Cleaning (myself) up after a ride and before work

[quietann]

So I moved the mare about 6 weeks ago and have discovered that I can go ride her before work 2 or 3 times a week and still get in enough hours at work. (I have a flexible schedule.) It’s been great, but now that the weather is warming up, I need to get clean without taking a shower. I have access to a half-bath at the barn, and work in a back office with several other women at a hospital, so I can’t be too grubby.

I’m already using dry shampoo on my hair, which I need to get cut shorter for better results, and baby wipes on the rest of me, but still have noticed a bit of a “barn smell” occasionally when I get to work. The barn is quiet, so I can use the half-bath for 10 minutes or so.

My grooming routine is normally very minimalist. I get clean, but don’t wear makeup and use little if any “product” in my hair, which is naturally curly. Dress at work is “business casual.”

Ideas?

[SmartAlex]

Body Spray. Something light but refreshing.
If you are completely changing your clothes and you are still getting the horse smell it is probably on your face.

My routine:
Wash face (or use face wipes)
Blow nose well to get all the horse dirt out
Wash Arms up past elbows
Re-deoderize.
Body spray on neck and arms.
Fluff the hair. I’m not keen on the smell of the dry shampoo I have. I prefer a defrizzer cream but it will depend on your hair style.

[MCF1991]

I am lucky enough to have a shower at my barn if I choose to ride early which is great because I really over sweat. For your situation, you could always wash your hair in the sink or the wash stall. I have definitely done this before. The smell may be coming from your hair even with the dry shampoo especially if you sweat. You could also go all out and just do a sponge type bath. I like the spritz idea from SmartAlex as well.

[atr]

In addition to these suggestions, get a helmet with washable liner–and wash it regularly.

[Midwest_girl_in_an_E]

Baby powder and dry shampoo! I cannot rave enough about dry shampoo! I just found a new brand last week, Not Your Mother’s??, that has no smell–it works pretty well. On same shopping trip I spied a no-talc or no-silica product too, but haven’t tried it yet.

[kashmere]

If you have the bathroom to yourself for 10 mins, I’d suggest a little sponge bath. It’s what I did when riding before work - some soap and warm water on your face, hands, neck, arms/underarms is a great way to refresh. Wipes aren’t bad, but a little scrub works wonders compared to it. I also kept my hair covered with a bandana under my helmet - helped to keep it a little fresher.

For the clothes I changed into - I kept them totally sealed up and with a (very lightly scented) dryer sheet so they didn’t have the chance to absorb barn smell.

I think it’s probably impossible to totally eradicate eau de barn, but that worked well enough.

[luvmyhackney]

Baby wipes for face and under the arm.
Dry shampoo for hair
baby cornstarch for body and feet
Fresh deodorant and a good body spray

Fresh clothes

Works great.

[tabula_rashah]

I’d take a washcloth and do a sponge bath with something like Dr Bonner’s Peppermint soap that smells good and clean without being perfume-y and re-apply deodorant. No suggestions on hair- mine’s below my butt long and kinda crazy but for some reason seems to suffer little ill-effects from being in my helmet. I’d nix the body spray idea if you are in an office with others (some people like me are super sensitive to those kinds of scents). Having a fan in the bathroom to help dry you off works wonders too- I hate trying to clean up and change while sweaty.

[Training_Cupid]

Great thread, my coworkers will appreciate these ideas (if I can remember/have time to put them in practice)!! I usually do a quick wash up (either in the sink or baby wipes) and change clothes. Dry shampoo if I get a little sweaty.

SmartAlex, I’ve definitely gotten to work and realized that though I washed my hands I’m still dirty above the wrist :o

[quietann]

Great ideas folks!

I do have to avoid anything really scented, not just because of hospital rules but because if it lingers until I get home, most of that stuff makes DH sneeze. And I get a rash from most dryer sheets.

Dr. Bronners soap is what we use normally, though, so that’s good. The half-bath only has a vent fan, but I bet no one would complain if I put a little desk fan in there…

I agree that the “barn smell” can just be from hands/arms not being clean enough!

[Doodlebug1]

Speaking from experience :eek::eek::eek: I think the smell may be transferring on your shoes. Keep your work shoes in the car, religiously. Never step near the barn in them. I used to do similar but it was very noticeable to me on days when I just wore my workshoes even for a moment near the barn that when they sat in a nice warm office the smell was very much more fragrant than it should be!

[McGurk]

A tip from my racehorse days - tie a bandanna around your head tightly, and tuck the point under the knot. Do this before you get out of the car and keep it on the entire time you’re at the barn. Absorbs the sweat from your head under your helmet, and keeps your hair from absorbing barn smells. Also keeps your helmet from getting too gross; though I still recommend wiping out your helmet with a baby wipe after you ride. Buy a pack of six or so bandannas, and wash the after each use.

[TWH_Girl]

Oh goodness! There isn’t enough body spray in the world that could get me to go to work after riding. I get so sweaty it’s crazy! Like wet, matted down hair sweaty :uhoh:. God love you if you can do this!!

[mkevent]

I used Dr. Teal’s Epsom salt body wash. You do not need to rinse after as you would with a soap. I carried a small 1 gallon sized thermos with lukewarm water and a washcloth. I took off all layers and used the body wash and washcloth dipped in the water. I used the thermos as a little wash basin and it worked out well ( it was a wide mouth thermos, so it was easy to dip the washcloth in). I did a complete full body wash with this. I toweled dry with a sport towel (takes up less space in the bag).

I carried a complete set of clean clothes (including underwear) and changed into them before work. I actually washed up inside my trailer when I boarded at the other farm and it worked out very well for me.

I agree with using separate barn shoes.

You can find the Dr. Teal’s at Wal-Mart and Target. The Epsom salt body wash doesn’t need to be rinsed off, some of the other varieties do, so you may need to read the label on back to be sure.

[Frog_Pond]

More votes for the tight bandana on your hair. And for scrubbing with Dr. Bronners up to the elbows. I find that my hands and forearms are pretty weathered, and that it’s actually harder to clean the barn smell off of my leathery, dry skin. So, using a good moisturizer on your hands and arms will help, too. And, for the record, I have been chasing down the elusive horsey smell at work problem for years. Still an occasional mystery :lol:

[amb]

Is “I need to get clean without taking a shower” because you don’t want to or because you don’t have one? FWIW, I’m with TWH Girl above in absolutely needing a shower, but at various times I have discovered two different showers at work, a friend and coworker in between barn and office who lets me stop off and shower (and get a ride to work!), and if all else fails there are the (really nice, actually, with big fluffy towels) pay showers at the truck stop. I’ve resorted to a wash stall a couple of times, too.

I don’t like actually showering at work, though, because I don’t really want to show up at the office in breeches (perhaps I’m weird) but if I swap them for other pants I really want a third pair to put on after showering, and that gets a bit ridiculous. I think they already think I’m weird, though, and people show up in biking outfits all the time, so maybe I should just get over the whole “wearing breeches to work” thing. (In the evening I’ve worn breeches to restaurants lots of times and never heard a thing about it.)

[quietann]

amb, no shower at the barn, and it would take 45 minutes to get back home to shower, and then I’d still have to get to work… Part of the commute involves the subway, and there is no way I’m wearing my horse gear on the subway!

No truck stops anywhere in the area… this is suburban and urban Boston we’re talking about.

But I do wish!

(I am “lucky” I guess in that I am heat sensitive enough that I’m not going to be doing much beyond riding at a walk if it’s over 85 or so.)

[quietann]

@TWH Girl

Oh goodness! There isn’t enough body spray in the world that could get me to go to work after riding. I get so sweaty it’s crazy! Like wet, matted down hair sweaty :uhoh:. God love you if you can do this!!

Oh I get it … but it’s this, or basically don’t ride much at all during the week. At another barn, I’d go after work, and never ended up doing much. And the after work commute to this barn would be hellish…

Part of the reason I need a haircut is that my hair is naturally curly, and will unflatten itself pretty well when it’s short.

[SharonA]

My biggest challenge is clean fingernails – I have to wear nail polish that covers the dirt under my nails. I don’t like wearing colorful nail polish, but, I can’t be meeting people and touching patients with “barn nails.”

[paintedpony]

Hospitals are required to provide shower facilities for employees.