The safest soap you can use for washing your dishes on a camping trip is biodegradable soap. This is because it doesn’t contain the same chemicals that regular dish detergents do, so it is far less likely to have an impact on the environment or on any surrounding wildlife.
The reason you shouldn’t use standard dish detergents is that the ingredients are non-biodegradable. This means that bacteria cannot decompose them and, as such, they remain in the environment for much longer. So, if you were to empty a sinkful of water with standard dish detergent in it onto some soil, the chemicals will stay in the earth for a very long time.
You might be thinking that, if this is the case, surely emptying your washing up water into a river is a better idea. But you’d be very, very wrong! Standard dish detergents have a harmful effect on any fish living in the river, and high concentrations of dish detergent can cause the following:
Weakens mucus layers that usually protect the fish from bacteria and diseases
A reduced ability to breed
The destruction of eggs
Decreased surface tension, meaning fish are more susceptible to pesticide absorption
So, to avoid all of these things from happening, use biodegradable soap when you're washing your dishes on a camping trip. Sierra Dawn Concentrated Campsuds is one of the best biodegradable soaps available. It also has a nice, refreshing pine scent, so you won’t have to worry about running the gorgeous smell of the surrounding woodland!