little things that get ya

1 hand/body soap
2 shampoo
3 deodorant
4 toothpaste
5 bug spray
6 aspirin

What do all these things have in common? They are forgotten easily they are all important and they are seldom put into survival supplies. even when they are included they will not be replaceable in a total breakdown.

We will need to find alternatives that can be made around the home for these items. This isn't one of those threads to give answers this is one of those threads to get you thinking and and researching. and hopefully sharing what you have learned.

For those interested. I will not be posting for a while. any ware on ATS BTS or PTS. I find the disrespect twords others ideas and the cockiness that comes along with that disrespect has taken all the fun out of it for me. When the fun went the effectiveness went as well. If I cant help then there is no use for me to be here. and Right now I cant help. I will be back eventually but for now I will just be sticking to my own web site. if for any reason any body needs me (which is highly unlikely) just click the link.
simple survival forums

So to all my friends I am sorry and I will miss you all.

Excellent points AA. Things will normalize here soon. I believe Johnny and Bill are working on it now. Growing pains.
I went for a 12 mile canoe trip with my gf years ago and forgot the bug spray. Deer flies tore the sh out me the whole way. She, for whatever reason got like two bites. It was the longest 12 miles of my life.
Good, good points.
Thanks
John

Always interesting to see survival posts. Hope to see you back when things settle down. Thanks for sharing your site, love survival sites.

To bad as I get here you leave. I have been Reading the Survival Forums for several days and read a ton of your post.

No offense your smart and appear to know what you are doing but your overly sensitive. I think taking a break and settling down is a good thing.

I do know a way to cut down on the number of fleas in your house. Take a bowl of water and put in one or two drops of dish soap. then put a green light either above it or behind it. It works best at night.

The Fleas are attracted to the light they jump at the light and land in the water. the dish soap breaks the surface tension allowing the flea to sink and dround. We have many pets that live with us so fleas have always been a problem. this works best in a closed room.

Hope this helps.

I agree that the devil is in the detail, but running out of shamppo, soap, toothpaste, deodorant or aspirin is not life threatening. Bathing in fresh water once a week is good enough, it is possible to look after your teeth well without a toothbrush or toothpaste and who cares if you smell? Bug spray is a must, but there are natural alternatives:

Citronella Oil
Lemon Eucalyptus Oil
Cinnamon Oil
Castor Oil
Rosemary Oil
Lemongrass Oil
Cedar Oil
Peppermint Oil
Clove Oil
Geranium Oil

If you can't use chemicals then use distractions, employ a good mosquito net and limit you active hours to avoid the times when biting insects are most active (usually evening and night time). Ultimately if you end up in the wilderness for a long time then you will have to make the break from man made products so prepare to be short of anything that you get from the supermarket!

Great list. Would suggest a towel as a contribute to "Hitchhikers guide".
Even greater news that majority of these things are actually not that hard to make:
1:soap - soap is "easily" made from animal fat and simple chemicals. You can google the internet for thousands of types. For example:
www.i4at.org...
Add aromatic oils for smell ,olive oils.... You can establish an industry basicly.
2: Shampoo - harder to make, but soap could be used. Not the same but never the less.
3: Deodorant - use aromatic oils.
4:Toothpaste: also , as a sope not a big problem : -chemistry.about.com...
You can find other ways as well.
5: Bug spray - well, depends what bug. Can't help here,but generally certain aromatic oils could help for certain mosqueetos, for example.
6: Aspirin - well ,aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) is derivative from salicylic acid, found in many plants , and, for example in a bark of willow tree.
If there is a decent chemist, he can extract it and even make it into Aspirin, as it has less side-effects then salicylic acid as it is. In ancient times people used to eat the bark (not advisable!!!!! :lol to ease the feaver.

It may be good to have a tube of super glue gel and a styptic pencil (large size)to shave powder off of to stop bleeding. I carry a small one in my backpack. The super glue gel can be used by applying very tiny drops at 1/2" intervals instead of needle and thread sutures to close a wound. Leave plenty of space between drops for weeping and healing. Never close a would unless all dirt and terrestrial material has been cleansed out and removed, or the green will come quickly.

Originally posted by Naboo the Enigma
I agree that the devil is in the detail, but running out of shamppo, soap, toothpaste, deodorant or aspirin is not life threatening.

Well it is how you look at it. aspirin can and does save peoples lives

Bathing in fresh water once a week is good enough

In my opinion it is only good enough temporally. Soap was invented for a reason. warm water does not remove bacteria and germs especially when they have a chance to build up.

it is possible to look after your teeth well without a toothbrush or toothpaste

Please share some alternatives ways of oral maintenance.

and who cares if you smell?

Smell is lack of hygiene lack of hygiene can make you very sick

Bug spray is a must, but there are natural alternatives:

Citronella Oil
Lemon Eucalyptus Oil
Cinnamon Oil
Castor Oil
Rosemary Oil
Lemongrass Oil
Cedar Oil
Peppermint Oil
Clove Oil
Geranium Oil

If you can't use chemicals then use distractions, employ a good mosquito net and limit you active hours to avoid the times when biting insects are most active (usually evening and night time). Ultimately if you end up in the wilderness for a long time then you will have to make the break from man made products so prepare to be short of anything that you get from the supermarket!

Good list Looks like I have lots of researching to do.
(I hope I did this quote thing rite it is my first time)
anybody know what those little star things are?

little things that get ya


soap can be made with both animal and plant protein in your home, in the "wild" sand will do in a pinch, but plants such as soap lily (west coast I think) yucca root, and other soapwort plants can be shredded and they get foamy.
these can also be used as shampoos, vinagar works well for rinse and detangler.
deodorant is not a need, though there are natural stones that can be used, I don't know anything about them.
tootpaste in home can be suplamented with baking powerder, out of home any small twig can be crushed to make a brush type end for teeth.
bug stuff in home: pepper, garlic with water, citrus and catnip work, for on the body clove oils, vicks on your ankles works pretty good for ticks but not so good if your hunting. Avoiding standing water, peak bug times and wearing long sleeve and pants help.
making willow bark tea for aspirin takes a long.. long.. time to steep and it tastes horrid but... if you realy need it. Some foods rich in phyitic (sp?) acid such as brown rice and whole rye are said to have aspirin qualities. Maby making a soup broth of this could help. If aspirine is used for a pain medication there are altenative ways to deal with pain.

Do I get a prize?

reply to post by quantum wind

--> Begin external source content The first toothpaste on record was from Egypt, around 2000 B.C. It was made from ground pumice and wine vinegar and brushed on with a chew stick.
Roman toothpaste was made with human urine, and could be used as a mouthwash in its liquid form. The urine from the Portuguese was considered the strongest and therefore the most expensive. (Urine as an ingredient in toothpaste continued to be used through the 18th century. It pays to know these things before experimenting.)
Early wooden toothpicks were found objects, each fashioned ad hoc from a broken twig or stalk with a pointed end. Often, the other end of the twig was chewed until its fibers separated to form a primitive toothbrush called a chew-stick.

--> End external source content
also see this site
www.nst.com.my...

reply to post by quantum wind


"Smell is lack of hygiene lack of hygiene can make you very sick"

Smell alone is not a sign of a lack of hygiene.
Deodorants and Antiperspirants are unnecissary to survival and may be detrimental to it in a survival situation. Most Deodorants and Antiperspirants contain perfume which any hunter and or military person knows will give your position away, whereas your natural body oder will not, provided you are getting proper nutrition and washing your body regularly. Antiperspirants can be dangerous because they interfere with sweating, the bodies natural cooling process.

--> Begin external source content Most people think that antiperspirants and deodorants are the same thing, but they aren't. Antiperspirants work by clogging, closing, or blocking the pores with powerful astringents such as aluminum salts so that they can't release sweat. (Note that aluminum can accumulate in the brain.) Deodorants work by neutralizing the smell of the sweat and by antiseptic action against bacteria. Deodorants are preferable because they don't interfere with sweating, a natural cooling process.
Baking soda works wonders because it neutralizes the odor of sweat. Just sprinkle a light covering of baking soda onto a damp washcloth. Pat on. Don't rinse.

Basic Deodorant Powder
1/2 cup baking soda
1/2 cup cornstarch
a few drops essential oils such as lavender or cinnamon (Optional)

Place the ingredients in a glass jar. Shake to blend. Sprinkle a light covering of the powder on a damp washcloth. Pat on. Don't rinse.

Basic Liquid Deodorant
1/4 cup each witch hazel extract, aloe vera gel, and mineral water
1 teaspoon vegetable glycerin
a few drops antibacterial essential oils such as lavender (optional)

Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle. Shake to blend.
Makes 3/4 cup
Shelf life: Indefinite
from: www.care2.com...

--> End external source content

I didn't see anyone mention those "thai crystal" deoderant sticks. They last a really REALLY long time and they are scentless while they keep the wearer relatively scentless as well.

Water and friction can do a pretty good job of cleaning the body so I wouldn't go overboard and pack a whole medicine cabinet.

reply to post by stikkinikki

Water and friction can do a pretty good job of cleaning the body so I wouldn't go overboard and pack a whole medicine cabinet.

Very good point, running water from a stream and sand from the bottom can get you just as clean as soap in most cases.

Tar (the kind you use on woode boats) is a great bug deterrent. It allso doubles as facial camo
People have used it in these woods for a thousand years.


One issue are the goods that loose their normal use in a sitX. For example carwax does wonders to waterproofing of old leather shoes/boots.

I had a doctor friend from China that used salt to brush his teeth. He said toothpaste was basically powdered aluminum, and bad for you. His teeth were clean enough, but his breathe was definitely not minty fresh!

He also preferred soy sauce to salad dressing, lived mostly off fruits and vegetables, and ate very little if any meat. For exercise he walked and did Tai Chi. Considering his diet, I'd say he was a very healthy and physically fit person compared to most of us Americans.

reply to post by LLoyd45


Yep, I've used salt before and it does work but it wears on the enamel so a better choice would be baking soda. lol Mint grows wild here so we can just pick it (in season) and chew.

something me and the wife overlooked was her ... um monthly visitor and the product that keeps it in check in addition to the good ideas posted by angry american.