Kitchen cleanup

[Game Warden]

Any tips on washing pots, bowls, spoons, etc.? I use Camp Suds, hot water, fingers, and a bandanna, but never seems clean enough. 

[toejam]

My favorite method is sand on the bottom of a creek and a bandana. You may not think that's clean enough either.

Maybe try dishwashing soap instead of Camp Suds. Just be careful to keep it out of water sources.

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

I usually eat a cold breakfast (coffee excluded) and lunch and am only cooking once a day for dinner, where most of the time I'll use a freezer bag or am eating a pre-packaged meal / using a pre-packaged meal as a base and use that bag...thus a pot and possibly a cup if taken is only used for boiling water and coffee the next morning so things automatically stay pretty clean. 

But when I do cook in the pot I usually can get things clean enough just by making sure the food doesn't burn, and a quick clean up after the meal with a little water (hot if needed) and a spoon seems to do the job. Luckily if you're still concerned when the next meal rolls around these items are pretty easy to sanitize when you're most likely already boiling some water and with a hot flame.

[jay]

Like Aaron, I am a fan of packaged meals also, I prefer MREs for myself whenever possible.  As far as cleanup for cook pans, boiling water in a pan with stuck material will usually work to dislodge it, if not, put some coals in the pot and let them cook down. They will burn the stuck material up. 

Sand and water will work, also, for lighter cleaning, in my experience.  The only difference I might suggest is a small hand whisk, although a bandanna is a much more versatile thing to have with you.

[saltcreektrail]

Simple and efficient use of time, fuel, rehydration and water (and eliminate soap):

• Boil water in pot and add to food in bowl inside a cozy. (rehydrating food rather than cooking over-the-flame means less fuel use & less stuff sticking to pot/bowl)
• Use warm water and fingers to clean bowl and spoon
• Drink that stuff down! 
• Rinse once more and drink it down again

Edited July 18, 2017 by saltcreektrail

[lookinatlinux]

I agree with Saltcreektrail - freezer bag cooking is really easy to clean up - no pots to clean.  Sometimes (rarely anymore) I go the other route and cook in the pot - complicated meals leaning toward gourmet - camp suds or a little Dr. Bonner's with a sponge (that has a scour pad on one side) seems to do the trick.  I cut one of the sponges and only bring half - more than enough surface area to get things clean, very light & I rarely ever have to use the scour pad side...

[Game Warden]

Thanks for the good tips. I guess if I'm boiling water in my pot twice a day, that will kill any bacteria I missed. I always felt guilty using sand & fingers, but feel reassured if that works for other people. Ditto drinking down the "clean-up soup." However,  I prefer eating out a bowl instead of a bag or MRE pouch; I did enough of that with the Army and enjoy a touch of civilization now. 

[lookinatlinux]

Hi Game Warden - I didn't mention it, but I do eat out of a bowl (I have eaten out of bags, but don't love it).  I boil water in the pot, cook in the bag, eat in a bowl.  I use the Fozzil "pack flat" bowls: https://www.amazon.com/Fozzils-516117-Bowls-Pack-Blue/dp/B01C6HBOWC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500502964&sr=8-2&keywords=fozzils

VERY easy to clean, very light...

[toejam]

Foldable bowls are great and cleanup well with creek sand.

I never could bring myself to drink the dishwater.

[jay]

I'm with you toejam.