Preparedness. It’s as simple as being prepared. For what are we preparing. Some people start with TEOTWAWKI aka The End of the World as We Know it. While that is not outside the realm of possibility, it is much more likely that something much smaller than TEOTWAWKI. It may be a prolonged winter storm, a hurricane, or a job loss.
When people prepare for only the end of the world, they don’t think about stockpiling things like personal care items, hygiene items, feminine care items. “Cleanliness” isn’t just ‘next to Godliness.” Being clean can keep things feeling more normal. It can keep minor cuts from becoming a major infection. Being clean keeps things running smoothly in a short-term emergency. We need to make sure we maintain good hygiene so that we can keep ourselves healthy.
So to keep yourself clean:
Bar Soap
Liquid handsoap
Shampoo
toothpaste
toothbrushes
floss
mouthwash
Deodorant
Razor
Shave cream/gel
Q-tips
Keep Your Clothes and Dishes Clean:
Dish soap
Dishwasher soap
Fabric Softener
Laundry detergent 
Homemade laundry detergent usually has 3 main ingredients: some sort of soap, washing soda, and a whitener of some kind. Here’s a simple recipe for making your own laundry soap. Most homemade laundry soaps contain some questionable products.
Laundry Soap Ingredients
1 Bar Dr. Bronner’s unscented soap
1 Box Washing Soda
1 container of Oxiclean
Laundry Soap Directions:
1.) Grate the bar of soap or use a food processor to pulverize it for you.
2.) Mix the soap, the OxiClean, and the washing soda together.
3.) Use 1-2 T of the mixture per load
For Feminine Hygiene Needs:
Reusable feminine pads
I highly recommend having what is known as “Mama Cloth” or reusable feminine pads on hand. I do recommend them for every day, but especially for emergency situations. These can be washed and reused. They should be sanitized at least as well to keep them from spreading germs. Sanitizing them is as simple as putting a full scoop of OxiClean into a sink at least half full of water. Let this sit in the sink for an hour or so. The main ingredient in OxiClean is peroxide, so it will help kill germs that may be on the cloth pads without damaging the print that may be on them. Once you’ve soaked them on OxiClean, you can clean them by washing them in the washing machine them as normal. You may remember from an earlier post that using a clothesline can help to sanitize the items that you hang out. This would include reusable feminine pads.
disposable pads
So why do I recommend storing disposable pads if I also advocate for cloth pads. Even though cloth pads may be sanitized, sometimes (because they are slightly thicker than today’s thin pads) they can cause infections from chafing. Having disposable pads on hand is an important part of a woman’s preparedness regardless of whether or not she is using reusable feminine pads.
reusable menstrual cup
A reusable menstrual cup keeps you from needing to stock an inordinate amount of tampons. It is reusable. It will need to be sanitized. This is easier than the reusable pads because you can just boil the cup.
tampons
Having some tampons on hand as well as the reusable cup is important for the same reason that having disposable pads on hand is. If something happens and you can’t use a menstrual cup you have tampons on hand.
GoGirl
I recommend this especially for grab and go bags. A “GoGirl” allows women to pee standing up. It keeps things simpler and neater especially if you are out and about or can’t find a bathroom to stop.
What About You?
Have you given thought to having personal care and hygiene items on hand? Have you thought of each of these? Is there anything that we’re missing?
Remember, knowledge isn’t just knowing something. It’s living it!
There are links in this post. Some of the links may be affiliate links. Some of the links may not be. My promise to you is that I will only recommend the most economical version of the best quality of items to serve you. These are the items that I have bought for my own family. You can feel free to use my affiliate links, of which I will get a small amount in compensation, or you can choose to search out your products on your own.
That chubby baby is adorable! =) I’ll admit that food and water were our first “preps”, but it didn’t take long for us to start stashing cleaning products for home and body. We live in the country now, so running to the store for soap, food, etc., is very inconvenient and we’re very thankful to have everyday items on hand. =) It doesn’t have to be TEOTWAWKI for your “preps” to be useful. Sometimes, you just need a bottle of dishsoap for your children to make bubbles and you shouldn’t have to run to the store.
Truth. We tend to focus on food & forget about cleaning & hygiene. I’d add hand sanitizer (in bulk for the house and travel sized for go bags) for washing when water is scarce. Clothes pins and clothes line, again for doing laundry when elecricity is sketchy. Baking soda & vinegar – the soda is abrasive and safe for any surface and paired with vinegar makes a very reliable cleaning agent. I also have dry shampoo. I don’t use it normally, but if water is scarce, it’s a great alternative for hair washing. And bleach. I avoid it for daily use, but in a really dire situation, it can snuff out bacteria like nothig else. Diaper wipes. Great for keeping clean if you can’t have a daily shower or if you’re on the go. Also sponges & scrubbies are super cheap at the Dollar Store.