Basics: Hygiene

3038 Views 15 Replies 13 Participants Last post by Smitty901, Nov 10, 2013

Prepadoodle

Discussion Starter · Sep 30, 2013

OK, so the power is out and won't be coming back anytime soon. There's no city water, no working sewer system, and no stores to shop. Several months have passed since everything went medieval, and it seems the worst of the chaos is past. Now what?

How will you take care of your personal needs? How will you wash your clothes? What will you do for the basics we take for granted; soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, toilet paper, those mysterious "feminine" products?

If you have a septic system, what happens when it needs to be pumped out? Do you know how to set up an outhouse that won't pollute your well? Can you even get water out of your well with no electricity?

We beat the AR vs AK debate to death, and go on at great length about which is the best survival knife, but what about the less glamorous needs of basic hygiene? Do you have a plan?

Save

Reactions: 5

1 - 3 of 16 Posts

kevincali

· #6 · Sep 30, 2013

As long as pits and crotch are washed, I'm fine

I've been experimenting on smoke baths. Light a fire, throw on some extra wood for smoke, then direct the smoke under your shirt/clothes.

But for soap, I have a yucca tree I cut down, and its re growing. You take the green part, smash between 2 rocks, and add water. It suds up, and does a decent job. Smells "green" but better than smelling like poo lol

Save

kevincali

· #8 · Sep 30, 2013

HuntingHawk said:
In 30 years here I have never had to have my septic tank pumped out because of proper drain field & no paper products getting flushed. Paper products go to the dump or can be burned.

Anyone that doesn't set up a rain collection system is missing out on free water.

Same here. Knew the owners here since 1986. I've owned the house for ~3 years. Can't remember the septic ever being pumped.

No chemicals. No non paper products, and to washing 20 loads of laundry or hour long showers.

Where I'm at, if you replace the house, you now HAVE to hook up to sewer. My house may be trashed, but I'm fixing her up so I can stay on septic. I'd hate to be on sewer in a SHTF situation, where there's no pumps to move the stuff through the treatment plants.

Only problem I've had here as far as septic issues was a broken pipe due to a tree root. The tree has been cut down, so no more issues

Save

kevincali

· #13 · Nov 10, 2013

2721turnerhill said:
there are also great websites on how to make your own soap, and many other useful things i have found! BTW....what could replace toilet paper? if you can't wipe WELL with something, you are screwed. what about corncobs? haha!

Seems every week we get a new phone book. I just add them to the pile. I am good on tp. I have a 30 pack of tp put away, and a stack of phone books. I'm good for at LEAST a year. Of course, 1 roll of tp lasts me 2-3 weeks average. More if I'm eating healthy. Less if I'm eating unhealthy lol

So I figure I'm good for about a year. After that, I'll be down to old holey shirts and old clean but holey socks/underwear I've been stashing.

On the job sites, it was common for the tp to be out. All the time. Many times, I've doubled socks or worn an extra shirt INCASE there was no tp. It sucks to have to work with swamp-ass.

Save

1 - 3 of 16 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.

Top Contributors this Month