Keeping yourself healthy and maintaining your hygiene are two of the most important aspects of traveling on the road.
Some of the time, it is hard to make sure that you are keeping yourself clean and healthy. This is especially true when there are so many other parts of your life that you have to maintain simultaneously.
Fortunately, there are many simple ways that we women can easily maintain our hygiene while on the road. From small items that take up barely any space in a backpack, to a few easy habit changes, there are ways to keep yourself looking and feeling fresh!General travel hygiene
Good feminine hygiene is important everywhere, but even more so in the places like the tropics, where bacteria thrive, infections take hold with a vengeance, and English-speaking doctors may be rare.
Keeping clean should be your top priority in these places, as among other things, it will help you avoid cystitis or urinary tract infection that most probably would spoil the whole enjoyment of the journey.
To avoid this painful condition, remember to drink plenty of water, and urinate whenever you need to. In the toilet, always wipe from front to back to avoid bacteria entering the urinary tract from the rectum into the vagina, and drink plenty of cranberry juice (if you’re in a country where it exists). To be on the safe side, carry some cranberry capsules.
Yeast likes heat and dampness, and women on the pill are particularly susceptible to yeast infections.
To prevent them, make sure you dry your vaginal area thoroughly after washing. Stick to loose, cotton underwear that breathes easily, and eat yogurt whenever you can. Avoid scented products, including pads and sprays, as these can irritate you. If you are prone to yeast infections, pack along the ingredients for a natural or herbal douche.
Keep it fresh
When it comes to travel, personal hygiene tips can help you sort out some pesky challenges.
To shave or not to shave? This question has fueled many a discussion on travel forums. If you are in relatively unhygienic situations, shaving regularly makes little sense. Take a razor if you feel strongly about it, and shave for special occasions. And remember, in many countries, body hair on women isn’t as repulsive as it seems to be in some Western countries.
Urine leakage or vaginal discharge or unexpected period can create an embarrassing situation for you. It can not only stain your favorite dress but also put you in a discomforting situation. Panty liners is a great protection against urine leakage or vaginal discharge, as it soaks the fluid instantly without letting it affect your panty, inner-wear or outerwear. When you are traveling, or mountain climbing, or sitting, coughing, laughing, don’t let urine leakage affects your comfort of travel.
Cotton daily panty liners provide the best protection, as these are breathable. Panty liners control odor and soak moisture instantly so that you feel dry, clean and fresh throughout the day. Check out our options for organic panty liners here.
Instead of a feminine wash
It is advisable that you should wash your vaginal area with good feminine hygiene wash daily while taking bath or shower. If you are not carrying a feminine hygiene wash, then you might want to use soaps or shampoo. But you should know that soaps or shampoo can disturb the vaginal pH balance and cause vaginal infection, vaginal irritation, vaginal itching and vaginal discomforts since these contain chemicals, which are strictly No-No to use for your sensitive area like the vagina.
When you don’t have access to quality feminine wash, you can use the following natural remedies that will cleanse your vagina and give you peace of mind. The great news is that you can find all these items in most, even the smallest shops in every corner of the world.
Cornstarch powder – Perspiration can give your vagina an unpleasant or unnatural scent. You can keep the scents away by keeping the genitals dry. Do this by sprinkling cornstarch powder on the insides of your underwear before putting it on. When you perspire, the cornstarch will absorb all the moisture leaving your lady bits fresh, dry and free from infections.
Apple cider vinegar – Apple cider vinegar has both anti-microbial and antifungal properties. It will also balance PH levels in your lady bits by keeping odors away. To enjoy these benefits, pour some apple cider vinegar into a bowl of lukewarm water and use this mixture to clean your lady parts.
Alternatively, you can dilute some apple cider vinegar with lukewarm water and dip a tampon in the mixture. Insert the tampon in the vagina for a period of 30 to 60 minutes. Your lady bits will be happy.
Salt – Bacteria are what usually causes itching in the vagina. Salty water can get rid of this bacteria. You can enjoy its benefits by diluting a bit of it in salty water and using the water to cleanse. If you have a bath, add some salt into your bath water. Make sure that you do not have any sores or bruises in your genital areas, as the salt can sting.
Baking soda – Baking soda goes a long way in balancing pH levels in female genitals. It can be ingested by dissolving a teaspoon full in a glass of lukewarm water, or you can soak in it. Pour some baking soda in your bath water and soak in it. Make sure to dry properly with a clean towel after your bath.
For even more travel personal hygiene tips, visit health sites such as MD Travel Health, which has links to relevant pages of the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control.
