Dec262011
Instant Survival Tip: Get the most out of multi-use items
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PDFBy contributor John Heatherly
image by lululemon athleteica
Multi-use items save space in a survival kit or bug-out bag, and they are fun! Here are a few that are worth stocking up on and most are budget-friendly.
Petroleum Jelly – Most everyone you know has used petroleum jelly for chapped lips and dry skin, but how many have mixed it with another multi-use item on our list, cotton balls, to make a quick fire-starter? Simply mix a few cotton-balls with the jelly in a Ziploc bag and have enough tinder for multiple fires.
Cotton Balls – Of course cotton balls are used for cleaning, sanitation, and skin care. As mentioned earlier, they can be mixed with petroleum jelly for fire-starter, or even used as ear-plugs or for blister relief.
Shoe Goo – This awesome adhesive can repair shoes, backpacks or purses, and can even be used to glue fishing lures and flies!
Alcohol Swabs – These should be saved for medical use in the cleaning of cuts and scrapes, especially when soap and water are not available. They are also flammable, and in a pinch can be used as an alternative tinder for a fire.
Iodine – 2% Iodine Tincture can be used to sterilize wounds and to purify water. 5 drops will purify 1 quart of clear water, 10 drops should be used if the water is cloudy.
Kids love to learn about multi-use items like these, so the entire family can join in the fun!
What other multi-use items are you stocking up on?
John is the author of The Survival Template.
© 2011, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.
(21) Readers Comments
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This Boston mom was ready for the worst
I can see why the police did what they did going door to door, but at
INSTANT SURVIVAL TIP: "One Year Food Supply!" A good deal or not?
Youtube is a great place to see how to make rocket stoves, hobo stoves
An Interview with Professional Survival Mom Suzanne
Thanks, PJ! There are so many great people in this community. Lots o
Hillbilly Mom
I am so interested in items with multiple uses too. Since most of our food storage and no perishable storage is taking up so much room, it has been so beneficial to revisit all of the multiple uses for the items we normally have on hand. You can read some of the ones I cam up with at http://hillbillymom08.blogspot.com under the "More than one way to skin a cat".
Mike
Link broke already. Thought you would be in this for the long haul.
traci
as a master cobbler I think shoe goo sucks..I think loctite is the best off the shelf item for repairs..
TheSurvivalMom
Thanks for the info! I'll check around for Loctite.
John A. Heatherly
Thanks Traci and Hillbilly Mom! Great info. and I hadn't thought of loctite for shoes, etc…
alicia
The dark pink shower curtain I retired from my bathroom has been used as a paint drop cloth and more importantly on my daughter's bed when she was throwing up to protect the mattress. It could always be used as a shower curtain again, or hung up in front of a window to block light/view, or anywhere I might need some kind of waterproof cover that's smaller than a tarp. AND I didn't have to spend any money to get it, because it came with the husband!
traumamamma
Another thought that goes along with covering your window is dark vinyl sold by the rolls at hardware stores. Cut lengths for each window 1 foot wider than the window around each side, add enough Duct tape rolled around a small piece of cardboard to tape the entire perimeter of the cut vinyl, fold the vinyl into a small square, stuff the vinyl and the duct tape into a small baggie, mark with a sharpie on the baggie which window it fits, and toss it under the couch. Do this for every window in your house. If you need to shelter-in and cover your windows,, it will be one less thing that you will have to stress about doing. Do this BEFORE you need to…
Brenda
I know it sounds gross – but body bags are very versatile and would make great window covers. I know when I worked at the vet a few years ago they were a heavy duty black plastic – they may have been thinned down in quaility like most things nowdays – you could also use them for collecting water in the rain. Also If you are looking for gauze swabs for your first aid kit check out your local vet. Mine sells a large pack for $8-. The local pharmacy sells the same for $22. Also I know here in Australia they are more stringent about selling medication over the counter, but the local farm supply has lots of medicated animal stuff you can stock up on for human use.
John A. Heatherly
Haha – that pink shower curtain could probably serve as a ponchi shelter in a pinch!
John Issac Elm
Let’s not forget the most multi-use of the multi-use items… PARACORD! (it makes a sweet looking bracelet too:D)
Stephanie
I was going to suggest E6000 instead of Shoe Goo – I first learned about it in a jewelry making class in college, we used to help secure stones to metal or wood. Since college I have used it for EVERYTHING. Shoes, fabric, wood, glass, metal, it doesn't give out in water, heat, or cold and has a little bit of flex to it – to me its priceless.
Traumamamma
Duct tape…duct tape…duct tape! You can fashion a quick water carrier, splint a fracture with DT and sticks,use as a pressure bandage on an open wound, fix a radiator hose, detain an anarchist and the list goes on. Kotex and tampons make great additions to the medical kit…kotex for wounds, tampons for broken noses and severe nose bleeds…Kotex is also a great base for sprouting seeds (keep damp). We even have DT handy in our ER…can't tell you right now some of the things our Docs have used it for…most versatile multi-use on the planet!
TheSurvivalMom
My daughter is a duct tape freak! I can\’t trust her with even a little bit of the stuff because I never know what, or who, will be decorated with tape!
Anna Mercken
Iodine is a problem with shellfish allergies. I recommend a caution statement.
Tim
Garbage bags are light and take up minimal space – several can be tucked into gaps in your BOB or storage spaces. I remember reading years ago in some post-apocalypse fiction of a man who found a warehouse full of garbage bags and became one of the richest men around, simply because they have so many uses.
They can be used as a poncho, a liner for buckets (avoid foodstuffs, though), ground cloth, blackout curtains, wrapped around pipes as insulation, waterproofing, carrying of items, expedient water collection, liner bags for cat box (be it human or feline) and more. You can even (surprise!) use them for garbage! G-bags are extremely versatile, and – at the moment – very easy to acquire.
Jen
I happened to be bored enough to watch bear grylls and he mentioned that duct tape is a great fire starter under any condition. Hadn’t thought of it, thought I’d share. I’m taking old coffee small coffee cans with the plastic lid for a fire kit, with a little bit of everything to start. Also, the pet stores carry the snap on lids that fit cans and they’d be good for keeping little items in a kit. People don’t mention citronella as options for candle additives I don’t know what the ratio would be. Thanks for the reads!!
Julie
Don’t know if anyone will ever see this since the post is so old, but I save my dryer lint, which is mostly cotton (because we mostly wear cotton clothes) and soak that in Vaseline for fire starter. Cotton balls are great, but dryer lint is free.
Spencer
Julie, I saw your comment
– great idea. Also, I think using the cotton balls and petroleum jelly is great…hadn’t thought of that. I also wanted to mention that have a decent knife in any survival kit is also a great idea. They can be used for multiple purposes from cooking, building shelter, starting fires, protection, and more.
William (Bill)
You should definitely include Duct Tape in this list…I’ve used it on countless occasions and even once to fashion a temporary splint…wasn’t the best in the world but it sure did the job
Matt
If you’re going to include a knife, better make it something reasonably small and compact like a pocket knife.
George
Duct tape…duct tape…duct tape!