Harvey51
Alberta
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Joined: 12/11/2006
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I admire you for being willing to let that secret out.
We spent many years camping mostly at places without tap water, though often with a lake or river in a tent or tent trailer with no tanks. We typically boiled lake water over the campfire for washing, saving our precious supply of drinking water. Now in a motorhome, I still use very little water for dish washing. We don't bother with the MH hot water tank but joyfully use the propane stove to heat water from the big tank. I put some in a bowl or cereal bowl with detergent and wash the dishes once. I rinse several dishes over the bowl to replenish the supply as needed. Then I go with the kettle rinsing one dish over another so the rinse water is used two or three times and only a tiny amount right out of the kettle is needed for a final rinse on each dish. On our last two week trip DW and I didn't need to refill the water tank at all. Mind you, that did include several days just sleeping in the MH while we visited friends and we ate out a few times. There were hot springs for showers. It was cool so no sweat.
2004 Adventurer (Canadian) 20 footer
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LVTOCMP
Green Bay,Wis. , Brown
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Joined: 09/29/2004
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If I am In a remote area I'll take a shower in the rain. Great soft water for your hair. Oops I am now bald, good or bad. Also take our baths in the lake or stream.
Jerry
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Squonk61
Vermont
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Joined: 09/10/2011
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frequent swimming and beer drinking. and three dogs!
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SteveAE
Bend, Oregon
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Joined: 02/20/2012
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Francesca,
Since your post was posted in Tent Camping, I assume you are not in a RV.
My water conservation tips for this style of camping would include:
-Dog for prewash...of course
-Add bleach to non potable water (we are frequently in a river environment) for dish and hand washing.
- Use paper towels whenever possible for general cleaning
- Solar shower for showering (heated river water)
- Plan meals that don't require a lot of boiling. And if they do, then save the water for later use if possible.
- Carry every drop of potable water at least 100 feet in three or five gallon containers
Doing the above should allow you to use about 0.75 gallons per person per day....unless it is very hot, then you can plan about 1 gallon per person per day.
Steve
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Francesca Knowles
Port Hadlock, Washington
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Joined: 02/23/2011
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These are great tips, folks- keep sharing, please!
FULL DISCLOSURE:
To tell the truth, I'm sort of a "tween"- neither Fish nor Fowl.
I have a teeny trailer that I use more like a tent. I still get a thrill that it's "all set up" when I get to camp, but that's about the only way it's changed my tentcamping style/philosophy.
Well, plus I can actually occasionally "pitch it" at Walmart!
The words I use are "hardsided tent camper"....there's no forum for that, so here I post! 
" Not every mind that wanders is lost. " With apologies to J.R.R. Tolkien
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korbe
Northern California
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Joined: 11/20/2009
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We put plastic basins that fit in the kitchen sinks to catch all the wash water. The rinse water gets used again for wash and toilet.
2004 F250 SD PSD
2004 Crossroads Cruiser CF25RS
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tplife
SoCal
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Joined: 09/17/2007
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skipnchar, investing in a good water filter would be a better option than iodine crystals, which are hit-or-miss in removing parasites. In addition to ensuring removal of both bacteria and parasites, a filter is fast and adds no aftertaste to the water.
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pitch
NY
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Joined: 06/08/2005
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Use sand to wash your pots and pans, it will absorb the greasy stuff and scour the sticky stuff. Then you can just wipe them out with a moist cloth or even a dry one. If you are using nonstick cook ware this tip is obviously not for you!
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Opie431
Bellevue, MI
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Joined: 06/19/2004
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If you do not have a dog or cat who can help perhaps setting them out at night would get them washed by racoons.
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MacGrandmother
Maryland
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Joined: 12/26/2011
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Baby wipes soaked in some Witch Hazel. Even works for a pseudo "shampoo" when there's no rest stop.
Joan
New to RVng Sept. 23, 2011
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