Washing Dishes In Camp or On A Boat

OK, so what's so special about washing dishes in camp or on a boat?  After all, we all have plenty of experience washing dishes at home.   And even if we're used to having automatic dishwashers, there are still times when we've all had to resort to washing dishes by hand, so what's the big deal?  Of course, for many of us, the best way of cleaning dishes in camp is to simply toss the paper plates into the campfire.  But even when we use paper plates there are usually some other, non-disposable dishes (or pots and pans) used in preparing the meal that have to be washed.

If you're camping in an RV there is usually a tendency to wash dishes the same way we do at home.   RVs have a similar sink (though noticeably smaller) and (hopefully) plenty of hot water.  But doing things the same way in your RV or camper wastes water, fills holding tanks more quickly, uses more propane to heat water, and sometimes introduces garbage into the gray water tanks that cause odors or even blockages when dumping.  One way to avoid these problems is to use disposable (paper or styrene) dishes.  Then doing dishes is mostly as easy as tossing them into the campfire or the trash can.   But you usually can't cook in paper or styrene and when you do use real dishes, there are things you can to do mitigate potential problems.  First, clean your pots and pans and your dishes as quickly as possible when you're done using them, before food has chance to dry and "bake" on. Dump some water in them before they cool completely.  Then use paper towels or crumpled newspaper to wipe off the dishes instead of pre-rinsing them.   If you really must pre-rinse, don't run water from your faucet to do it. Use a dishpan or an empty gallon jug to collect water while you're waiting for the shower to get hot and save that for pre-rinsing dishes.   Dumping some of the saved shower water into pots and pans while they're still hot and letting them sit while you eat can make them a LOT easier to clean. Then use a good quality concentrated dish soap.   It will cut grease faster and better than the cheap stuff and the smaller bottle will take up less room in your RV or camp kit.  Organize your dishes before you start washing.   Do the things that require the least cleaning first.   For me that is usually cups and glasses, then silverware.   Bowls and plates are next and pots and pans last.  Pots and pans will be much easier to clean if you dump some of your saved pre-rinse water in them while they're still hot, as soon as you're done cooking in them.  That instantly begins to loosen sticky, stubborn material and it will continue to soften as it sits while you eat. (Yes, that is worth repeating!).  For your final rinse, fill a dishpan or the second sink and dip items in it rather than rinsing under running water.  Rinsing under running water wastes lots and lots of hot water!  These techniques will reduce water usage, minimize filling of holding tanks, and nearly eliminate accumulation of food residue in your plumbing and holding tanks.  Some RVs are now equipped with dishwashers, usually a drawer style under the kitchen sink.    Pre-clean dishes by wiping as described above and follow the manufacturers recommendations for detergent and rinse products.

Doing dishes while tent camping can be a tedious task.   First of all, unless you're in a campground that has a dish washing sink available for your use, you'll have to do everything in one or two dishpans right at your site.  You'll need to plan ahead and have a pot of water heating while you're eating so you have hot water ready when its time to clean up.  You can do dishes in cold water, but the results may not be as sanitary as you would like and it will take more soap and more elbow grease.  Washing dishes in cold water may leave a greasy or soapy residue on your cookware and dinnerware.  That is definitely NOT a good thing!  A fellow scoutmaster once quipped he didn't worry too much about the boys getting their dishes clean because it "solved the constipation  problem".   I suppose you could consider diarrhea as a solution to constipation, but not necessarily one you want to encourage.  I strongly suggest is is well worth the time and effort to heat up some water for doing dishes.  You might put an extra pan of water on the campfire or on an unused burner while you're preparing dinner.   If that doesn't work out for you, take minute or two to fill a pan and put it on the stove so it can be heating while you're eating.  From there, many of the suggestions given above for RVers will be helpful to tent campers as well.  Wipe off the dishes, put things in a logical order so you can do the ones that need the least cleaning first, use a good quality soap and remember to start pre-soaking pots and pans as soon as you finish using them.  Once you're done, you'll have to dispose of the dishwater.  There should be a designated dump location or you can dump it down the drain if there is community sink.  Lacking either of those options (when you're boondocking for instance), dump it somewhere away from camp sites, trails and roads and at least 200 feet from any lake, pond, spring, well, or stream.  Dump the soapy water first, then use the rinse water to rinse out the soapy dishpan as you dump it.  Always dry your dishes and put them away right away.   Sometimes it may be tempting to leave dishes out to air dry instead of drying them and putting them away.   I don't recommend it.   Leaving them out leaves them exposed to insects and vermin that might carry dangerous germs.   Chipmunks and squirrels are cute running around camp, but I wouldn't want them walking on  or licking my dishes! They are not very careful where they walk so you never know what they might be tracking.   And when it comes to flies, well, we all know what they've been walking on and we definitely don't want THAT on our dishes!  Not even tiny little fly footprints of it.  Not only is it unappetizing, it may contain e.coli bacteria, which can make you very sick.  Some campgrounds have community sinks where you can do your dishes.  Be sure to clean the sinks with detergent or an antibacterial household cleaner before and after use.  Don't pre-rinse your dirty dishes at the shared faucets.  That makes a mess that everyone has to deal with.  Pre-clean them at your site as previously described.

Hot water usually does a better job of cleaning than cold water, but in some situations you may have to resort to washing your dishes in cold water.   You might find yourself in an area with fire restrictions where you can't have a campfire to heat your water and if you don't have an approved stove you're out of luck.  You might have to use a little more detergent when using cold water, but you should still be able to get your dishes clean.  Any greasy or soapy residue left on your dishes, silverware, or pots and pans, could lead to stomach distress and what is commonly known as 'the runs' so make sure they are thoroughly cleaned and well rinsed before you dry them and put them away.  A scoutmaster I once knew said he never worried about making sure the boys got their dishes clean because it "solved the constipation problem in camp".   Not sure what planet he's been camping on but from what I've seen, the more common problems when camping are just the opposite of constipation!   By the way, be sure to buy a good quality, concentrated dish soap.  It will take up less space in your RV cupboard or camp bins and will work better than the cheap, watered down stuff. You want something with good grease cutting power.

Washing dishes on a boat usually has its own unique foibles.  For one thing, you may have to deal with movement.  Many small recreational boats don't have hot water systems so you will have to heat the water in a pan.  Try to use pot restraints to keep the pan from spilling if wind waves or a wake from a passing boat rocks yours.  The galley sinks on many small boats drain directly out into the water so avoid putting anything down the drain that might stain or damage the finish on the hull or contaminate the water, especially if you are in a fresh water lake or river that may be a drinking water source.

 
In a survival situation where you don't have any detergent, you can use ashes from you fire to scour your dirty dishes, especially pots and pans.  Really stubborn deposits might require rubbing with a little fine sand.  BTW, ashes mixed with cooking grease will create a kind of soap itself, so you can get things pretty clean that way.  You can make real soap from ashes and cooking grease or animal fat but it is time consuming.  Basically you start by leeching lye out of wood ashes, then mix the lye with animal fat.

Portable sinks can be useful in camp.   But since they don't usually have a supply of hot water, you still have to heat your water on the campfire or camp stove.  I have found portable sinks really handy for washing your hands and face or brushing your teeth, but not for doing dishes.   Simple dishpans are a better size and shape for washing dishes.  The cheap plastic ones from the dollar store will do the job, but heavier, better quality rubber versions will last longer and be less likely to crack in transit or in the middle of the job.

Dove brand dish has recently been advertising a spray and wipe product that might be useful in camp.  My wife has been using her own version for years.  She simply mixes dish soap with about an equal amount of water in a spray bottle.  It is an easy way to clean a few dishes without wasting a lot of water or time.

Doing dishes in camp doesn't have to be an onerous task.   If you plan ahead, get organized, and use the right tools and techniques, it will go quickly and you'll enjoy clean dishes and avoid the 'runs' that sometimes result from poorly cleaned pots, pans, and dishes.

Portable hot water systems can provide convenient hot water for tent campers (or RVs and boats that don't have water heaters) for dishes, showers, etc.  They are a little pricey -- somewhere north of $100 but you may find them well worth the cost if your budget can handle it.  However, you can heat water for doing dishes in any pan or pot right on your camp stove or campfire.  A portable hot water system will also let you have hot showers, so it might be worth the investment.  Another way to get hot water in camp is using a "sun shower", a black plastic bag you fill with water and leave in the sun to get heated.  Proper hygiene is essential for good health as well as comfort and presentability.

Wash up!