Dirty camp-pots and forgot the scouring pad?

[Skillet]

Try wadded-up aluminum foil. It will have dozens of small, sharp edges and works well for scouring out cookware etc.

If you've forgotten the foil, then this won't work!

Skillet

[grizzy57]

 Try wood ashes :lol:
              grizzy57

[ShadowMover]

[alpini]

Sand. I've used sand many times.

[Cowpox]

I don't remember which one of the three most popular outdoor magazines (Sports Afield, Field and Stream, or Outdoor Life), had it, but in the 50s and 60s one of them had a little column called Tap's Tips. Much like this forum, people would send in their favorite outdoor tricks, and he would pick one a month for his column. The most memorable one was cleaning a crusty frying pan by hanging it off the end of a boat dock. The water was supposed to soften the mess, and the minnows and panfish would clean all the cracklings out of it. I never tried it, because some of our camp pans would take 15 minutes of boiling water in them, and another 5 minutes of steel wool and elbow grease, so I suspected the fish would never have it ready for breakfast.

[ShadowMover]

If you are near a big ant nest, try placing the pan upside down on the nest. The bigger the ants the quicker the job. I've seen them polish up the inside of a burned bean can. Of course looking at the big picture, camping near ants is a bad idea, and so is feeding them. Use a nest on the other side of the stream  :wink:

[corbanzo]

I usually use grass with some dirt in it, make a good pad.  If it's snowy, then you can use snow, it makes a great scrubber, because of all the crystals.  I remember one time we were feeling lazy.... and we had a dirty pan from the night before... so we just cooked oatmeal in it... that helped a lot!!   :-D

[Jack Ryan]

Horsetail or Scouring Rush used by native Americans to scour pots and pans because of the high silica content. Find in near low areas or consistantly wet areas.

You need water to clean them with any way.

http://www.stokestropicals.com/Equisetum_hyemale_Horsetail_F_P367C0.cfm

[INresponse]

Salt!  Or, better yet, Seasoned Salt such as Lowery's Seasoned Salt or similar.  Pour about a spoonful into the pan and use a papertowel to scour it around.  The salt dries up any grease or liquid, and will scrub loose anything sticking to the pan.  This is a great trick for cast iron pans and dutch ovens.  Also leaves a bit of seasoning in the pan to help with the next meal.

(hint:  when cooking in a cast iron pan heat some bacon or onions in the pan first to help prevent the food from sticking)