What do you use to clean your cookware when you are out camping and have limited water supply?

Question

What do you use to clean your cookware when you are out camping and have limited water supply?

Answer 1

To clean the black off the base/outside rub cookware in grass and it will come off. Take an old green scourer to rub the inside of any utensils. Other than that use your common sense for what is around you....that's the exciting thing about camping in the wild...:-)

Answer 2

Pine cones make a good scouring pad. Put some water in the pots and pans and put them on the fire to heat the water. Then  dump the water out, use the pine cones to scrape the insides if necessary, then rinse with water on the fire.  

Answer 3

Water you bring with you shouldn't be an issue if you are using aluminum cookware. dip some water from a lake or stream, sit it on the fire to boil.  You don't have to worry about germs or parasites if you let the water do a rolling boil for at least a full minute.  This helps break loose the food too.  Some mentioned pine cones - excellent, pine needles - good, just break a handful in half, and hold them tightly to make a brush.  Use sticks to break the crud off, then scrub the fine stuff with dry, sandy soil.  When your dirt or pine needle brush gets clogged, grab a fresh handful.  Wash the dirt out like normal using the hot water with some soap.  Dig a small hole away from camp, to dump your dishwater into. This helps keep critters from being attracted to your camp.  Make sure the hole is away from aforementioned lake or stream... Soap pollutes too.  There are numerous tips you can find to help with the cleanup. Like use aluminum foil anytime you can, and smear your pots on the outside with soap before cooking. This keeps the soot on the outside from sticking so bad when using a campfire.

Answer 4

Very small amount of soap and water. You can scrap the food off and use Germ-X to sanitize.

Answer 5

I have two big water containers that I got from Walmart. They have a spicket on them so you can use it as a faucet. I fill one with kitchen water and leave the other empty.

I bring 2 small plastic dish tubs and a small bottle of dish soap.

Use the water and one dish tub to wash and one dish tub to rinse. Pour the dirty "Gray" water in the empty water container. Take that home with you and dispose.

It's a bad idea to dump your gray water at your campsite. It attracts bugs and the soap is harmful to animals who may snack off any crumbs.

Many state park campgrounds have facilities for dumping your gray water. You can dump it and rinse your container before you head home.

Answer 6

I carry bottles of water with me so I can clean my dishes out.  If you are near a lake or river you could clean it there also.  In my opinion the best thing for camping is cast iron because all you have to do is wipe it out and it is fine.  With cast iron you are actually supposed to leave a little oil in the bottom.  It makes your food taste better.

Answer 7

For information on backpacking skills, etc. I recoomend reading Backpacker (BP) magazine (the general authority on backpacking).

BP suggests using wet sand (if available) AND if you are using cookware WITHOUT Teflon or other special coatings.  These special surfaces cannot be cleaned with ANY abraisive surface.  It's recommended to stir your grub with wood or plastic spoons too (not metal as they scratch the coatings).

Odd, but works, is crushed pine cones and pine needles (as suggested).

Remember to throughly dry your cookware before using them to ensure any nasties are gone (dead).  Utensils (if not plastic) should be ran over heat for a few seconds to sterilize them.

Have fun camping!

Answer 8

Pretty much you add some water to the left-overs, heat it up, stir it around, cleaning the pot, and drink it. Anything stuck to the inside could be scraped out with a stick. I wouldn't bother cleaning the outside too much.

Think, you really want to rub pine cones and grass and sand inside the pot you're planning to eat from tomorrow?

Answer 9

I see this question a lot and I also see folks washing in the creek or at there camp site after the pack in water from the creek or lake depending on where we are. I don't waste my time. The only thing I have to wash is the coffee pot.When I go camping I go camping. I might have a more up to date way of sleeping but I don't go camping so I or any one else can spend time cleaning. Sausage for most meals taste great steak can be cooked with little effort and no pot/pan Fish too all you need are plastic utensil's aluminum foil exstendible forks[quick clean up]  Hot dogs,small breakfeast sausages,cans of beans,veggies,soup,etc,etc,etc. Can be cooked in the can and eaten the same way serve in coffee cups or paper bowls then burn in fire why make it so compicated  . you say the husband/kids want dishes good let them clean up.Some thing I take for extra all differant types of bread. you want to wash dishes enjoy, me! I'm going for a hike. seeee yaaaaaa.

Answer 10

On our aluminum pots and utensils, we use dry sand.  Fill the pots about 1/4 full and swirl it around with your hands, it will clean the cooking residue off and absorb moisture.  Dump the pans out, and when they're dry, brush them out with your hands.

Answer 11

I bought a little dish pan at the surplus store it is plastic and it fold up . when I use it I just add my hot water and some lysol  and soap and I do the dishes. Easy easy.