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  1. #1
    Registered User stilllife's Avatar
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    Default Washing dishes with unfiltered water

    What do you guys think about washing pot with unfiltered water and then wiping it down with a anti-bacterial
    wet wipe?

  2. #2

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    I'm thinking wet wipes residue probably won't enhance the flavor of anything you cook in the pot unless its in its own pouch, never mind the added weight of carrying them and disposal nuisance of used wipes. They don't decompose and would need to be carried out.

    If you are boiling water in the pot, it really doesn't matter if they are washed with unfiltered/untreated water. Boiling for most cooking purposes would kill off any tiny livestock that may linger in the pot.

  3. #3
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    Don't like the idea of wiping my pot basically with alcohol.
    If you're going to be cooking in the pot later, you could argue that any germs left behind by unfiltered water would get killed by the next cooking process.

    But really... it doesn't take a ton of water to wash a pot. So I just always wash it with filtered water.
    First eat everything you can easily scrape out. I then put a small amount of water (perhaps 50ml) and a few drops of camps soap and wash it with a scrub pad cut down to about 2"x2". I then disperse that water and use another small amount of water (perhaps another 50ml) and swish it around to get the small amounts of suds off and then disperse that. Then wipe the thing dry with a small camp towel.

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    I just let the dog lick it clean. Then I don't have to worry about any germs . . .

    More seriously, unless you are washing your pot with sewer water, there is not reason to get fussed about filtered or unfiltered. And then, if it's sewer water, you need to worry about viruses as well, and filtering won't make any difference. We do not live in a sterile world and the amount of contaminant left inside your pot after washing with unfiltered back-country water will never be enough to measurably increase the risk to your health. Washing your hands, yes even in unfiltered water, is far, far more important than whether or not you use filtered water to wash your dishes and/or your hands.
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  5. #5

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    I never worry about it. I filter my water to drink but never the stuff I wash my hands or my pot with. Most of the problems bugs that we filter for can't survive outside of a wet/moist/damp environment for more than a few hours.

  6. #6

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    Just let air dry or use a bandanna - antibacterial wet wipe not needed IMO. If particularly worried about it, remember to heat water to near boiling or boiling with next use of pot.
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  7. #7
    Registered User DownEaster's Avatar
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    Wet wipes residue is bactericide, soap, and perfume, which I don't think you want to eat; if you're trying to save on weight (fewer SteriPEN batteries or whatnot) by not filtering your water, you can save weight by leaving the wipes at home.

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    Quote Originally Posted by QiWiz View Post
    Just let air dry or use a bandanna - antibacterial wet wipe not needed IMO. If particularly worried about it, remember to heat water to near boiling or boiling with next use of pot.
    I'm with you.

    Boiling kills almost everything. It takes some time, though.

  9. #9
    Registered User stilllife's Avatar
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    Default

    Great answers! Thanks a lot.

  10. #10
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    I don't filter my water so it is not a problem.
    I am not young enough to know everything.

  11. #11
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    If you're gonna use Wet Wipes to clean dishes you'd better bring a good supply of TP.

    Many years ago I did a backpacking trip at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. The camp issued all crew tablets of Textrox that were to be placed in water used to sanitize the dishes. If you didn't rinse well you knew it in a few hours. The malady was know as the "Textron Trots".
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    Quote Originally Posted by Don H View Post
    . . . Many years ago I did a backpacking trip at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. The camp issued all crew tablets of Textrox that were to be placed in water used to sanitize the dishes. . .
    Sterilizing shared eating utensils makes a lot of sense. Washing your personal dishes with filtered water does not.
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  13. #13
    Registered User English Stu's Avatar
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    I use the MSR Titan kettle and Ti mug, drinks somehow taste better in the small cup. In the morning I brew three cups of water; 2 for double oatmeal and one for the coffee. If I haven't drank it already I put the remaining coffee back into Titan, swill around and drink the remainder.

  14. #14
    Registered User English Stu's Avatar
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    I use the MSR Titan kettle and Ti mug, drinks somehow taste better in the small cup. In the morning I brew three cups of water; 2 for double oatmeal and one for the coffee. After eating the Oatmeal if I haven't drank it already I put the remaining coffee back into Titan, swill around and drink the remainder.

  15. #15
    Registered User English Stu's Avatar
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    Oops, where is the edit button.

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by English Stu View Post
    Oops, where is the edit button.
    Contributing Members get an "Edit Post" option with their posts found beside the "Reply | Reply With Quote" options seen below each past.

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by JeffreyH View Post
    Boiling kills almost everything. It takes some time, though.
    That's old school, it's done by the time it's boiling:
    According to the Wilderness Medical Society…
    Water temperatures at 160° F (70° C) kill all pathogens within 30 minutes.
    Water temperatures above 185° F (85° C) kill all pathogens within a few minutes.
    So in the time it takes for water to reach the boiling point (212° F or 100° C) all pathogens will be killed, even at high altitude. The moment your drinking water reaches a rolling boil, the water has already become safe to drink.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Deadeye View Post
    . . .So in the time it takes for water to reach the boiling point (212° F or 100° C) all pathogens will be killed . . .
    Be careful what you claim. In your example, most pathogens of concern, especially in backcountry water will be killed or inactivated. There are pathogens, not frequently found in backcountry water (at least in north America) that absolutely survive boiling! For instance, with post hurricane domestic water contamination, I would highly recommend a longer boil! AND, if all you do is bring the water to a boil, you are almost always killing enough of the pathogens to make backcountry water safe to drink, BUT, it is unlikely you are actually killing all of the pathogens. You're just reducing the population enough that they are no match for you immune system.

    There is a reason medical facilities and biological labs sterilize with autoclaves which use pressure to allow temperatures of 250 degrees F for 20 minutes to an hour, depending on the volume being sterilized.
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  19. #19
    Registered User KDogg's Avatar
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    On my thru hike I always washed (really just rinsed) with filtered water....all of about a quarter cup of it. Not sure why this is such an issue. It's not like it is a ton more work to have that much more filtered water. My first thought reading this thread, and another that was posted here about a week ago, was that you were going to wash your pot in the water source. I know this isn't what you are asking because you know that would just be wrong. So, if you really want to use unfiltered water to wash with go right ahead. You will have to fill your dirty water bottle for washing or leave a bit in there when you filter....both of which seem like just as much, or more, work than just using that little bit of filtered water in your clean bottle and not worry about it.

  20. #20

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    If you are talking about your pot or eating utensils I would think boiling water would kill what's on there. Its not something I've ever worried about.

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