Cleanliness is next to Godliness —John Wesley, 1778

The essential stuff:

  • Surgical face mask
  • Toilet paper (flattened half-roll)
  • Wet naps
  • 2-oz vial of peppermint Doctor Bronner’s Pure-Castile liquid soap
  • Pink salt
  • Coconut oil
  • Baking soda (and/or arrowroot powder)
  • Plastic bags
  • MMS
  • Thieves Oil

On a good day, I arrive at the airport sparkling clean. Nothing can spoil an adventure like feeling dirty, from sticky hands to a greasy face, so it’s imperative to climb the highest heights of travel hygiene. Whether you’re sitting on an airplane, enduring a long bus ride, overcoming jet-lag, or confronting a public toilet, all these things take their toll. Feeling fresh is a must.

Furthermore, with the publicity of the Coronavirus (a.k.a. “COVID-19”), there is a rising interest in healthy travel.

It all comes down to a few essential items, a little know-how, and a well-designed hygiene ritual. For starters, I arrive at the airport with my nails and beard neatly trimmed. I’ve spent too much vacation time and money purchasing scissors (or nail-clippers) abroad —only to discard them later in the airport garbage bin on the way back. The same is true for “man-scaping” and shaving the armpits, as this article will elaborate.

In my travel bag is a roll of toilet paper. To reduce space, I bring a half-used roll and take out the cardboard roll —so it’s easy to flatten. This item is only for an emergency, so I shove it at the bottom of my bag and forget about it. My bag also has a little bit of pink salt, baking soda, and a small vial of coconut oil. The vial of oil is screwed tight, and kept in a plastic sandwich bag (so it won’t spill it as a result of the airplane air pressure).

Depending on my travel destination, my pre-trip ritual may include a quick detox. This can be a simple salt-water flush (or something more thorough) —though I’ll never on the same travel day. No one should worry about “disaster pants” on an airplane!

Keeping clean is an art. When one is traveling, it’s a science. Let’s dive in.

Airplane Etiquette

As soon as I strap on my seatbelt and dive into my headphones, I strap on a surgical mask. Though it’s laughable in my home country, wearing a surgical mask is common in Asia—and even expected for those with an infectious cold. With the threat of the Coronavirus, many non-Asians are taking up the pastime (click here to see yours truly being interviewed on television about wearing a mask: https://globalnews.ca/video/6447951/yvr-taking-new-measures-as-virus-spreads-to-u-s). The best type of mask is called “N-95”, but anything is better than nothing.

In places with heavy air pollution (like Beijing or parts of Thailand), wearing a mask will make an incredible difference in terms of how you feel. Similarly,on an airplane, where hundreds of people share the same air (including belches and kinds of odors), wearing a mask is a no-brainer. In the worst case scenario, someone will think you’re a surgeon. Besides, if it was good enough for Michael Jackson, it’s good enough for everyone else.

To take it a step further, you can put a few drops of essential oil on the inside of your mask. Some oils, such as peppermint or lavender, are neither disinfectants nor anti-bacterial so instead, use tea tree oil or eucalyptus oil. One particular blend called “Thieves oil” was famously used during the Black Plague in Europe. Looters would douse their rags with it and hold it over their mouths as they stole items from the infected corpses: hence “thieves” oil. 

In addition to a surgical mask, my carry-on airport bag also has a portable pack of wet naps. It’s not just for babies. It’s amazing how many opportunities there are to use wet naps: from wiping your hands, utensils, or that little airplane table (I also use them to clean hotel TV/AC remote-controls).

Let’s Talk Toilets

Before leaving the subject of wet-naps, let’s talk toilets. As mentioned earlier, bring your own toilet paper. At least a half-roll. Like fire insurance, you hopefully will never use it —but the stakes are too high to gamble. In many countries, public restrooms don’t even provide tissue, so with that knowledge, take control of your destiny.

On the other hand, in places like Japan, toilets often have an array of fancy buttons indicating “special” features, including a blowdryer, heated seat, and so on. Other toilets are equipped with a hand-held spray gun —a “bum-gun” if you will. If you get accustomed to such fancy toilets, using toilet paper will feel like a thing from the Stone Age. Only wet-naps compare to space-age toilets.

You may also come across a “squat toilet”. Such toilets are intimidating for most westerners, especially those who can’t squat. My best advice (either than practicing your squat beforehand!) is to, at least, be aware that the “flush-lever” is often a string hanging from the ceiling. That might spare you some panic.

Soap for all Seasons

Whether you’re on an airplane, Airbnb, or at your hotel, it’s wise to have your own soap. Rather than carrying several different types of soaps, however, I carry a small (2 oz.) vial of Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile liquid soap —specifically, the “peppermint” kind for reasons below.

Firstly, the 2 oz. vial is small enough to pass airport security. Secondly, Dr. Bronner’s soap is not just for hand-washing, but also a body soap and shampoo (the peppermint has a fun “sting” to it). You can also use it as a laundry detergent and to clean dishes and utensils. 

If that weren’t enough, you can also put a few drops of the peppermint soap on your toothbrush as toothpaste. Remember when your mother threatened to wash your mouth out with soap? It’s not actually that bad.

Another toothpaste alternate is to brush with salt. I tend to carry pink salt, as it’s also beneficial to add to drinking water. Word of caution: brush lightly and don’t brush with salt everyday or it can harm your enamel. You can also brush with (aluminum-free) baking soda to freshen your breath and whiten your smile!

Stinky Armpits

Let’s begin this discussion with a fun-fact: those with a Korean, Japanese, or (Han) Chinese genetic heritage often lack the enzyme responsible for smelly armpits. In other words, a lot of Asians don’t have underarm body odor. Lucky them. For the rest of us, stinky armpits can be damn near lethal.

Full disclosure: I’m an individual with lethal armpits. I’m also someone who tries to avoid the brand name antiperspirants and “pit-stick” products (because of their heavy-metals). My journey to odorless armpits, therefore, has been long and fraught with mistakes. I’ve given up on those “hippie” crystal pit-sticks and patchouli-smelling products. Though I often buy Tom’s of Maine deodorant, I’ve taken extra measures.

Firstly, armpit hair must be shaved. The vast majority of bacteria (which produce the odor) live on the hair, where sweat collects. Keeping your armpits as bald as Mr. Clean is the easiest, cheapest way to minimize odor.

Secondly, applying some coconut oil is also an effective way to deodorize —but don’t use too much or it might stain your shirts. To that end, making your own home-made deodorant is easy and inexpensive. All you need to do is combine equal parts of coconut oil (the “carrier”), with aluminum-free baking soda (the deodorizer), and Arrowroot powder (the antiperspirants). Arrowroot powder is most often found in health food stores in the baking ingredient section. With the money you’d spend on a single “pit-stick”, including Tom’s of Maine, you could whip up an year supply of homemade deodorant for pennies on the dollar. Take it from me, this homemade recipe outcompetes all other commercial pit-sticks.

Mouthwash

In addition to DIY deodorant, coconut oil can also freshen your breath through an Ayurvedic practice called “oil pulling”. Basically, oil-pulling is a way to clean your gums, tongue, and mouth by violently swishing a tablespoon of coconut oil for ten minutes or more. Though many scientists poo-poo the idea that the oil extracts toxins from mouth tissue, firs thand experience will convince you that it certainly makes your mouth feel good. Besides, coconut oil has many scientifically proven health benefits.

Towel

I also carry around a small towel, which are handy if you’re staying in hostels or an Airbnb, which may not provide one. Having a towel is also useful at the airport, if you’d like to have a shave or even a “cowboy shower” in the restroom.

Sunscreen

For the fair-skinned, sunscreen is sometimes essential. Depending on location, however, it may be difficult to find on the supermarket shelves. Particularly in tourist traps, the prices can be costly. However, if you’ve already been using coconut oil for your armpits (or mouthwash), it’s also useful in mitigating (and medicating) a sunburn.

The Controversial: MMS (Miracle Mineral Solution)

This is a controversial item, which Health Canada specifically condemns but I believe it to be incredibly valuable —if used correctly, It’s called the Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS) which, admittedly, doesn’t help its dubious reputation. In any case, MMS is created through the combination of two liquid compounds (sodium chlorite solution and an acid). When added together, a chemical reaction occurs (in the form of a bleach gaseous cloud) which allegedly disinfects everything within its vicinity: the air, table surfaces, fabrics, upholstery, etc. Many people add the combined mixture to (distilled) water and drink it, in what is known as the MMS Protocol (detox). Unfortunately, some individuals incorrectly drank the mixture directly without distilled water, which landed them in the hospital. With those incidents in mind, as well as the brazen attitude of its inventor/discoverer making medical claims that it cures AIDS and Ebola, Health Canada has understandably issue condemnations.

If you decide to use MMS, I strongly urge you to do your own research. I took an entire weekend course just to learn how to do it properly —and safely. In my opinion, the proper use of MMS is an extraordinary asset to have in preventing (or combating) any bugs or viruses you might interact with on your travels. You can, for instance, disinfect your entire hotel room with 4-6 drops. Check it out!

All of that said, if you feel like you might be catching a cold, instead of the MMS Protocol, you could also just eat garlic. On the extreme, try eating raw garlic, by neutralizing its flavor with an apple: one garlic clove in a mouthful of apple. Done at night, you’ll always certainly wake up feeling better!

In Closing

As mentioned in our Travel Fears article, the goal is to have a good time —and not obsess about health (or safety). That said, being a germaphobe can be a fun game. For instance, I love always bringing plastic bags with me, to quarantine my clean laundry from the dirty (or wet swimwear, etc.), as well as available containers for garbage or leftover food. All of these little hacks, such as bringing your own utensils, not only ensures that I’m improving my state of cleanliness, but my comfort. International travel doesn’t need to include “roughing it”.

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