RE: do dishes outside?

[cooncreekers]

 
ya know, as long as i`ve been hanging around here, i`ve never heard of anyone doing what we do- which is wash dishes outside. we have the metal roll-up table located just underneath the outside shower. we have added a longer hose, and along with the 2 plastic dishtubs left over from tent camping days, and a wire dish drainer, we think it works much better for us anyway than trying to balance the dishes on virtually NO counter space. also, i admit to being a very messy washer, i sling water everywhere! this is so nice to not worry about getting water on the floor, my bed, or the tenting. am i the only one?

[SheBantam]

 cooncreekers
When we camped with the Jayco we never hooked up to water (bad experience with ou first used camper, hose to sink had broken and a previous owner did not dry it out properly and wood frame rotted, our first and only trip out with that popup was cut short when it came apart in the middle of the night), we used the hose and did all of our dishes outside.
 
 If we go to a SP that does not have individual water hookups, we again will wash outside, fill up our plastic dishpan.

[ForestCreature]

 cooncreekers
Leigh anne you re not the only one. We do our dishes outside also. So much easier than trying not to make a mess inside. Heck I don t cook inside, why should  the dishes be done inside.
 If its  only silverware that needs cleaning it does get done inside, but thats about it.

[CampinCrazy]

 cooncreekers
Ya ll use washable dishes and silverware?!!  After dinner I try to keep clean up to opening the trash can and tossing the paper products!
 I do agree that outside works best for the few items we use that we don t toss.

[MtnCamper]

 cooncreekers
So, What do you do with the dreaded " Gray Water" ?

[tlhdoc]

 cooncreekers
The dish water is considered " black"  water in some states.

[ForestCreature]

 cooncreekers
psssttttttt.......MtnCamper......if you don t use soap the water dosen t turn gray[]

[MtnCamper]

 ForestCreature

 

ORIGINAL:  ForestCreature
 
 psssttttttt.......MtnCamper......if you don t use soap the water dosen t turn gray[]
 

So it just turns Grey?

[Gone-Camping]

 cooncreekers
One of the reasons I bought the trailer, was so that I d have a sink, hot water, and drainage into a gray water tank or sewer hook-up. I cook outside, but clean up with the sink. I got two out of three, as this particular trailer doesn t have hot water. If the Hybrid I m trying to by doesn t happen, then this trailer will have hot water, before next month!!!

[MtnCamper]

 cooncreekers
Cliff, I m one of the strange ones also, I even cook inside, and wash dishes there.
 And don t tell anyone, but I ve had bears outside the camper while doing this![]

[ShirleyT]

 cooncreekers
I don t do dishes while camping. Cousin Malinda does all the dishes. We try to help her but she says we get in the way. So cousin Sharon clear the table (throw paper plates and such away) and tend to the campfire. We have the luxury of a porch/room where dishes are done. For the cabin I have two dishpans where I can do dishes if the need ever arises.

[campalot]

 cooncreekers
We have a Starcraft Starflyer, 1993, which has a sink/stove arrangement that slides like a drawer, useable either inside or outside.  It was only made for a short time.  My wife loves it.  I have hooked up a faucet for running water, since the pump works slowly.   For hot water, we use a 36-cup coffee pot that projects over the sink (no children with us).  For gray water, we use a collapsable 5-gallon plastic jug made for the purpose that is connected to the trailer s drain (same one inside or outside).
 
 Also, I built a kitchen box that holds the routinely used items.  It stands on its own legs and provides a counter top.  It may be used inside, but normally is outside in the add-a-room.
 
 Cooking and washing outside means no grease on the canvas, no odors clinging to upholstery, no water splash marks, and no humidity inside the trailer.
 
 Being outside gives us a real sense of camping (we go inside if it is blowing rain or too cold).   We eat outside, too, at the trailer s table that we set up near the sink/stove.  Very convenient.  Of course, we camp in July and August when the temperatures are pleasant.
 
 We can do things inside at home.  We go camping for the enjoyment of the open spaces and air.  So, we do the kitchen chores outside.
 
 
 
 

[Walliscott]

 cooncreekers
My wife does the dishes inside.  The annoying part was waiting for the water to heat so I just bought her a new pop-up with hot water.

[4campinfoxes]

 cooncreekers
We almost always do dishes outside.  I d rather keep the mess out there - we also have a couple of dishtubs and a wire rack.  There just isn t enough room in the camper to do the dishes in my opinion.  I ll have to think about the idea of having the table near the outside shower, it sounds interesting.
 
 Happy Camping!
 
 Sharon

[Camping Coxes]

 cooncreekers
We have always done the dishes outside.  The old camper had a pump style sink, no WH, and even with a pressure regulator, it splashed the water so bad  when using hookups that I had mold spots behind the drapes.  We set up a table next to the outside stove and use it to prepare food and do the dishes.  We use two dishpans and a folding dish drainer made for RVs.  We use mostly paper plates, but there are cooking utensils, pans and coffee cups to wash.
 
 Our new trailer has a regular sink with a WH, but since we haven t taken it out yet, I can t say what we ll do.  If I have a few spoons, I ll probably use the sink.  If it s a lot, I ll probably use the outside method.  I have a tea kettle and it heats water very rapidly.  I fill one tub with warm to hot water and another I set the washed dishes in.  Then I pour clean warm water over them, one at a time, and hand them to DH to dry.  It works for us.  Like someone already said, when I m camping, I want to be outdoors.  
 
 As for the gray water problem, one thing you all need to remember is to protect our outdoors!  It makes me crazy when I go to the water faucet and find soap bubbles from Dawn, Joy, etc., foaming all over the place.  Get Campsuds, made for camping.  It doesn t foam up, won t harm the environment and if there s any residue on your dishes, it won t make you sick.  After I wash, I find a secluded bush to water.  And there s never floating food in the water, because I scrape the pans off well with a paper towel first.  This way your gray water isn t killing any plants or animals.  
 
 While I m on my soapbox -- don t wash your dishes in the CG bathroom!  I stayed at a National Park known for bears, and some lamebrain woman was in the bathroom every morning and every evening washing her Revereware pans in the  bathroom sinks, leaving scrambled eggs, spaghetti and who-knows-what-else in the sink when she left.  Talk about drawing in the bears!  Not only were the bathroom sinks unavailable to others, but she made a terrible mess everywhere.  Use some common sense, people! [:@]
 
 Okay.  I m done.  Whew.  I feel better![]