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Study finds best camp dish-washing method

BRISTOL, England, July 31 (UPI) -- Being sloppy while camping can mean a case of diarrhea, but hand washing and cleaning of dishes can make a difference, says a British study.

Diarrhea is a common illness of wilderness travelers, occurring in about one-third of wilderness participants, according to researchers at the Southmead Hospital in Bristol, England.

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Even with consistent use of water disinfection, Appalachian Trail hikers had a 45 percent diarrhea rate, implying that poor hygiene is a major contributing factor.

The researchers tested 18 different three-bowl dish-washing systems. Only 10 washing methods proved adequate in reducing bacterial loads.

The best system used for camping situations was when a person removes most food residue and grease with detergent in bowl one and then washes the dishes with bleach until visibly clean in bowl two. Then, if safe drinking water can be used in a suitably cleaned bowl three, the utensils can be rinsed to remove disinfectant residue.

The study is published in the Wilderness and Environmental Medicine.

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