Wash/rinse dishes

[Trinity0414]

We have one large sink in our '15 25 ft. How do you wash and rinse your dishes with just one sink? Any great ideas? Thanks.

[Lily&Me]

You use a dishpan, a little soapy water, run fresh to rinse.

Dump all water into black tank when completed.


Maggie

[dkottum]

Like many things Airstreaming you learn to adapt to the equipment provided to be happy with it or you'll always be looking for something bigger or different.

Many dishwashing methods. For a small amount we use one of this little dish brushes with soap inside, push the button as you need it. Put the dishes in or near the sink, wash and rinse with a small amount of water running.

For larger amount put them on the lift-up counter and wash them with water and soap in the sink, rinsing each as you finish.

Let him or her dry as you go along, or air dry on a folded towel.

Keep it simple and try not to get special racks and tubs to free up precious storage space when not using them.

[AWCHIEF]

I love Google, it is such a great resource for common and off beat knowledge,

The Cultural Divide on Washing Dishes: Brits vs. Americans | Mind The Gap | BBC America

[Phoenix]

To scrub dishes, we wet a sponge and use Dawn Direct Foam; then, rinse. Requires very little water. Link below shows one of several Dawn foam dispensers, most of which are available at Walmart and grocery stores:

http://www.soap.com/p/dawn-direct-fo...me-surge-65905

Also, you can use REGULAR Dawn to refill the bottle; you don't have to buy special, Dawn Direct Foam liquid soap, which is just watered down Dawn (you pay 2-3 times extra for a mix that's about 80-85% water and 15-20% regular Dawn). Just add tap or bottled water to the step in the plastic bottle (about 3/4 full); then add about 1/2-3/4 inches of regular Dawn, and shake. (Adjust proportions as necessary to get the proper foam consistency.)

We also reuse an extra Dawn foam dispenser bottle for hand soap. Refill bottle as above, except add liquid hand soap instead of Dawn. When washing hands, pressurize water line; then, turn water pump OFF. Pump foam dispenser 1-2 times and scrub hands, then use remaining water pressure to rinse. This is an easy way to save water when boondocking.

If you want to go one step further, I have installed a marine/waterproof, momentary ON, push-button switch next to the bathroom sink, that's connected to the water pump switch on the tank monitor panel. (We normally use water from the freshwater tank; and leave the water pump OFF, except for dishwashing and showers.) That way, one can temporarily pressurize the waterline for hand-washing without having to ask your spouse to "Turn the water ON!"

[AnnArborBob]

Originally Posted by Trinity0414

We have one large sink in our '15 25 ft. How do you wash and rinse your dishes with just one sink? Any great ideas? Thanks.

Trinity0414, not to hijack your thread, but I noted your hometown and am wondering if you are you planning to go go Urban Air in Eaton Rapids this year?

Urban Air • Wake Up... Downtown! - Home

[MrUKToad]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

I love Google, it is such a great resource for common and off beat knowledge,

The Cultural Divide on Washing Dishes: Brits vs. Americans | Mind The Gap | BBC America

The two-sink washing process was new to me on my arrival on these shores. At home we always washed as described in the BBC America piece and dried the dishes without rinsing. I'm still here to tell the tale so either I'm a mutant (possible!) or it's not as dangerous as it's made out to be.

In our Airstream we use Maggie's method in post #2. Small bowl to wash, small amount of water to rinse, over the soapy bowl, and dump the whole lot down the toilet when done (the water, not the dishes). Always do the 'cleanest' stuff first, glasses etc.

[Trinity0414]

AnnArborBob, our airstream won't be ready for pick-up from the dealer until mid to late Oct, so we won't be able to be a part of it this year; perhaps next year. We have enjoyed visiting with ASers the past two years here in ER. It's a fun time. Enjoy!

[Tim A.]

When we bought our 2002 19' Bambi, it had a small rectangular sink which we soon changed to a larger oval one (a picture is here http://www.airforums.com/forums/f38/...ml#post1508976) which is, due to space requirements, a single bowl. We wash the dishes in the sink, hold them while faucet-rinsing over the sink, and place the rinsed dishes on a plastic drain board which drains into the sink. Not much water is needed for rinsing.

By the way, this is the same method I used over 60 years ago when washing dishes in my parent's home. Amazing how that sort of thing sticks with you.

Tim

[crisen]

Two sinks full of water, you have got to be kidding! Someone needs to learn to wash dishes where you have to carry all your water. At the cabin, I can wash and rinse dishes for two of us with a 9 cup coffee pot of water heated on the stove.

[Lily&Me]

I like one of those microfiber mats for drying the dishes. The mats, themselves, dry very quickly once hung up.

Nearly always air-dry, these days.


Maggie

[m.hony]

We wash dishes in the trailer the same way we do at home minus the drain board for lack of room.
Wash with soapy dish rag, rinse, dry or lye on dish towel to dry-
We don't use the soap dispensers in the trailer because on our second trip the soap dispenser worked its way off and flooded the floor with blue Dawn liquid. I can still see blue wicked into the bottom edge of the wood and on the bottom of the mouse fur.
We just leave to dishwashing liquid on the counter in camp and put it in the sink for travel.

[Jack46]

We too use a circular plastic dish pan. But we also just purchased one of these. The install and a quick check were great. We'll have a full test on an upcoming three week trip. Item was recently featured in the latest issue of the Escapees magazine. Here is one link, but here seems to be many sellers on Amazon.

The INSTANT-OFF Water Saver - Faucet Adapter

[IanPoulin]

Set aside water to boil
Wash basin with strainer rack, soap, wash, place all items in strainer rack with space.
Pour boiling water to rinse
Water will dry off QUICKLY
Dump basin water down black tank,


2011 Airstream International Serenity 28' - 30a/taupe
2013 Fors F150 v6-ecoboost with max tow and HD payload packages

[rodsterinfl]

whether one big or two small sinks, a collapsable dishpan is great. I got mine at Cmprwrld. When open it is the size of one side of my sink but could serve for you as an extra sink. Then, as others have said, dump the water into your commode.

[IanPoulin]

I think that's the same tub I use. Camping world has a dish rack that fits inside with space below.

Ian


2011 Airstream International Serenity 28' - 30a/taupe
2013 Fors F150 v6-ecoboost with max tow and HD payload packages

[Wishing]

I use the Full Circle collapsible dish rack and it fits great under the refridgerater cabinet. It's available on Amazon.


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

[Tim A.]

I am confused as to why there seems to be a common practice of dumping dishwater into the trailer's toilet. Of course, our model of 19' Bambi has a 6-gallon blackwater tank (Airstream changed that only a few months after we bought our trailer). Not a lot of capacity for extra water!

Tim

[MrUKToad]

Originally Posted by Tim A.

I am confused as to why there seems to be a common practice of dumping dishwater into the trailer's toilet. Of course, our model of 19' Bambi has a 6-gallon blackwater tank (Airstream changed that only a few months after we bought our trailer). Not a lot of capacity for extra water!

Tim

There can be an imbalance of waste water; more grey than black, especially if you're showering in Airstream. So, to even things out, a lot of us wash dishes in bowls and tip the waste water into the toilet. It evens out the use of the waste tanks and any additional water dumped into the black tank is good as it helps break up solids and prevents drying out. We have a 28' International with quite sizable waste tanks, but I guess in the smaller trailers things can get a little tight with the capacities.

[mefly2]

Originally Posted by doug&maggie

You use a dishpan, a little soapy water, run fresh to rinse.

Dump all water into black tank when completed.


Maggie

Same for us, but we dump into gray tank ... started that way in a FC20 and still continue...