How to Wash Dishes in River Camp

Michele Crockett

Updated on:

Organizing
Two women washing dishes in metal buckets on river trip

Washing dishes on a river trip can bring you great joy, if not life-changing magic. With good friends at your side and a terrific canyon view in your sights, the time passes quickly. Here are time-tested tips for how to set up your dishwashing operation in river camp, a list of essential camp dishwashing gear, and some Leave No Trace principles for disposing of dirty dishwater. The approach outlined here is targeted to river trips with raft support so you can bring all the fancy dishwashing gear. (Note: This post contains some affiliate links.)

Two women washing dishes in buckets in camp on river trip
Washing dishes is more fun on the river

Plan your dishwashing operation

Even before you assemble and pack the dishwashing gear for your river trip, give some thought to the dishwashing operation. How many people will be involved, how will you set up the gear, and how will you provide instructions to newcomers to river dishwashing?

On our river trips, the cook crew for the evening does the dishes that night and takes charge of the kitchen tear-down the next morning. (See “Time-Tested Guidelines for Raft Trip Meal Planning” for ideas on how to organize food planning and cooking.) With that approach, those who aren’t cooking have a completely free evening so they can hike, play bocce, fish, or pursue other interests.

Each cook crew has two or three people, which provides camaraderie and plenty of coverage for the kitchen chores. If you have three people on the cook crew, consider doubling up on a few dishwashing items such as sponges and dishwashing gloves so that everyone can keep busy. 

Essential river camp dishwashing gear

Although I’m constantly evaluating and refining the river camp dishwashing gear, the basics have remained constant over the years. 

Dishwashing buckets

I am a stalwart fan of the plain metal bucket (chicky pail) for dishwashing. We use three buckets for the dishwashing operation, as I’ll describe below. Metal buckets are versatile—you can use them to bathe toddlers, wash boats, as a surface for card-playing, and for dozens of other purposes. Because they stack, they don’t take up much room in the dry box, and they can hold other gear. Plus, you can set them directly on a blaster stover to heat a large quantity of water for dishwashing.

However, collapsible buckets have their place, especially on kayak-only trips. Here are our top picks for buckets in both categories:

  • Metal buckets for camp washing (chicky pails) will stand the test of time: We’ve used the same Behrens galvanized buckets for 35 years.
  • Collapsible buckets: Made specifically for river trippers, the NRS Big Basin Water Container holds 9 gallons of liquid and is made of sturdy PVC with strong straps. Another option: This SOL collapsible sink folds flat but has handles and rigid siding so it won’t cave and cascade water everywhere.

No matter what style of bucket you choose, make sure it’s big enough to accommodate big pots and skillets, especially if you have a river crew of 16 or 20 people. 

Dishwashing liquid

Any biodegradable dishwashing liquid will work on the river, but consider choosing an unscented liquid to avoid attracting bears. Take the time to decant some liquid into a smaller bottle with a tight closure so you don’t end up with a mess of dish soap in your camping gear. (Many dishwashing liquid bottles have lousy caps.) By using a smaller bottle, you can cut down on the general volume of gear, too. (This 8-ounce Nalgene BPA-free bottle is what we typically use for liquid containers on river trips.) You only need a few drops of dishwashing liquid each night, so unless you’re doing back-to-back Grand trips, a few ounces is more than enough. Some of my favorite dishwashing liquids:

  • Biokleen Free & Clear Dish Liquid: You can cut down on packaging with this one-gallon supply of phosphate-free dish soap.
  • Campsuds Biodegradable Concentrated Soap: Versatile enough to use for any washing, Campsuds are a classic choice. But Campsuds typically comes in tiny bottles and is more expensive, ounce for ounce, than Biokleen. However, the Campsuds bottle has a great lid, so buy it once and keep reusing the bottle. 
Two Nalgene plastic containers for dishwashing liquid and bleach on camp trip
Decanting bleach and dishwashing liquid into plastic bottles like these Nalgene containers saves space

Chlorine bleach

You’ll use about one tablespoon of bleach in the third bucket of your setup, so bring a small bottle (4 ounces is plenty for a typical multi-day trip). 

Dish scrubbers, sponges, scrapers, and cloths

So many opinions circulate about the best dishwashing scrubbers for river camping. In general, you need something for scrubbing and something for wiping. A reusable scrubber that you can wash at home is a plus. You’ll also need a scraper to de-gunk the dishes (more on that later). Here are a few to consider:

  • Scrub-It microfiber sponges: Wring them out well at the end of your dishwashing session and they’ll stay stink-free 
  • Palm-held dish brush: These take up less space in your dish gear and allow you to bear down on tough, crusty dishes. 
  • Lucomb Swedish dishcloths: Swedish dishcloths are essential for cleaning up little messes all over river camp, and these are beautiful (unless you hate birds and flowers). 
  • Lodge pan scrapers: These are small and efficient.

Dishwashing gloves

Your hands are already likely beat up from paddling or rowing all day and the dish water will be hot, so a pair of sturdy rubber dishwashing gloves will keep your hands comfortable and protected. 

Person with purple dishwashing gloves washing dishes in a metal bucket on camping trip
The dishwashing water should be hot, so wear gloves to protect your hands

Containers for leftovers

Reusability is the magic for food storage containers, but in fact I never leave for a river trip without a few freezer-safe plastic bags rolled up in the bottom of the dry box as a backup. The good news is you have many options these days for reusable food storage containers. (For tips on food packing and all types of containers, see “9 Food Packing Tips for Camping on River Trips.”) Here are my favorites:

  • Vremi silicone food storage containers: These collapse flat, the lids lock down tight, and they’re BPA-free. 
  • Stasher silicone bags: These are sturdier than most other reusable storage bags, and they have a flat bottom to cut down on spills. The biggest ones are the most useful for river trips, so check out the Stasher 56-ounce or the gallon-capacity Stasher 104-ounce bag.  

Kitchen lights

Sometimes you can’t get the dishes done before nightfall. Having decent lights helps prevent dishwashing quality-control problems. Solar lights are pleasant, but sometimes aren’t bright enough, so I bring at least one battery-powered or rechargeable camp light. Headlamps are also an excellent choice as the dishwasher can direct the light to the task at hand. Consider keeping a couple of inexpensive headlamps with the kitchen gear. Here are a few of my favorite picks for camp lights:

  • Goal Zero Lighthouse 600 Lantern: I have several Goal Zero products, and they are all excellent and have lasted years. This camp light is super-bright and rechargeable.
  • Black Diamond Astro Headlamp: Great quality, great price. I often buy these for my favorite river runners as birthday or holiday gifts, and have accumulated a few extra to stash in the dry box for anyone who needs one.
  • Nite Ize Radiant 400 LED Lantern: I keep one of these in our gear as a backup because it sheds a terrific amount of light. Huge downside is it’s not rechargeable. But when the solar-powered devices fade and the rechargeable devices fizzle, it’s good to have one of these on hand (with a stash of D-cell batteries, too).

Kitchen towels

Although many fine camp towels are available (such as the REI Multi Towel), you’ll find much better bargains by looking for microfiber kitchen towels online or at discount stores. These Polyte microfiber towels are a great pick and cost less than $3 each. Any towel from your kitchen will work, but microfiber towels dry more quickly. Note that you should not use towels to dry your dishes—air dry them instead to avoid transferring germs. But keep towels on hand for drying off surfaces that won’t come in contact with people’s mouths.

Camp table with drying dishes and a kitchen towel
Any kitchen towel from home will do on a river trip

Strainer

Straining your dishwater after the dishes are done is a critical part of the workflow as that step keeps debris out of the river (and is mandated by most river management entities). For this task, you need a strainer with a handle and it should be fairly large—about 8-10 inches in diameter works well, such as this stainless steel mesh strainer. 

Hanging mesh dish drying rack

This gear might seem like a ridiculous space waster, but unless you have several camp tables, it is a game-changer because the dishes can air dry in the hanging rack overnight. Again, air drying is better than towel drying because it cuts down on germs. We coveted a friend’s drying rack for a long time before finally buying the Down River Dish Drying Bag, and we’ve now given it as gifts several times because it is so useful. 

Down River Equipment dish drying bag
Down River Equipment’s dish drying bag saves table space and reduces paper towel use

How to wash dishes in river camp

Once dinner is done, it’s time to clean up: As at home, the sooner you can dispatch this task, the better. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

  1. Fill three buckets about one-third to one-half full of river water—try to avoid scooping up sediment if possible. 
  2. Put a big kettle of water on the campstove and bring to a boil: If you have plenty of fresh water, you can use that. Otherwise, river water is fine. If you are lucky enough to have a blaster stove (a freestanding burner—check out the Woodland Power Blaster Stove or the Partner blaster stove), you can place your metal bucket of water directly on the burner.
  3. Collect the dishes and “de-smeg” them by using a food scraper to deposit leftover food scraps into the trash. Ideally, you won’t have to trash too much food because dinner was tasty enough that everyone cleaned their plates.
  4. Line up three buckets on a camp table: The ideal dishwashing surface is a counter-height table to ease back strain. (The NRS Campsite Counter is my favorite, but it’s expensive.) But any table is better than doing dishes while sitting in the sand.
  5. In bucket 1:
    • Add the boiling water from the kettle to the river water in the bucket: The result should be water that’s too hot to work in without dishwashing gloves.
    • Add about a tablespoon of dishwashing liquid—avoiding creating a mountain of bubbles to ease the rinsing process. 
  6. In bucket 2, add boiling water until it’s almost too hot to touch.
  7. In bucket 3, add no more than 1 tablespoon of bleach for each gallon of water. (The amount of chlorine bleach in a sanitizing solution should not exceed 200 parts per million.) Let your dishes rest in the solution for 1 to 5 minutes before drying. (For other guidelines on sanitizing dishes, check out the Food Technology Fact Sheet offered by Oklahoma State University’s Food and Agricultural Products Research and Technology Center.)
  8. Wash each dish in bucket 1. Tips on the order in which to wash items: Wash the silverware first when the water is the hottest as these pieces come in closest contact with people’s mouths. Wash cups next. Follow with plates and bowls. Tackle the skillets and pots last. 
  9. Rinse each dish in bucket 2, removing all traces of soap (if you created a bubble mountain in step 1, you’ll have to change out the water). 
  10. Slide each dish into the bleach solution in bucket 3 and let it rest for 1 to 5 minutes to ensure proper sanitation.
  11. Set the sanitized dishes in the hanging mesh bag to air dry. Avoid towel drying, as that will simply spread germs back onto the dishes.
  12. Strain the dirty dishwater. Study the rules and regulations for water disposal specific to the river you’re running, as the guidance changes depending on the volume of water. If you’re running a large-volume river (such as the Colorado River through Grand Canyon), you’ll strain the dirty water from the buckets into the river’s moving current. But if you’re floating the Smith River in Montana, a smaller-volume river, the guidance from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is: “After straining, scatter wastewater onto the land away from camp. Rainfall will allow the soap to percolate and degrade over time in the soil. Scatter wastewater over a wide area, away from camp and above the high-water line.” When in doubt, double-check your boater permit packet or ask a ranger at the put-in for current guidance on disposing of wastewater, including dishwater. 
  13. Wipe the gunk in the strainer out into the trash and wrap the strainer in a plastic bag. 
Person placing bucket of river water on camp stove
Getting the dishwater going on a blaster stove

Frequently asked question about washing dishes on river trips

Can I use river water to wash the dishes on a river camping trip?

Yes, you can use river water to wash dishes on a multi-day river camping trip: Follow a three-bucket washing process that ends with a dip in a solution of bleach added to water (up to 1 tablespoon of bleach for each gallon of water) to sanitize the dishes.

What dishwashing liquid should I use to wash dishes while camping on a river trip?

You can use any biodegradable dishwashing liquid. Consider using an unscented dishwashing liquid to avoid attracting bears. 

How much bleach should I use to sanitize the dishes on a camping trip?

When washing dishes on a camping trip, add up to 1 tablespoon of bleach for each gallon of water, and let your dishes rest in the solution for 1 to 5 minutes before air-drying. For other guidelines on sanitizing dishes, check out the Food Technology Fact Sheet offered by Oklahoma State University’s Food and Agricultural Products Research and Technology Center.

How should I dispose of dirty dishwater when camping on river trips?

To dispose of dirty dishwater on a river trip, follow the guidelines issued by the permitting agency: In most cases, strain the dirty water into the river current using a mesh strainer. Avoid dumping food particles into the river, including coffee grounds or ashes. If you’re floating a low-volume river, the guidelines might specify disposing of dishwater away from the water source.

Stacks of blue plates and green bowls on blue camp table

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