Vinegar/Water Wash For Body Parts... ?

[Meat Hunter]

With regards to using vinegar to neutralize the alkaline dust on ones hands and feet, what would be the ratio of vinegar to water, i.e. How many fluid ounces of vinegar to one gallon of water?

[Elliot]

Perhaps somebody has a number for us, but I always just "splash a bit of" vinegar in the basin. In other words, don't panic if we don't get a scientific answer.

[TT120]

I don't think it's that critical. I just pour some in to a spray bottle and fill it up with water. I've also used straight vinegar and it works fine.

[GreyCoyote]

The amount of alkali you are trying to neutralize is very small. It doesnt take much vinegar at all.- a couple of capfuls in a quart of water is generally plenty. Use more if you want to smell like a salad.

Note that IF you are a chemistry buff there are far better choices than vinegar, but vinegar works well enough and is generally pretty safe. And seriously, nobody will be doing a sniff test on you after Greeters anyway.

[Lonesomebri]

How many croutons should I add to the mix?

Don't forget the olive oil after the vinegar.

I put a splash of vinegar in a squirt bottle with water, mark the bottle, and use that. I also have a can of aerosol olive oil to spray down my hands and feet after cleaning.

[theCryptofishist]

And how long should the flesh marinate? Overnight?

[TT120]

And how long should the flesh marinate? Overnight?

A week!

[Cassidy9]

Alright, you salad geeks... How about the ratio for Witch Hazel to H2O?? I'm mixing some up tonite for a test, using my "scientific" "splash" (i.e. a capful or two) per quart/liter ratio I used for vinegar+H2O in previous years. I heard WH smells less. Good for me, since I'm a carnivore. I'll be using it to clean off one of my totes covered in 2012 dust...

[AntiM]

Tucks butt pads are 50% WH.

[Cassidy9]

Ok, I sprayed the tote inside & out, no rinsing. I used about two Tbsp WH in about 30oz H2O. I sprayed it in a fine mist that rinsed downward as I applied more. It smelled a bit while it was wet, like something I can't describe. I used the whole bottle & only a very thin film was left after it dried. Anyway, one paper towel cleaned the film off both inside & out, so much so that it is something I'm comfortable putting my clean undergarments in. I can't even detect a smell after it dried. Not sure how this would translate to skin, but it seems to work pretty good getting the dust off plastic. I, personally, have only used vinegar/water mix as a nightly rinse for my skin, since I'm sensitive to just about everything. This year I'll try the WH mix on everything but my face. I have (pre-tested) super-gentle baby wipes for the "sensitive" areas. Hope this was helpful in some way.

[FossaFerox]

I do lemon juice 1:3 with water for my spray bottle. Works great and smells a lot nicer.

[Oldguy]

My barber uses BayRum which has WH in it. Ahhh, that fresh haircut aroma, smells like Victory.

[kpsf1964]

We used about 1 part white vinegar to 1 part aloe to about 4 parts water.

It had a strong initial pong to it but that evaporated almost as quickly as the liquid, and everyone in camp swore by it. Other than some bloody cuticles from working without gloves on and off for the first day, my hands and feet weathered this Burn better than any previously. The spray, used liberally and frequently, worked wonders.

[trilobyte]

Vinegar/water body washing seems like both a hassle and wasteful. I recommend just doing the playa foot salad method. You'll need a basin (dishwashing tub works great), washcloth, bottle of vinegar and bottle of olive oil. Soak the wash cloth in vinegar and then use it to wash your hands and feet. Once that's done, pour some olive oil into your hands and massage it into your hands and feet. The vinegar neutralizes the dust in the areas that need it, and the olive oil then counters the vinegar, acts as a moisturizer, and feels really good. If you've got some other part that feels a the sting of too much playa, a little vinegar in a washcloth will neutralize it.

Those looking for an even deeper de-playafication ritual... eat a pickle. The juice and brine are acidic, and will sweat out your pores a few hours later - neutralizing the dust and making you feel refreshed. For bonus points, pickles are a great source of electrolytes.

[elKay]

I will never forget when, on the first day of my first burn, my hands were cracked and stinging from setting up camp. I poured lemon juice on them (over a bowl) and was amazed that it felt soothing like it was milk. Smelled way better than vinegar too.

[RedHeaven]

I must be missing black rock city if Im daydreaming of spraying dust off my feet with a vinegar mister while eating pickles....

[TT120]

I must be missing black rock city if Im daydreaming of spraying dust off my feet with a vinegar mister while eating pickles....

Wrapped in bacon.....

[RedHeaven]

Those skin tight rubbery garden gloves are a must out there for setting up and avoiding playa hand! Sometimes i keep them on!!

[RedHeaven]

I must be missing black rock city if Im daydreaming of spraying dust off my feet with a vinegar mister while eating pickles....

Wrapped in bacon.....

while listening to FREEBIRD and TURN DOWN FOR WUT....

[Ratty]

I learned a new trick this year from Abba Zabba. She put some vinegar concoction in a 2 or 2½ gal zip-lock bag. After washing she puts her feet in the bag. (One at a time). She used that bag of vinegar all week. When I saw how quick and easy that was, I poured my vinegar in a bag too. Actually I double bagged it. Here in the default world it sounds needless. On the playa, simple solutions are King.

[Meat Hunter]

Thanks to the advice y'all gave me, my feet and hands left the Playa in as good of a condition as they were when they arrived.

I filled a small plastic basin with a water/vinegar solution at the beginning and washed my feet and hands twice a day. It was rather nice to slide into my sleeping bag with clean feet.

No shrimp growing on me......

[AntiM]

Having the handwash station was fabulous, but I had to warn one campmate about overwashing her hands without moisturizing afterwards. Even if your hands are clean, the dryness can get at them.