Yak

On the boat, we are trying to conserve the fresh water in our tanks.  In Odin the Winnebago, we are trying to slow filling the grey water tank.  Doing dishes is the most wasteful use of water (besides showering--more on that later) and here's our technique, adopted and adapted from other cruiser tips.  It's also earth-friendly (allowing you to afford more expensive dish soap because it lasts longer), saves plastic, and saves money.

Foaming dish soap:

Start with an earth-friendly foaming soap (I like Seven Generation, Method or Dawn).  A little soap goes farther & the squirt of water is built right in!  Then refill the empty bottle with regular dish soap--fill almost to the top with water, then add 2 Tbsp dish soap.  Shake ocassionally to keep mixed.

Dish cloth:

Our favorite is Lunatec (Learned from The Boat Galley).  It comes in a 4-pack and one dish cloth lasted us at least a year!  Just the right amount of scrubby, antibacterial & quick drying (I love the loop for hanging up on the faucet).  Never smells.

Spray bottle:  Finally, a good spray bottle (preferably from the hardware store) filled with water & 1 Tbsp vinegar (breaks up soap suds and is also disinfectant).  Even The Captain was amazed at how clean you can get a dirty dish with a good high-powered squirt bottle!

(WARNING:  My sister should stop reading here.  She will be horrified.  So was I, when I read posts on a sailor's forum.  Boiling water equals CLEAN!  However, open your mind for a second, and read on...)

Technique:

We primarily wash & rinse in cold water.  I know it sounds crazy, but it works fine.  If you NEED hot water (tomato or oil based recipe), you can heat it up in a tea kettle (or put some water in a pot still warm from cooking & put it back on the stove--running water while waiting for it to get hot is WASTEFUL!).  Many of us were taught to use hot water because it leaves less streaks, but see "Rinse" below.

This may sound basic, but washing the least dirty things first will keep your dishwater cleaner.  Glasses first, silverware, then pots & pans last.

For a few items, the foaming soap on the washcloth works great.  Otherwise, it only takes a couple inches of water to wash dishes but using a pot or bowl that needs to be washed as your basin is even better.

Rinse:  This is your biggest water waster.  Try a few squirts from the water bottle.  Even better, don't rinse off the soap OR just rinse off the "eating surface" of bowls or pans.  You don't need to rinse off the outside.  You won't eat off the surface & it's WASTEFUL!  Bonus: soapy water doesn't leave streaks!  Before you say, EWWWWW!, here's food for thought:  the-cultural-divide-on-washing-dishes-brits-vs-americans

Tips:  Do dishes before the food dries (I know.  This is the part I hate).  It will require less water OR, a few squirts from the water bottle OR a quick swish of a wet wash cloth & let it sit a second will loosen difficult stains.

The same foaming concept works for the bathroom: