Mystery Mondays: Bungee Cords & Washing Dishes

July 19th, 2010 |

Author: Kim

Happy Monday! I don’t know if you’re aware, but while I’ve only been writing The Outdoor Princess blog a short time, I’ve been publishing a newsletter since 2006! For today’s Mystery Monday’s article I wanted to share with you two tips from the Pitch Your Tent newsletter.

Like clothespins, bungee cords have a myriad of uses around the campsite. Here’s a tip called

The Art Of the Bungee Cord

The bungee cord is a handy tool that every type of camper can make use of. But, for this tip, I am talking about the Art of the Bungee Cord to secure drawers, doors, and other equipment in your RV.

Most RVs come standard with some mechanism to keep drawers and doors closed. They seem to work fine, as long as the RV never leaves the pavement. Have you ever come to your campsite, at the end of a long bumpy dirt road and find that your drawers and doors have opened, spilling the contents all over?

The perfect solution is the Art of the Bungee Cord! I prefer to use the bungees that are a loop with a ball on one end rather than the type with a hook at either end. Just wrap the bungee between two door handles so the doors can’t open! Make the bungee tight enough the doors (or drawers) stay closed, but not so tight as it puts strain on the handles.

Yesterday, the EatStayPlay.com “Royal” Family took a road trip near Williams, Arizona. We were looking for some places to film for The Outdoor Princess Productions when we wouldn’t be able to get by with our studio setup. (Like cooking or pitching a tent — stuff that HAS to be done in the wilderness!)

We found a few great spots but weren’t able to film because it was raining. In driving through White Horse Lake Campground and Dogtown Lake Campground, there were about a million families out enjoying a weekend of camping.

I can live without my fridge, freezer and microwave when I’m camping, but the appliance that I miss the most is my dishwasher! Here are some tips to make cleanups easier:

7 Camp Clean-Up Tips

Put a pan of water on the stove or fire while you eat so that the water will be hot and ready for cleanup when you are done eating. You want the water as hot as you can stand it — it will cool down quickly and the hotter the water, the more germs it will kill.
Bring liquid soap for dishes. Consider finding something that is labeled as a low-water soap to make cleanup faster. Use small amounts, just enough to clean the dishes, so you don’t waste water on dish washing.
Whenever possible, wash dishes outside instead of in the RV. This keeps your grey water holding tank from becoming full as quickly.
Soak stubborn pots and pans while you’re scrubbing plates and silverware. By the time you’re done, the baked-on food should be loose. If you plan to leave it soaking, be aware that the standing water and food can attract bees, bears and other manners of beasties.
Three words: plastic dish tubs. You’ll want at least two: one for scrubbing, one for rinsing. The goal is to minimize water usage (and time spent doing dishes!) and to maximize the cleanliness ofthe dishes so nobody gets sick.
The soapy water-filled dish tub is great to wash hands in. Just dunk and rub! It’ll work even after the water gets cold.
Keep dish soap in a bottle with a tight fitting lid so it doesn’t leak if it tips. The toggle-button bottles (like for shampoo) aren’t recommended since they can open during changes in elevation.