How To Wash Dishes When Camping

When you’re at home, washing the dishes is so easy. You simply put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher, fill it, add some soap, lock the door, and press some buttons. The dishwasher will do the washing, rinsing, and drying. But when you plan on an outdoor excursion, one of the many questions of first-timers would be – how to wash dishes when camping.

There are two main things to keep in mind when washing dishes – clean dishes and being eco-friendly. After washing your dishes, they must be clean enough for the next use and, at the same time, you must have minimal impact on the environment.

As a side note, bringing disposable plates, spoons forks, and plastic cups may lessen your need to wash anything around camp but greatly increase your possible impact on the environment, and you have to take a ton of garbage back home too.

Though it may sound complicated, washing the dishes while at camp is really quite simple, it’s just that you need to consider some things, such as where you throw your dirty dishwater. To start off, bring the need washing equipment with you. Make sure you include them in your checklist and that you’ve packed them in.

Washing Equipment List: No-Sink Needed

In some campgrounds, there’ll be no designated areas for washing those dirty dishes, pans and pots. You have to assign your very own washing area. Set up your washing area at least 100 feet from your tent area. The list below includes all the basic washing equipment you need in a no-sink washing setup.

1. Three dishpans
2. Biodegradable dish soap
3. Paper towels
4. A dishcloth/sponge for the dishes, steelwool for the pans and pots
5. Tongs
6. A cap of bleach or sanitizing agent (optional)
7. Hot and cold water

How to Wash Dishes When Camping: Back to the Basics

1. After cooking your meal, put two or three pots of water to boil.
2. After a good hearty meal, wipe the plates, cups, and cutleries with paper towels. Put the paper towels on the fire ring for burning. Wiping your plates will keep food particles out of your washtub.
3. Prepare the three wash tubs. You can name then tub 1, 2, and 3 and fill then up halfway with water.
4. Tub 1 will be your wash tub. Put a few drops of your biodegradable dish soap and add hot water to warm it up. Tub 2 is the rinsing tub and only has plain water in it, but you fill it up with about a third of cool water and two-thirds hot water. Tub 3 is for sanitation or sterilization. Some campers use sterilization tablets, others put a few drops of bleach (1 teaspoon of bleach to 2 gallons of water), while others use pure boiling hot water.  You will need tongs to pull the dishes out of the tub.
5. The washing process is very simple.
   1. Use a paper towel to wipe the plates thoroughly of any food residue.
   2. Start with the cleanest dishes first such as cups and cutleries and leaving the dirtiest ones for last, including the pans and pots.
   3. Put the dishes in Tub 1 and wash them in the soapy, lukewarm water.
   4. Put them in Tub 2 and rinse off the soap.
   5. Then, remove the dishes from Tub 2 to Tub 3. Do this carefully though, you don’t want hot water splashing on yourself.
   6. You can let the dishes stay for a few minutes in Tub 3 and go back to Tub 1 to wash more dirty dishes. Use the tongs to get the dishes out of Tub 3.
   7. Spread some paper towels and let them dry upside down. You can also air-dry them using nylon bags.

Dispose of Dirty Water Properly

Now, you’ve taken care of the dirty dishes and there are all sitting there, sparkling clean and waiting to dry. It’s time to throw your dirty water – properly. Here’s a good way to do it:

1. First, dump the water in Tub 1 some 200 feet or so away from your camp site and the nearest water source. You can also dig a hole and pour it in.
2. Pour the water from Tub 2 to Tub 1 and throw it the way you threw water from Tub 1.
3. Next, pour the water from the last tub (Tub 3) to Tub 2 to Tub 1. Go ahead and throw it the same way you did with the other tubs.
4. Turn over the tubs to dry and you’re done.

Knowing how to wash dishes when camping is one way to be a responsible camper. Throwing the dirty water after washing the dishes properly is very important. You have to make as little impact to the environment as you can. It’s the only legacy you can give your children.