A recently resurrected thread posed this important question - "How many American people really know how to properly wash dishes clean when camping in the field with no hot water, no soap, no sponges"?

First of all, it is very common to have hot water (also good for tea and coffee), soap (in small container) and sponges (also small), so basic sanitation can be followed, basically just as at home.

A few changes do make it easier, and (clean)water is often not abundant. One pot meals rock! Minimize the number of items that must be cleaned...

We have often given each person their own set of plates and utensils for their exclusive use and cleanup. This helps retard the spread of germs.

Sunlight is a great disinfectant for lots of germs. Use it.

Pay particular attention to latrine sanitation. According to studies, improper hand washing after using the loo is a principal source of infection in the back country.

Hand sanitizers are great in this respect, convenient for hand washing. Those that I have used have 62-70% alcohol content and make fine stove fuel/accelerant as well'

i have followed these procedures for groups on field projects for up to two weeks at a time with no problems. just make sure everyone understands the necessity.

In your responses to this thread, please keep it clean....
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Geezer in Chief