Washing Dishes

[mamabear]

Just taking a poll here. How do you wash or clean your dishes, pots and pans when you are out camping? Some take dish soap along and boil water. Other's wash with sand in the stream. What's your routine?

[CozInCowtown]

Boil some water and Dawn dish detergent.

[bsmit212]

I use sponges that are pre-soaked in dish soap and wash in a sea-to-summit kitchen sink so I don't contaminate the water source and then dump it outside of camp area.

[carmen]

Boil all the way. I never use a sponge, even at home. I hate the idea that nasty things can get stuck in them. We love Dawn in this house too so that goes on the trip along with a few scrubbers just in case we have to battle something stuck on.

[EmberMike]

I use pine camp soap. Organic, non-toxic, bio-degradable, Ph balanced, no harmful residue, generally friendly to the environment.

Most camping stores carry environmentally-friendly dish soaps.

[Hikenhunter]

Dawn here, but very sparingly, and boiling water. When we car camp. When I backpack I use Coughlins Camp soap, and boiling water. Even though this is supposed to be environmentally friendly I still use it sparingly and far away from any water source.

[Reed]

Since I don't take stuff from my kitchen when I hike or camp, all my utensils and such were bought from an army surplus store, I just boil everything. I don't bother with soap.

[frank6160]

dish detergent, rinse, boil water and rinse again.

[ppine]

Please do not wash dishes in lakes and streams. Biodegradable soap is fine on the ground but not in the water.

[Gondor]

I use organic soap for cleaning up but I usually eat food that is not greasy so my dishes are easily cleaned with water only. One benefit of eating healthy foods.