How Do You Clean Dishes Without Soap?
• Heat some water. If it’s from a natural source, boil it if possible. • Remove any chunks of solid matter from the greasy pots. Leave a small amount of grease. • Toss a good handful of clean wood ashes into the pots, and pour in some hot water. Stir it thoroughly and let it sit for a few minutes. While it’s sitting, the hot water is dissolving Potassium Carbonate (K2CO3) from the ashes. This makes a strong alkali solution. The alkali water then reacts with the fatty acids in the grease to make soap. • Scrub the pot. The ashes act as an abrasive. If you need more abrasive, add some dirt. Rinse the pot, and your hands in clean water. You don’t want to leave soap or alkali water on your pots or hands. • Find some sandy gravely dirt, with no bugs or organic matter • Toss a handful into your dishes and scrub vigorously, using it as an abrasive. • Wipe them thoroughly clean. If all the food matter is gone, there won’t be much for bacteria to cling to. If you do have a nearby stream, rinse t
