View Full Version : Dish/Pot Clean Up
What do you use for clean up after cooking a meal? We are used to Mtn. House meals for backpacking. No dish clean up. Too expensive. Want to change to Pasta/Meat, Potato/Meat type meals in one pot. What type of wash system do you use for multiple day hikes? Do you hang it with your bear bag to keep yogi and friends from getting it? Thanks for your help?
FourG- save yourself a lot of headaches and look at Freezer Bag Cooking (FBC) methods- no clean up. I haven't washed a pot in years!
Montana Mac
03-14-2011, 21:25
I did a lot of Freezer Bag Cooking (FBC) - next to none for cleanup. When I did use th pot and needed to clean it I boiled water in it to sterilize it. The boiling would wash out any food particles
johnnyblisters
03-14-2011, 21:32
Stir in some water and chug it down. LNT, son.
I'd rather eat another mini meal (albeit cold and kinda gross) than waste a heavy freezer bag.
Stir in some water and chug it down. LNT, son.
I'd rather eat another mini meal (albeit cold and kinda gross) than waste a heavy freezer bag.
+1 on this.
Model-T, Author of "Walking on the Happy Side of Misery" and "Walking with the Ghost Wisperers" talks about brushing his teeth, spitting into his pot, rinsing it around, and then drinking that so as not to waste water! He apparently did this his entire first thru hike. He's hiked the trail 4 times now. Not sure if he continued this the other times or not.
johnnyblisters
03-14-2011, 21:37
+1 on this.
Model-T, Author of "Walking on the Happy Side of Misery" and "Walking with the Ghost Wisperers" talks about brushing his teeth, spitting into his pot, rinsing it around, and then drinking that so as not to waste water! He apparently did this his entire first thru hike. He's hiked the trail 4 times now. Not sure if he continued this the other times or not.
Oh boy. No thanks!!!:eek:
vamelungeon
03-14-2011, 21:44
+1 on this.
Model-T, Author of "Walking on the Happy Side of Misery" and "Walking with the Ghost Wisperers" talks about brushing his teeth, spitting into his pot, rinsing it around, and then drinking that so as not to waste water! He apparently did this his entire first thru hike. He's hiked the trail 4 times now. Not sure if he continued this the other times or not.
:eek:
I'll pass.
FourG- save yourself a lot of headaches and look at Freezer Bag Cooking (FBC) methods- no clean up. I haven't washed a pot in years!
Thanks for the reply DripDry. I have had eggs in a bag and grits in a bag. I have pretty much settled on a cold breakfast with hot coffee, pb&j on flat bread or jerky and cheese for lunch. But I really enjoy a hot supper. Do you have any recommended web sites or recipes? Thanks, 4G.
+1 on this.
Model-T, Author of "Walking on the Happy Side of Misery" and "Walking with the Ghost Wisperers" talks about brushing his teeth, spitting into his pot, rinsing it around, and then drinking that so as not to waste water! He apparently did this his entire first thru hike. He's hiked the trail 4 times now. Not sure if he continued this the other times or not.
I believe I would walk quite a few miles back to the spring before resorting to such.
FourG- first stop is Sarah's site at http://www.trailcooking.com/. I also like www.backpackingchef.com (http://www.backpackingchef.com) (I have to make most of my own food- I am gluten-free). Seriously- dehydrate your own, and go FCB. You won't look back.
Make your own meals and your tummy will luv you!
Feral Bill
03-14-2011, 23:43
If you don't cook food to the bottoms it's easy to clean up with hot water alone. Add a scrubby if you like.
For hikes up to four days I usually just add a little water after dinner and scrape the inside of the pot with my spoon. Then I drink the water (not bad once you get used to it). If I have hot chocolate or coffee in a cup I will use the water for that. As mentioned above, each time you boil water it sterilizes the pot. The only problem is that if you miss scraping the sides down the remaining food will burn onto the pot.
For my Hundred Mile Wilderness hike I borrowed a small piece of stainless steel pot scrubber and used that from time to time.
For nonstick pots you can use a piece of onion bag or a nylon pot scrubber.
XCskiNYC
03-15-2011, 00:12
A small nylon scrunge (pot scrubber). Dr. Bronners if necessary. Oatmeal is a pain to get off pot, cup, spoon, even the scrunge itself. A synthetic camp towel can be handy so you can get your pot and cup dry before putting them away. Then twist the towel dry and hang it from the outside of your pack so it can get dry itself.
Trailweaver
03-15-2011, 03:19
If I've fried something I use a paper towel to just wipe out the grease. Then I use Dr. Bonner's and hot water to wash, then rinse. I like clean dishes and don't want to worry about getting sick on the trail. Take a small plastic scrubby thing and some soap and wash your dishes well away from the creek. It's really not that difficult.
royalusa
03-15-2011, 08:44
One guy we hiked with just grabbed a bunch of leaves, rubbed them inside the pot and the pot was deemed "clean". I know, not exactly LNT but it was an interesting approach.
The only problem is that if you miss scraping the sides down the remaining food will burn onto the pot.
I've heard of folks carrying nylon or latex scrapers that look like just the business end of a spatula.
Oatmeal is a pain to get off pot, cup, spoon, even the scrunge itself.
+1 for FBC! Pour your boiling water into the baggy of oatmeal, put it in a cozy, wait the requisite time, eat out of the bag, put used baggy in with rest of your trash. Lick spork clean and hit the trail.
Cookerhiker
03-15-2011, 10:10
While eating I boil more water, use some for hot chocolate or tea, and wash the pot with the rest using biodegradable soap. Occasionally use a leaf as a scrubber but usually my fingers.
Montana Mac
03-15-2011, 10:11
I did a lot of Freezer Bag Cooking (FBC) - next to none for cleanup. When I did use th pot and needed to clean it I boiled water in it to sterilize it. The boiling would wash out any food particles and give an "after dinner" drink.
That is what the post was supposed to have said. I had hit the submit button instead of the preview button before I finished this post - then there isn't an edit button available
Cookerhiker
03-15-2011, 10:15
...- then there isn't an edit button available
You can edit: here's how (http://www.whiteblaze.net/index.php?page=donating_member).
I do the rinse and drink method. I don't like making so much trash for convenience sake. Plus rinsing and drinking the water helps me stay hydrated.
I have found that if you use your pot as a pee pot in the middle of the night, burnt on food comes off very easily. Pee is sterile and can easily be washed away in the morning.
Sickmont
03-15-2011, 11:45
+1 on this.
Model-T, Author of "Walking on the Happy Side of Misery" and "Walking with the Ghost Wisperers" talks about brushing his teeth, spitting into his pot, rinsing it around, and then drinking that so as not to waste water! He apparently did this his entire first thru hike. He's hiked the trail 4 times now. Not sure if he continued this the other times or not.
Hey if it came out of my mouth once it aint gonna hurt going back in a second or third time.
Sickmont
03-15-2011, 11:47
I've heard of folks carrying nylon or latex scrapers that look like just the business end of a spatula.
Those are bondo spreaders, available at any auto parts store. Handy buggers too.
Monkeywrench
03-15-2011, 14:34
I just use my fingers and a bit of warm water.
Meal preparation starts by boiling water, so I figured any residual contamination from the prior meal would be sterilized by the boiling water. I guess it worked, as I never got as much as an upset stomach on my thru-hike.
Monkeywrench
03-15-2011, 14:36
I do the rinse and drink method. I don't like making so much trash for convenience sake. Plus rinsing and drinking the water helps me stay hydrated.
I have found that if you use your pot as a pee pot in the middle of the night, burnt on food comes off very easily. Pee is sterile and can easily be washed away in the morning.
Pee is sterile when it comes out of your body, but my understanding is that it is a great medium for growing bacteria thereafter.
johnnyblisters
03-15-2011, 18:16
I have found that if you use your pot as a pee pot in the middle of the night, burnt on food comes off very easily. Pee is sterile and can easily be washed away in the morning.
Again, no thanks!
I do the rinse and drink method. I don't like making so much trash for convenience sake. Plus rinsing and drinking the water helps me stay hydrated.
I have found that if you use your pot as a pee pot in the middle of the night, burnt on food comes off very easily. Pee is sterile and can easily be washed away in the morning.
:eek: WOW. I never considered myself a germaphobe until now. LOL. Guess it goes back to my food service days many moons ago. You know, Wash-Rinse-Sanitize. Watched a video of bacteria growing on surfaces that were not sterilized. Remember it well 30 years later.
Many campouts with scouts using the three pan method for dish clean up. Seen full meals floating in the wash pan. :confused: But hey, nobody died!
Thanks for all the feedback guys.
4G
You can wash the urine out in the morning after it's gotten the baked on stuff off. I'm sure it's much more sanitary than smearing a bacteria-laden sponge all over your pot.
I use a small piece of nylon net, much lighter than a scrubbing pad. It weighs nothing and has multiple uses. It dries quickly. If you need more scrubbing power than the net can provide, mix with dirt or sand which will take off almost anything. Walmart or any fabric stores sells this and it is very cheap.
Happy Trails.
wvgrinder
03-16-2011, 16:09
:eek: WOW. I never considered myself a germaphobe until now. LOL. Guess it goes back to my food service days many moons ago. You know, Wash-Rinse-Sanitize. Watched a video of bacteria growing on surfaces that were not sterilized. Remember it well 30 years later.
Many campouts with scouts using the three pan method for dish clean up. Seen full meals floating in the wash pan. :confused: But hey, nobody died!
Thanks for all the feedback guys.
4G
Ask her about the pine cones. ;)
Mountain Mike
03-24-2011, 22:55
I use a small plastic scrapper to get every last calorie. Rinse with a little water & drink. Since I always boil for next meal it steralizes. I stay away from scrubbing sponges as they breed bacteria on trail. On a layover in Mojave on PCT motel room was getting ripe. Stench was tracked down to scrubbing sponge.
What do you use for clean up after cooking a meal? We are used to Mtn. House meals for backpacking. No dish clean up. Too expensive. Want to change to Pasta/Meat, Potato/Meat type meals in one pot. What type of wash system do you use for multiple day hikes? Do you hang it with your bear bag to keep yogi and friends from getting it? Thanks for your help?
I use 5" paper plates. I start my wood fire with the dirty one the next day.:cool:
ShelterLeopard
03-25-2011, 11:28
I carried one of those little green scrubby things (kind of like a brilo pad), and cut it to about a quarter of the size. I also had one of the little bottles of blue campsuds. After any meal I'd clean it as well as I could with my spoon (and eat), then use the wet but not soapy brilo pad which would get the pot almost completely clean, then use my wet bandana, with a tiny drop of soap for the final clean. (If I was feeling ambitious. Often I'd just wipe it out and skip the bandana/soap stage and clean it for real when I got to a town. :D )
use sand/dirt and hands to scrub with if needed, wipe out with bandanna
Derek81pci
04-10-2011, 01:24
Using your food cup for a pi**er at night reminds me of back when I was still in the Marine Corps. Instead of walking 20 feet to the head at night, they would just pee in their canteens. You always knew quickly when someone forgot they pee'd in it the night before and took a big swig in the morning... I laughed, a lot. It's like using your spork as toilet paper... Not gonna happen on my hike. All that planning and money invested on a hike to end up in the hospital for something silly (and embarassing) would not be good. But, HYOH I guess.:banana
mweinstone
04-10-2011, 01:29
What do you use for clean up after cooking a meal? We are used to Mtn. House meals for backpacking. No dish clean up. Too expensive. Want to change to Pasta/Meat, Potato/Meat type meals in one pot. What type of wash system do you use for multiple day hikes? Do you hang it with your bear bag to keep yogi and friends from getting it? Thanks for your help?
add enough extra water to make all foods soupy. wipe with finger. then small tissue.no water or soap needed. food stays hotter longer with more water and is larger volume and is better and clean up is easy. my macs and cheese taste fine and i need no water to clean up if i want.
Tipi Walter
04-10-2011, 01:37
A small nylon scrunge (pot scrubber). Dr. Bronners if necessary. Oatmeal is a pain to get off pot, cup, spoon, even the scrunge itself. A synthetic camp towel can be handy so you can get your pot and cup dry before putting them away. Then twist the towel dry and hang it from the outside of your pack so it can get dry itself.
For a real pain, try frying eggs in a titanium pot.
...
mweinstone
04-10-2011, 08:16
palmolive is comming out with urolive dishsoap for hikers. its urine and olive oil for soft hands.
A six-inch square of nylon mosquito netting weighs next to nothing, takes up no space, rinses clean and lasts.
Furlough
04-10-2011, 09:20
I know with the name brand oatmeal packets you can pour your water right in and hold with a cozy or bandana and eat it straight from the package. For evening meals use the same pot and boil up enough water for evening coffee. Scrape any residue left over from dinner from the sides and bottom so you have floaters, add your coffee and drink up.
88BlueGT
04-13-2011, 11:44
I've heard of folks carrying nylon or latex scrapers that look like just the business end of a spatula.
I have one of these made by GSI and it works very well. I did however stop carrying it to shed an oz's or two. BUT it does do the job, only really works if you use a shorter, wider pot setup. If you can't get your hand inside your pot with a few inches to turn your wrist there is no point in considering it.
Buffalo Skipper
04-13-2011, 11:51
I know with the name brand oatmeal packets you can pour your water right in and hold with a cozy or bandana and eat it straight from the package. For evening meals use the same pot and boil up enough water for evening coffee. Scrape any residue left over from dinner from the sides and bottom so you have floaters, add your coffee and drink up.
I eat oatmeal for breakfast every morning. I add walnuts and raisins. Yum, yum! I really like the Great Value (Wally World brand) Apples & Cinnamon. They just changed their packaging to a very thin paper with no significant lining. You can no longer add water directly to the package. I have also bought Quaker, and they are also using this minimal packaging. Both feel something like thin brown wrapping paper.
hikingshoes
04-13-2011, 12:01
I do the rinse and drink method. I don't like making so much trash for convenience sake. Plus rinsing and drinking the water helps me stay hydrated.
I have found that if you use your pot as a pee pot in the middle of the night, burnt on food comes off very easily. Pee is sterile and can easily be washed away in the morning.
:eek: Oh, my this doesn't sound to good. Pee in the pot im going to cook/boil with...I don't think so. LOL, but each to there own and HYOH.HS
mad4scrapping
04-13-2011, 13:32
palmolive is comming out with urolive dishsoap for hikers. its urine and olive oil for soft hands.
LOL!!!
Good one, Matty
English Stu
06-18-2011, 05:56
I spoon as clean as I can and then use sand or something if needed. Although the FBcooking looks fine, light and no cleaning, isn't trashing a bag after every meal wasteful.
Rocket Jones
06-18-2011, 08:57
I spoon as clean as I can and then use sand or something if needed. Although the FBcooking looks fine, light and no cleaning, isn't trashing a bag after every meal wasteful.
You can re-use freezer bags a couple of times. Three is about the limit I go before I quit trusting them.
ssforcey
07-22-2011, 10:19
I think I just puked a little bit.
+1 on this.
Model-T, Author of "Walking on the Happy Side of Misery" and "Walking with the Ghost Wisperers" talks about brushing his teeth, spitting into his pot, rinsing it around, and then drinking that so as not to waste water! He apparently did this his entire first thru hike. He's hiked the trail 4 times now. Not sure if he continued this the other times or not.
Nutbrown
07-22-2011, 15:15
I take a mountain house meal for the 1st, then re use the pouch for the rest of my cook meals. Eat it all, and the bits that are left can be flavoring for the next meal!
Magic finger! The next thing happening in my cookpot is water coming to a boil. This will take care of any potential bacteria.
+1 on this.
Model-T, Author of "Walking on the Happy Side of Misery" and "Walking with the Ghost Wisperers" talks about brushing his teeth, spitting into his pot, rinsing it around, and then drinking that so as not to waste water! He apparently did this his entire first thru hike. He's hiked the trail 4 times now. Not sure if he continued this the other times or not.
That is the most ridiculous, disgusting thing I ever heard!
Blissful
07-26-2011, 11:21
I used my handy dandy lexan spork to dislodge with a bit of water, then a bit of tissue to wipe it out and pack away