The Dish Washing Thread

[SAR_Squid79]

Right before I left for Afghanistan, my wife and I went out on a solo 4 1/2 day backcountry trip out in the Anza Borrego desert. This was the longest trip I've been on with my wife. I think we cooked a total of 7 meals that required washing dishes. Also, in an effort to minimize trash this was the 1st trip where we used no disposable plates, bowls, forks, knives, etc. I was AMAZED at how much water was consumed through washing dishes. By the last day, we thought we were going to have to tap into out drinking water to finish washing the dishes. Washing the dishes is also our most dreaded chore when camping.

SO - what are the tricks of the trade to quickly and efficiently wash the dishes without severely depleting your water supply?

 

[Connie]

I have lots of tricks for reducing water consumption.

First we carry tortillas, you can use them to wipe out pots, plates, bowls etc. and have a little more food. Second, use a paper towel to wipe stuff out before washing, start with the least yucky stuff first. Third, I sometimes do a "prewash" with a very small amount (about a cup) of warm water and soap, this will get most of the yuck out so that the second wash water isn't disgusting. Fourth, don't put all of the dishes in the washing tub at once because you will have to have a lot of water to reach down to it, start with the glasses and the least dirty stuff and work your way through to the chorizo pan. Last, if the water isn't yucky and you haven't used more soap than necessary, you really don't need to rinse, just dry the stuff off. I think that warm water really helps get stuff clean (and it is more pleasant to work with). Over all, I use about 1 liter of water per dinner for washing, and quite a bit less for breakfast and lunch.

Sometimes we put a tub under the spout when we wash our hands and that is the water I use for my "prewash".

 

[Desert Dan]

When car camping I try to bar b q dinners and also have a teflon frying pan which makes clean up easy. I use paper plates and paper towels which get burned in the camp fire.

If I was back packing and water was scarce I might go with freeze dried food where you can just add hot water and can eat out of the package.

 

[adventureduo]

We don't use disposable anything. Just the same aluminum cups, plates and silverware on every trip. We usually try and wipe everything immediately just like Connie mentioned. This usually cuts down the water we use at the end. Also, we usually use a portable sink tub and only fill it 1/4 high so that we have enough water to submerge one plate, but not waste water by filling the entire sink. If we eat a sandwich or anything by hand.. we don't use a plate. If we have chips/trail mix etc, we eat out of the bag. I use the same cup for coffee as i do, for wine, milk, rum and coke, water and so on. A big advantage to cleaning pots and pans would be hot water. You can clean up a dirty pan much quicker than cold water in my opinion. The other thing is trying to use only what you need with cooking. We have one large skillet type pan that i can cook many things on. We also have a bundle of small camp pots, but if i use them i try to use one only. Like a pasta dish with sauce.. cook the pasta and cook the sauce last in with the pasta. I know it's not as good, but there's not a second pot to clean at the end. Just little things here and there.

 

[ttora4runner]

When I did a four day trip to colorado and utah last year I pre-made alot of my meals to avoid having to take pots and pans. I used the same cup for water, milk and hot chocolate as stated above. I did use disposal plates/paper towels that I could burn if I needed to but I would normally just eat my meals out of the pot that I cleaned them in.

If I used the pot/cup/utinsels I wold heat the water up in the pot clean the cup and utinsel (ya, I can't spell that)then clean the pot.

 

[discodisco]

Dishes and water consumpition has always been a problem for my family and I, it wasn't until I got into long backpacking trips that I learned a couple of tricks. Buy a 2 dollar back packing food scraper... it looks like a spatula blade... and it pre scrapes everything and is then easy to clean off. Tortilla idea is the most common thing we use. Works for every for each person to use to keep their personal plate clean. As far as prepacked food. We bought a food saver vacuum bags. We put most of our side dishes, or kids meals such as mac'n'cheese or chili in them. These bags can then be boiled in water to cook your food. Then use the water got nice and hot to clean any other dishes you have to cook the main dishes or pasta. Another tip is to coat the bottom of your pots with a very very thin layer of dish soap before cooking. It makes it easy to just wipe off the black soot from the fire. This helps when stacking dishes toghether for storage.

 

[X_Trippin]

When car camping I usually bbq everything. If it can't be bbqed than it goes into an iron skillet. With the iron skillet I usually just dump the grease out then wipe it down with a paper towel and call it good. We do use paper or plastic products for our dishes, but like at home recyclables get separated out and everything that comes out with me, goes home with me, and sometimes more since I tend to pick up trash along the trail.

 

[Connie]

Buy a 2 dollar back packing food scraper... it looks like a spatula blade... and it pre scrapes everything and is then easy to clean off.

Absolutely! I forgot to mention that. Those are awesome (though mine is from Pampered Chef), you can get most cooked on food off with those things.

 

[DiploStrat]

Dog.

Dog does the "rinse and hold" cycle - he rinses, I hold. (Canine saliva is antiseptic.) Makes washing much easier. Seriously.

Except where critters are a real problem, we kept the dinner stuff on the roof and washed everything in the morning with the hot water made for coffee, etc.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Use all of the tricks above to get the bulk of the stuff off, then wipe with a damp cloth hot water is better. To wash I use a sponge. Get it damp then add a squirt of biodegradable soap. Wipe down each item, then wipe off the soap with a wet cloth.

 

[matt s]

all of the above including the dog trick. But yeah they get washed after the dog does her thing.

The big one is to minimize the number of dishes used. I have one mug for everything I drink, and I use it for oatmeal in the morning as well. A little rinse and I am happy to use again.

Plates can be minimized by again having only one. I use a wide bowl, works either as a plate or bowl. wipe it out, quick rinse and it's good till the next meal.

Cookware is tougher, but the vacuum pack meals for messy soups and sauces sure helps out. If I can manage it the only thing cooked in a pot or pan is water. Meats I prefer grilled anyway.

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

This is what I use to wash dishes. I mainly use it to Rinse! They hold 2.34 Gallons. They have a push button spigot that helps you save water. And best of all!.....they are free! After you wash your clothes of course!.....hehe. Depending on how long I am out on the trails.....I can bring a few more containers, I have extras!

Before washing, I fill a small bowl with soapy water for my cleaning sponge. I wash with the sponge.

Then I Rinse with the controlled spigot (see Red Button!), so as not to waste too much water. The rinsing is the part that wastes the most water.

I just want to add, that using paper plates and cups is not all that bad. You can use them to start your campfire the following night! Then you don't have to carry as much water. Water is weight and space in your rig!

 

[Nadir_E]

Great suggestions, everyone - I particularly like the laundry-soap bottle re-use idea, too.

Before I got my Engel, I would use the ice-melt from my ice chest as my dish-washing water since it was basically "extra" water.

Recently bought one of those collapsible wash basins - will see how well it works on my next trip.:smiley_drive:

 

[Currie]

Dry sand works, with a wipe with a "Dettol surface wipe" afterwards.

Plenty of dry sand in the White Desert.....

 

[SAR_Squid79]

Dry sand works, with a wipe with a "Dettol surface wipe" afterwards.

Plenty of dry sand in the White Desert.....

Son of a . . . :Wow1:

THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!! Instead of posting a link to the brand new, top of the line, $1200 ARB Expedition Dish Washer System - you came up with DIRT! AWESOME! This is the most sensible solution I've never heard of. The only problem I see with the sand method is if you're in an area where coyotes, mountain lions, etc. are a concern...

...although I don't suppose it's much different that when your dish water runoff ends up on the ground...