6 Ways To Save Water When Dry Camping
6 Ways To Save Water When Dry Camping
Posted on April 2, 2021
The RV life offers a great amount of freedom, but nothing feels quite as free and independent as dry camping. Being completely reliant on your own resources is a great way to experience the tranquility of the wilderness, but it takes a little more organization than regular camping.
In particular, it's vital to keep a close control over your water usage and preservation, or you may find the boondocks to be a very unforgiving place. Here are six ways to save water when camping away from hookups, and ensure that your RV's supply doesn't run dry.
1) Use a Water-Saving Shower Nozzle
A great eco-friendly shower nozzle can reduce the amount of water flowing through it without impacting the feeling of water strength while you lather and rinse. Fitting an RV-friendly nozzle to your shower can save plenty of water when dry camping, keeping you clean while leaving more in your holding tanks for drinking and other uses.
2) Recycle Grey Water
While the output from the dishwasher isn't going to replace any drinking water, it can still be useful for flushing toilets and other uses were purity isn't an issue. Simply divert grey water into a container instead of draining it away, and re-use for essential tasks while leaving more clean water in store for drinking and cooking.
3) Explore Cleaning Alternatives
Buying special low-suds soap reduces the amount of rinsing you need to do after washing your plates and cutlery. And you can make your own, simply by diluting a regular brand with a little water, and adding it to a spray bottle. Spray a little onto your dishes, wipe off with a paper towel, and then give a final quick rinse rather than fully submerging dishes in a sink full of water.
4) Switch to Paper
Or, save even more water by using paper plates instead of regular ones. You can simply throw them on your campfire after use, so that they provide a little extra fuel as well as reducing the water used in washing dishes.
5) Use Body Wipes for Hygiene
While it's not recommended to reduce or eliminate your showers altogether, especially in warm and humid locations, you can reduce the amount of water you pour down the drain by using scented body wipes before bathing. It's easy to get nearly clean with wipes, then get really clean with just a few seconds more in the shower.
6) Use a Dry Shampoo
Lastly, dry shampoos are available which remove grease and dust from your hair without the need for any water. Use these on alternate days, with a regular shampoo in between, and you can cut the amount of water needed for hair washing in half.
What's more, you can make your own dry shampoo easily. Simply combing ordinary cornstarch through your hair will leave it clean and dry, even if it doesn't offer the perfume of store-bought dry shampoos.
These are just six ways to save water when dry camping. On their own they may not make a huge difference, but every little saving will soon mount up, leaving more precious water in your tanks for longer stays in the wilderness.