The Messy Side of Adventure (and How I Clean It Up Without Fuss)

You can’t avoid it, adventure gets dirty. Climbing, camping, paddling, or even just driving out to a rocky coast for the day, you’re bound to come home with a little extra dirt in tow. And I adore every moment of it, but walking into your house with a carload of sand, dripping gear, saltwater-sticky welts, and shoes that smell like they’ve been buried in a bog? Nobody really talks about that part.

I used to shove everything into a corner of the garage and promise I’d handle it “later.” Spoiler: later never came. The mud would dry, the salt would corrode, and the smell of damp gear would eventually take over the entire trunk. These days, I follow a no-fuss routine that keeps my stuff in good condition, and somehow makes post-trip cleanup almost satisfying.

Start With The Car

The first thing I tackled was the car. It’s usually the messiest, especially after coastal drives or desert trails. I keep a tattered blanket in the back to cover the seats and a hand vac close by. Before anything enters the house, I shake out the sand, tidy up the crumbs, and wipe down the main touch points with a damp microfiber cloth.

If I’ve been near the sea or driving through salt-covered roads, I rinse off the exterior and wheels quickly. Rust doesn’t wait around. A simple spray nozzle helps, but when there’s buildup, I reach for this salt remover spray. It lives in the garage and saves my car from long-term damage after salty adventures.

Gear Comes Next

Shoes, backpacks, foldable chairs, coolers, whatever made the trip gets laid out in the sun. Letting things air out is always step one. I give the shoes a good shake, brush off dried mud, and wipe down anything that can’t go into the washing machine. A pro tip is that making a mix of warm water and vinegar works magic on smelly gear. Soak, rinse, dry. Done.

Laundry, But With A Brainy Spin

I’ve made the mistake of throwing muddy clothes straight into the washer. Never again. These days, I soak off the worst of it in a bucket beforehand. It only takes a few minutes and saves the machine from clogging or redistributing grime. For tech fabrics and outerwear, I use a gentle detergent made for performance gear. It keeps the waterproofing intact and prevents that weird stiffness you sometimes get after drying.

One Rule Of Storage To Live By

If it’s not dry, it doesn’t get stored. I learned the hard way when a musty smell took over my gear shelf. Now, I leave everything out for an extra day just to be safe. Mesh bags help things breathe, and clear storage bins keep everything visible, so I’m not digging through smelly socks to find a headlamp at the last minute.

The Payoff

I’ve come to appreciate that cleaning up after a trip is part of the whole experience. It’s the quiet moment between adventures where you check your gear, reset a little, and get ready for whatever’s next. And when everything is clean, sorted, and waiting by the door, that spontaneous weekend getaway suddenly feels a lot more doable. Because the only thing worse than a dirty trail is digging through mildewed gear in the back of the closet.

So yes, adventure gets messy. But a few simple habits make cleanup a whole lot easier.

Featured