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Doing Dishes


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#1 Cpt Davenport

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Posted 30 May 2023 - 02:34 PM

Just returning from a great 3 day trip, and boy did we go through our water. I calculated that around 13 gallons of it ran through the sink. It was a good eye opener for my wife who runs it hard when she is doing the dishes. My thought moving forward is to put an inch or two of HOT water in the sink for scrubbing. Then drain and fill with another couple inches for the rinse. Just wondering how others are doing it in an effort to conserve the liquid gold.

 

Also, please share any other general water saving tips you have!


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#2 ski3pin

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Posted 30 May 2023 - 03:59 PM

Just returning from a great 3 day trip, and boy did we go through our water. I calculated that around 13 gallons of it ran through the sink. It was a good eye opener for my wife who runs it hard when she is doing the dishes. My thought moving forward is to put an inch or two of HOT water in the sink for scrubbing. Then drain and fill with another couple inches for the rinse. Just wondering how others are doing it in an effort to conserve the liquid gold.

 

Also, please share any other general water saving tips you have!

 

We use a stainless steel bowl in the sink. Water is warmed on the stove to dish washing temperature. A drop of biodegradable soap goes in and minimal hot water is poured into the bowl. The dishes are washed. Wash water is discarded. The bowl is refilled with with hot water for rinsing. We use maybe a liter and a half for a big clean up, most times less. Should note, dishes are wiped clean prior to wash. The rinse water is saved in the bowl for pouring over hands for washing and cleaning sink after tooth brushing or other chores.


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#3 JaSAn

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Posted 30 May 2023 - 04:22 PM

Beagle prewash, then spritz with spray bottle containing bleach & water, wipe or sun dry.

Silverware goes in a Nalgene bottle with soapy water until next use, wiped or shaken dry.  Water changed when needed.

When necessary to wash, I use a small pot with about an inch of water; same procedure as Ski3pin.

Da beagle gets the plates clean, bleach to sanitize (unless you don't mind dog slobber).

 

We use a little more than a gallon of potable water per day for me and da beagle (hygiene extra, I will use non-potable water for cleanup when available).

I don't have a water tank in the Grandby; I use 1 and 5 gallon containers and carry up to 20 gallons at a time.


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#4 Cpt Davenport

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Posted 30 May 2023 - 05:31 PM

Thanks guys, that is right along the lines I'm thinking. We already wipe them clean first, now I just need to convince the admiral that "camping clean" is good enough. As our Hawk is relatively new to us, she just loves the hot, running water that magically appears! As we continue to enjoy longer stays on federal land, we are learning to adjust our habits and consumption of water and power.


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#5 Ronin

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Posted 30 May 2023 - 07:25 PM

We don't have a sink or water in our rig. We have a 20 litre Scepter Can with a ss spigot hanging on the back of our ATC and very seldom use all of it on a 5 day trip. Our main meals are pre-cooked and frozen to minimize cleanup ( stew, chili , spaghetti, breakfast burritos, etc.)  Like everyone else we wipe clean 1st, then just a drop of dish soap on a scrub brush and a quick rinse. Coffee cups and the Melitta are usually just rinsed. 

On a river trip on the Salmon the outfitter just had a dish pan with sanitizer for washing and another pan for rinsing. I like the Beagle method the best!!


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#6 craig333

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Posted 30 May 2023 - 08:59 PM

For most trips I won't fire up the water heater, just heat a bit of water in pan. I have a pre treatment that works well but may not be for everyone. The dog. Not much left to clean when he pre treats :)


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#7 Cpt Davenport

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Posted 30 May 2023 - 10:03 PM

For most trips I won't fire up the water heater, just heat a bit of water in pan. I have a pre treatment that works well but may not be for everyone. The dog. Not much left to clean when he pre treats :)


Haha! You guys are making me miss my dog. I use to do the same thing!
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#8 rubberlegs

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Posted 30 May 2023 - 10:28 PM

We carry dehydrated water in the form of paper towels. It takes a lot of water to make paper. We live in a former mill town and the water that the Scott plant used was tremendous. On our last trip, we lasted 7 days with 20 gal water, even with sponge baths and dishes, and might have lasted two more nights. Most of the water ended up getting drank. In a pinch I can wash the dishes with 2 cups of water and bathe with slightly less. The most vigorous washing is with the paper towel, but we also avoid greasy food most of the time, and I eat out of the pot.

 

But that kind of water rationing would drive many people crazy. My wife was looking the other way, ha ha! Dishes were spotless though -- I'm not gonna get away with them looking unclean!


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#9 Wandering Sagebrush

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Posted 30 May 2023 - 10:45 PM

<snip>
Also, please share any other general water saving tips you have!

Don’t use your water heater, water in a pan on the stove is our solution.


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#10 PaulT

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Posted 30 May 2023 - 11:15 PM

Don't use your water heater. Heat just what you need on your cooktop.

 

Or:

Buy a good large (60+ oz) vacuum bottle like a Yeti or a Nissan (Nissan seems to have been bought by Thermos).  My 60 oz Nissan will keep water hot for days.

 

Heat enough water to boiling to fill the vacuum bottle then use what you need to warm up your cold water as needed. This has been more frugal for us than heating yet another pot anytime warm/hot water is required.

 

Paul


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