How clean do you stay on the playa?

Post by **Elderberry** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 8:52 am

Trishntek wrote: Trish and I wash each other's feet just before bed and do the same thing we did for so many others all day,,,,, aloe vera soak and cocoa butter lotion on the feet.

That is so sweet and endearing. No, really.

JK

Parasitoid · Post by **Parasitoid** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 9:33 am

I just clean my feet when they get itchy.

skibear · Post by **skibear** » Sun Feb 13, 2011 11:15 am

The Human Carcass Wash works !!

MyDearFriend · Post by **MyDearFriend** » Sun Feb 13, 2011 5:56 pm

skibear wrote:The Human Carcass Wash works !!

Dude, please tell me about that, it sounds so interesting! Somebody else said on here that he liked it but he didn't really get clean. Is it just luck really who you get washing you and how well that works?

How does it work, actually?

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Sun Feb 13, 2011 8:07 pm

How it work's.

http://polyparadise.azcompuguy.com/hcw.htm

Turnip · Post by **Turnip** » Sun Feb 13, 2011 8:41 pm

I'd love a shower every day but that's not going to happen. Don't have the means to transport that much water.

2009 I didn't do anything hygiene related beyond a wet towel and brushing my teeth.

This year I'm planning to at least wash my hair mid week, probably Thursday. Last time I had it under a turban the whole time because I couldn't brush it after the first day and my hair was literally just about dreaded up by the time I was able to wash it out at the hotel, a whole bottle of Suave conditioner later and I was finally able to brush it out. But my scalp was itchy as fuck for days afterward.

The water truck only works if you don't mind being covered in playa goop from the knee down afterward.

MyDearFriend · Post by **MyDearFriend** » Sun Feb 13, 2011 9:05 pm

FIGJAM wrote:How it work's.

http://polyparadise.azcompuguy.com/hcw.htm

Thanks! Have you tried it? I have washed a lot of people in my career as a nurse but none of them were standing up. Seems to me, hmmm, could be interesting!

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Sun Feb 13, 2011 9:22 pm

Have'nt tried it, just remembered it it from ALL the reading I did in these threads before going for the first time.

Washing someone in the classic Di Vinci pose seems like it would be easier than washing some one laying down.

junglesmacks · Post by **junglesmacks** » Sun Feb 13, 2011 10:21 pm

A daily baby wiping seems to do the trick, with a once every 3 days quick shower.

Post by **Sham** » Mon Feb 14, 2011 12:43 am

I bring a plastic salad bowl and fill it with about a gallon of water. Using either a bandanna or a wash cloth, I wash the top layer of dust off. I start from the top of my head and work my way downward. After that, I do it again with soap, then clear water. An entire shower uses less than 2 gallons of water.
By using the bowl, I can kneel down and dunk my head in it and get all the dust out.
I take a shower every afternoon and I really need to be clean to feel human. The Human Carcass Wash is a lot of fun, but only expect 1/3 of you to be clean. You figure the 1/3.

MyDearFriend · Post by **MyDearFriend** » Mon Feb 14, 2011 3:00 am

FIGJAM wrote:Have'nt tried it, just remembered it it from ALL the reading I did in these threads before going for the first time.

Washing someone in the classic Di Vinci pose seems like it would be easier than washing some one laying down.

Yeah, especially the nooks and crannies. And dust should be easier to dislodge than some of the caked on stuff I have had to scrub off of people!

Shambala wrote:The Human Carcass Wash is a lot of fun, but only expect 1/3 of you to be clean. You figure the 1/3.

Well since I'm pretty short

oh well I expect I'll enjoy having my back washed, anyway!

Dr. Pyro · Post by **Dr. Pyro** » Mon Feb 14, 2011 9:23 am

When I see these posts it certainly makes me feel fortunate to camp where I do. Nice shower, runs electrically so you can get clean, gray water disposal, and playa mud free. This year we will replace our loufah (yes, we really had one) which got blown away in Saturday's windstorm. Maybe you guys ought to try thinking outside of the box a little bit and try to actually see if you can get clean? OK, back to my hole now.

MyDearFriend · Post by **MyDearFriend** » Mon Feb 14, 2011 12:37 pm

Dr. Pyro wrote:When I see these posts it certainly makes me feel fortunate to camp where I do. Nice shower, runs electrically so you can get clean, gray water disposal, and playa mud free. This year we will replace our loufah (yes, we really had one) which got blown away in Saturday's windstorm. Maybe you guys ought to try thinking outside of the box a little bit and try to actually see if you can get clean? OK, back to my hole now.

Doc!

I intend to take full advantage of your nice shower at BDC

no matter how many interesting carcass wash adventures I have. Clean is good!

Lassen Forge · Post by **Lassen Forge** » Mon Feb 14, 2011 1:27 pm

Clean is easy - practice beforehand with a sunshower in the tub at home. I can do my bod & at least rinse out my hair with 3-5 quarts. If my hair is NASTY then I'll spend a little more and rinse my hair down. Still, start from the top, short bursts, doc bonners, and a bath scrub ball.

Now that our camp has a shower I tend to use a little more - maybe a gallon and a half - but it sure is nice to be CLEAN. Only thing I hate is that cold-cold evaporating wind... BRRR! (That breajks you of long showers FAST!)

Hair? OK, I oil it hard pre-event (warm olive oil and conditioner), and do a quick rinse with a DAB of conditioner and a hairbrush. The conditioner binds to and gets the dirt/glue out, the brush pulls the water thru the hair, and makes it possible to rinse with a water bottle. (Trick I learned from Red - thanks, hon!!!) NO SOAP as it dries the hair, turns it into a dustcatcher.

moonrise · Post by **moonrise** » Mon Feb 14, 2011 2:35 pm

Guys have it easier if we are willing to get a good short hair cut or a mohawk or whatever, gals--we appreciate all you do, really, we do!

I read cutting the hose shorter on the solar shower bags can often help, the hose binds if too short (I learned the hard way)

Dr Bronners, peppermint is a true treat for sure!

Thecatman · Post by **Thecatman** » Mon Feb 14, 2011 4:52 pm

I take four cases of distilled water, six gallons in each.
I stand in a plastic tub used for mixing concrete, and pour said water over myself, then soap myself down then a quick rinse. Use less then gallon each time.
Not as good as a nice shower at home, but, it works.
And the human carcass wash, which pretty much just cools a body down.
I gift a gallon to poly paradise each year.

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 7:27 am

Please to remember, part of the HCW is that you take a turn doing the washing.

MyDearFriend · Post by **MyDearFriend** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 8:09 am

C.f.M. wrote:Please to remember, part of the HCW is that you take a turn doing the washing.

Yes, oh YES! I can't really remember the first time I invaded anybody's privacy that way, but I know from teaching nursing students in the hospital that some folks really have trouble getting past the whole "Danger Square"* thing. This event sounds interesting on lots of different levels!

* One of the more amusing useless tidbits my kids brought home from school was this song: Stop! Don't touch me there! This is my Danger Square!

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 9:09 am

Danger Square? Back in my day, it was "swimsuit area."

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 9:10 am

C.f.M. wrote:Danger Square? Back in my day, it was "swimsuit area."

picnic table?

Simon of the Playa · Post by **Simon of the Playa** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 9:27 am

it usually only takes three or four cute sparkle ponies to lick me clean.

graidawg · Post by **graidawg** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 10:21 am

Simon of the Playa wrote:it usually only takes three or four cute sparkle ponies to lick me clean.

this is my favorite option so far!

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 10:59 am

graidawg wrote:
Simon of the Playa wrote:it usually only takes three or four cute sparkle ponies to lick me clean.
this is my favorite option so far!

I bet if you ask Simon real nice, he'll let ya help.

skibear · Post by **skibear** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 11:01 am

C.f.M. wrote:Please to remember, part of the HCW is that you take a turn doing the washing.

Yes, It is an participatory experience worth trying once. BM is all about
expanding your limits. You spray soap solutions on others then squeege
it off with your hands. Same with rinse water. Then you get done.

Something I'd probably never do in the real world, but part of the fun at Burningman.

They are open every day!

graidawg · Post by **graidawg** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 11:10 am

ygmir wrote:
graidawg wrote:
Simon of the Playa wrote:it usually only takes three or four cute sparkle ponies to lick me clean.
this is my favorite option so far!
I bet if you ask Simon real nice, he'll let ya help.

ya think? well. . . . . . . . . . it's not what i meant but simon is a good looking guy

Simon of the Playa · Post by **Simon of the Playa** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 11:10 am

skibear wrote:
C.f.M. wrote:Please to remember, part of the HCW is that you take a turn doing the washing.
Yes, It is an participatory experience worth trying once. BM is all about
expanding your limits. You spray soap solutions on others then squeege
it off with your hands. Same with rinse water. Then you get done.

Something I'd probably never do in the real world, but part of the fun at Burningman.

They are open every day!

skibear, that line has long since been blurred and i dont try to separate the two anymore.

Thecatman · Post by **Thecatman** » Sat Feb 26, 2011 8:56 pm

C.f.M. wrote:Please to remember, part of the HCW is that you take a turn doing the washing.

Most definately.

VeganChoirGirl · Post by **VeganChoirGirl** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 4:17 pm

C.f.M. wrote:I guess I'll have it all figured out by the end of the week.

A-ha ha ha ha...just in time to leave.

Death Guild has public showers, if you know where to look - and there's the DPW pool out by the trash fence. Location's announced closer to date of play.

Oh! And of COURSE you can run behind the water trucks! They just spray water heedlessly everywhere, start jogging now and you'll be clean all week.

I try to keep clean because sunscreen on playa dust, as opposed to skin, doesn't work as well and I am one fair-skinned cracker.

"WHY AM I BURNING STILL??? I have two bottles of sunscreen on!"

"Um, when was the last time you bathed?"

I feel you on the sunscreen. And staying clean.

Brxdfw · Post by **Brxdfw** » Thu Jun 02, 2011 11:44 am

[quote="MyDearFriend"][quote="FIGJAM"]How it work's.

[url]http://polyparadise.azcompuguy.com/hcw.htm[/url][/quote]

Thanks! Have you tried it? I have washed a lot of people in my career as a nurse but none of them were standing up. Seems to me, hmmm, could be interesting![/quote]

The HCW was my favorite activity last year, and you do come out cleaner than when you went in.

To really get clean, a 3-gallon camp shower bag worked for me.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Fri Jun 03, 2011 9:07 am

Dust bath.

How clean do you stay on the playa?

How do you keep clean on the playa?