Backcountry Cooking Series - Part 6: Clean-Up/Washing Dishes

After enjoying delicious meals in the backcountry, one of the most important things to think about is clean-up. Learn how to deal with leftovers and dirty dishes, following leave no trace principles, to ensure animals aren’t tempted to get your food.
Check out the entire series:
• Backcountry Cooking Series - Part 1: Introduction
• Backcountry Cooking Se...
• Backcountry Cooking Series - Part 2: Mashed Potato Bowl
• Backcountry Cooking Se...
• Backcountry Cooking Series - Part 3: Couscous
• Backcountry Cooking Se...
• Backcountry Cooking Series - Part 4: Pasta (Orzo Alfredo)
• Backcountry Cooking Se...
• Backcountry Cooking Series - Part 5: Rice & Chicken
• Backcountry Cooking Se...
• Backcountry Cooking Series - Part 6: Clean-Up/Washing Dishes
• Backcountry Cooking Se...
Filmed at Garnet Lake, Day 17 of our John Muir Trail Thru-Hike • John Muir Trail via Sh...

[@WDCallahan]

She says a bear can smell 1000x better than a human. But the last bear I smelled definitely needed a shower.

[@AndrewF321]

Ha

[@starlight1234321]

Thank you so much for giving such thorough explanations on what to do and why! I'm new to backpacking but this explained a lot.

[@AdventurousHeartRachelNagle]

Glad it helped...best of luck on your future backpacking adventures!!!

[@UNSC-ow3bh]

A bear can smell everything she is doing from a mile away!!! LOL

[@rebeccaholven956]

This was the perfect video! Thank you!

[@AdventurousHeartRachelNagle]

Glad you enjoyed it!!

[@TheBaronVonVik]

This video starts at 3:30. Everything before that is just talky talky talk talk talk. You will thank me.

[@antsy_does]

Imagine having to do this on a cold, windy, rainy day?? This is why I use ziplock freezer bags for my food prep instead of dishes (pot and plate). My freeze dried or dehydrated meals are rehydrated with boiling water, and after I'm done eating out of the bag I roll the bag up and it goes into my waste bag (another ziplock or an Opsack Locksack).

[@326sailingships]

Well done! Thank you for the good advice.

[@dorukcansev]

Very underrated content thanks

[@TheWildOutThere]

Great video! Very useful information. If you don't mind, I have a few more questions: Do you wash or sanitize your hands before starting to make a meal? When do you wash your hands (with a soap) and when do you sanitize (with a sanitizer)? Do you also wash/sanitize your hands again before using them to clean the dishes after the meal is done? What do you use to dry your hands or dishes after washing them? If it's something reusable - how many times do you reuse it before you'd consider it not clean enough to use again? Thank you!!

[@AdventurousHeartRachelNagle]

Great questions…when it comes to backpacking, I like to say a lot of it comes down to personal preference. As long as you are using good personal hygiene in the backcountry, the specific method is up to you. I would say definitely make sure you clean up at least for 2 specific times…after going to the bathroom and before eating. Using hand sanitizer or soap is up to you. In general, I have a tendency to use hand sanitizer a lot more than soap out of convenience. The downfall of sanitizer is that you are spreading it around on your hands versus washing it off. If you look down at your hands after using sanitizer and see you’ve spread dirty grime around when using the sanitizer it is definitely time to use a fresh rinse with some water and then sanitize again or pull out the soap for a deeper clean…again personal preference. In regards to sanitizing again after eating and before cleaning, I personally do not. My reasoning is that I was already clean before eating and nothing should have happened that made things dirty again. I guess if you were taking care of group dishes maybe, but typically I wouldn’t. A lot of times I just let my hands air dry, but I also carry a bandana and/or small quick dry backpacking towel that I can use to dry things if needed. On a quick backpacking trip, it is typically good for the duration. On a longer backpacking trip, I would wash it when washing clothes. I would let it dry after use and be mindful where I am storing it to keep it clean. Hope this helps.

[@TheWildOutThere]

@@AdventurousHeartRachelNagle Thank you very much for such detailed and expansive explanation. It's very helpful.

[@ToddBednarczyk]

This is awesome! Thank you so much!

[@Jackson.T]

What about cleaning grills and where would you as store it?

[@georgeramsdell6058]

Good Info. Thanks for the video.

[@AdventurousHeartRachelNagle]

Definitely...I hope you enjoy your backpacking meals!

[@trytheoutdoors]

Great job. Thank you.

[@Kevinschart]

does that little bottle ever leak? i'm looking for a no leak solution.

[@AdventurousHeartRachelNagle]

If you are talking about the soap bottle, I haven’t had any issues with mine leaking, but I always put it in a ziplock bag just in case and store it in my cook set. I highly recommend Nalgene brand storage bottles for no leak storage of liquids. I have had pretty good success with them.

[@jerrodc85]

Reggae musicians be like 4:06

[@amelyoussouf3726]

?

[@jfwatson10]

If the soap has a smell, wouldn't your dishes now have that same smell?

[@AdventurousHeartRachelNagle]

Great question, the soap in the bottle has a smell because it is super concentrated in the bottle. When you wash your dishes, you are only using one small drop and diluting it with water, so you have minimized the smell greatly. In addition, you are rinsing all of the soap off of your dishes before storing them for the evening.

[@leftistelf]

I don’t understand why the soap has a scent that attracts animals but the pots cleaned with the soap don’t.

[@AdventurousHeartRachelNagle]

Great question, the soap in the bottle has a smell because it is super concentrated in the bottle. When you wash your dishes, you are only using one small drop and diluting it with water, so you have minimized the smell greatly. In addition, you are rinsing all of the soap off of your dishes before storing them for the evening. Show less

[@liedebunker1253]

Why can't it be dumped into some place for the animals?

[@AdventurousHeartRachelNagle]

In the backcountry, it is especially important not to humanize animals by giving them food because then they will start to associate humans with their next meal, which can be dangerous for both humans and animals. It is really best to Leave No Trace while in the backcountry and carry out anything you bring in as well as dispose of waste properly.

[@XXLRebel]

​@@AdventurousHeartRachelNagle Ah come on. Ants and other bugs are probably gonna eat it. And even if other animals are gonna eat it, it's not like rice is poison or something😂

[@cademorris3304]

Did you really just drink that omggg

[@AdventurousHeartRachelNagle]

LOL…it’s really not too bad…you get used to it 😝

[@BetweenBounty]

Why is this Not COMMON SENSE 🤔

[@terminatorgaming1609]

My outdoor ed instructor is basicly punishing us to do this

[@LeAldenScrub]

Eels

[@terminatorgaming1609]

@@LeAldenScrub escalators escalators escalators...

[@LeAldenScrub]

@@terminatorgaming1609 Eels

[@terminatorgaming1609]

@@LeAldenScrub AHHH DOLPHIN SOUND!...

[@LeAldenScrub]

@@terminatorgaming1609 Oh, you said number eleven!

[@AdamTravelsTheWorld]

Yeah I'll let the animals have my leftovers, that is dumb LOL

[@jamesamrein8298]

This video is absolutely ridiculous

[@nicknick9032]

I agree.

[@whitewolf4016]

😳

[@madevil1955]

Ahaha the "back country"