Am I missing something or are people actually encouraging pollution of waterways with soaps and detergents by suggesting washing in the streams and lakes? 
US National Parks service stipulates washing yourself and your dishes 200 feet from water sources, biodegradable soap, and scattering grey water widely. In places like Sweden and NZ the locals say the water is clean enough to drink straight from the lake, don't we want to encourage keeping it that way? I know there are places where the occasional hiker washing in the river isn't going to have much impact, but they are fewer than you might think. (story of a fisherman in NZ hiking in miles to fish pristine water, then finding all the fish suddenly disappear. Up stream about a mile, a hiker had been washing his socks.)
Anyway, I have never managed hot showers in the middle of nowhere, best I manage is hanging a 2litre Dromlite with some warmed water from my stove + cold and washing the top half while bending over at the waist. Bottom half gets washed when going for a movement Means I never need to be fully undressed. Half of an E-Cloth works for scrubbing my face clean without soap. J-Cloth makes a great fast drying towel. I have a military type collapsible bowl, but most often use either my 900ml SnowPeak or my large stainless balti dish for a wash bowl, just less to carry.
Washing times are adjusted by weather, location and wildlife. Middle of the day might be the warmest, sunniest time. First thing in the morning might have a period after the midges and before the deer fly start up. The sheltered spot found mid morning might be more private than the campsite first thing.
US National Parks service stipulates washing yourself and your dishes 200 feet from water sources, biodegradable soap, and scattering grey water widely. In places like Sweden and NZ the locals say the water is clean enough to drink straight from the lake, don't we want to encourage keeping it that way? I know there are places where the occasional hiker washing in the river isn't going to have much impact, but they are fewer than you might think. (story of a fisherman in NZ hiking in miles to fish pristine water, then finding all the fish suddenly disappear. Up stream about a mile, a hiker had been washing his socks.)
Anyway, I have never managed hot showers in the middle of nowhere, best I manage is hanging a 2litre Dromlite with some warmed water from my stove + cold and washing the top half while bending over at the waist. Bottom half gets washed when going for a movement
Means I never need to be fully undressed. Half of an E-Cloth works for scrubbing my face clean without soap. J-Cloth makes a great fast drying towel. I have a military type collapsible bowl, but most often use either my 900ml SnowPeak or my large stainless balti dish for a wash bowl, just less to carry.Washing times are adjusted by weather, location and wildlife. Middle of the day might be the warmest, sunniest time. First thing in the morning might have a period after the midges and before the deer fly start up. The sheltered spot found mid morning might be more private than the campsite first thing.
