troop, about sanitation (or lack thereof) especially surrounding meals and food prep.   And the girls in the girls' troop have heard some of those same stories.  And some of the girls have been quite vocal about being glad they were doing things separately.

There is really great quote:

Quote

 

And what do you get when you take a group of girls and drop them into an institution that’s got a century of experience being the boys’ club of boys’ clubs?

You get a group of girls.

 

from this article: https://www.ncregister.com/blog/jenfitz/how-the-boy-scouts-are-teaching-girls-about-true-womanhood

[elitts]

For cubs, my preference for particularly grimy hands is:

1. Some clean wet sand in a tub of warmish water.
2. Cake some on and grind it around in your hands for 10-20 seconds; 
3. Then swish them back in the water to knock of most of the sand;
4. Then a quick dip in a second bucket of rinse water to get any residue off;
5. Then hand sanitizer.

This is good if they are about to eat burgers and corn on the cob after playing in the dirt all day.

The really nice thing about it is that it's much easier to get 6-10 year olds to play with mud for 20 seconds than it is to get them to wash that long with soap.

FYI: It can get a little messy if you don't station an adult nearby to make sure it doesn't get thrown or wiped on people.

Edited January 14, 2020 by elitts

[Momleader]

Our pack uses the laundry detergent jugs with water in them. And hung from the handle is a bar of dial soap in a red mesh bag that held onions