The Game is a Foot

Humans are bilaterally symmetrical bipeds. As such, we're designed to spend a lot of time on our feet. Unfortunately, Americans generally don't do enough of this. Both extremes of these circumstances can lead to a variety of health issues, specifically foot problems. Thankfully, in addition to balancing our activity levels, we also live in a time where a number of products are available to help maintain foot health.

Keep Your Feet Clean & Dry

I keep packets of baby wipes in my car, as well as my toiletry kit for travel. These can be used to clean any part of my body, not just my feet. A similar product called Dude Wipes is also available.

https://amzn.to/40rxJYA

When our feet are wet, they are more susceptible to fungal growth (such as athlete's foot) as well as abrasion injuries, so keeping them dry is in our best interests. Microfiber towels are remarkably absorbent, and have a variety of other uses aside from their drying power.

https://amzn.to/4hafoF9

Talcum powder is a finely ground and extremely soft mineral that absorbs both moisture and (to some degree) odors. It can be applied directly to the feet (especially between the toes) and sprinkled inside shoes to help keep our feet dry. Many types of commercially available talc-free powders are blended with anti-bacterial medications as well.

Wear a Clean Pair of Wool Socks

For colder weather, or situations where we might not be able to change them regularly, merino wool (or other wicking material) socks are recommended. For those with circulatory issues, compression socks can help reduce blood pooling in our feet, a condition that can lead to increased mobility issues, neuropathy, and foot pain. Spare socks should always be part of our Bug-Out, Get-Home, or any other travel supplies.

Protect Against Injuries

A good pair of insoles will cushion our feet against shocks while simultaneously supporting our arches. Regardless of the type purchased, they should be replaced every three to six months.

https://amzn.to/4h89m7P

If we do suffer an abrasion injury to our feet (whether due to poor fitting shoes, moisture, or some other cause) it needs to be dealt with quickly so as not to become debilitating. A product called Moleskin is available, both as adhesive sheets and as little donuts for use on blisters.

https://amzn.to/40uoPsn

Finally, keeping our toenails trimmed is important for comfort as well as health. When wearing closed toe shoes, long toenails can impinge against the shoe, frequently leading to pain on even a relatively short walk. Bacteria can also find a cozy home under untrimmed nails.

https://amzn.to/4h7KI78

For those with other health related foot problems, such as diabetes, please seek out the care of a licensed podiatrist.

Foot Note

While not everyone is able to toe the line, this is a subject that touches our sole.

Luxe Bidet 120 Follow-Up

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography.

Used with permission.

With all the rumors about toilet paper shortages in the wake of Hurricane Helene and the dockworkers' strike, it's time to revisit the product review post I made back in 2020. Go read that first, then come back for this follow-up. 

Disclaimer: In order to write a useful post about this subject, I need to talk about things which a lot of people find distasteful and/or embarrassing. Everybody poops and everybody needs to wipe, so let's just be adults about this.

The Luxe 120 that I bought back in December 2020 still works fine, although there are a few issues I have with cleaning it. First, cleaning the part of the toilet behind the bidet nozzle is inconvenient at best (I use a Clorox Toilet Wand and it can reach most areas with a bit of work) and difficult at worst, especially when it comes to removing dried-on particles. Fortunately, Luxe has addressed that issue with their latest model which flips up for easy cleaning ($44 on Amazon as of this writing). 

The Luxe Bidet 120 Plus

The second issue that I have is related to the first: despite the self-clean feature, the nozzle itself must be periodically cleaned to prevent bacterial biofilm, aka "pink mold", from growing on it and impeding the nozzle's protraction and retraction. In my case this is easily handled by opening the protective door, pulling the nozzle down and giving the entire area a good scrub with the toilet wand at the same time I'm cleaning the bowl. I expect that the new flip-up feature would make this cleaning much easier and perhaps needed less often. 

If I should ever need to purchase another bidet, I'm definitely getting the new flip-up model, but mine is still working great and shows no signs of stopping. My toilet paper usage has been drastically diminished, and overall I just feel cleaner. The only drawback to this bidet is that I miss it terribly whenever I go out of town. I make do with flushable baby wipes, but it's not the same, especially when my lower back arthritis is acting up and making it difficult to reach behind me. 

This new version also doesn't require a full removal of the toilet seat to install,
which is a welcome change and a big help.

My Recommendation: Still A+

As I mentioned in my previous product review: 

If you're a human being who poops, buy this. It's more comfortable than dry wiping, it's probably better for the long-term function of your septic system to flush less toilet paper, and the paper you do use will last longer. It's easy to install, it's great if you have health problems (including reduced flexibility that makes wiping difficult), and if you register it comes with a 2 year warranty. 

Buy one now, before the next (real or imagined) toilet paper shortage. 

Dear FTC: I bought this product with my own money. Go away. 

Prepper's Hygiene: Cremo Shave Cream for your BOB

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping. 

I don't do many Product Tests outside of camping or prepping related gear, but this is one of those times, as this product is in my Get Home Bag and in the Bug Out Bag pile of stuff that will go into the trunk of the car. I've written about having several personal care items, like toothpaste and a very good liquid soap, in my BOB. When I was younger and single, shaving every day wasn't so important, and when hiking or camping I didn't shave. a at all. Now that I'm older, not single anymore, and The Purple Pack lady has sensitive skin, shaving has become more important to me so I have Cremo Barber Grade Original Shave Cream in my preps. 

https://amzn.to/3szR1wX

 

 From the Amazon ad:

• Impossibly slick formula fights nicks, irritation and razor burn
• Gives you a close, comfortable shave
• Original formula with a subtle citrus scent
• 90-day supply, which lasts longer than average shave cream/gel
• Rich and concentrated cream made with high quality ingredients including Macadamia Seed Oil, Aloe, Calendula Extract, Lemon Extract, Papaya Extract, and Olive Leaf Extract. Paraben Free. Not tested on animals

I was pointed to this brand several years ago by a fellow sales rep when I forgot to pack whatever can of goo I was using at the time. I was converted that week to this wonderful product. I've tried many different brands, from aerosols to other tube-type creams, and this is my favorite. 

What makes this so different, and in my opinion a superior aid to shaving? Several points:

1. Since this is a non-aerosol, you can put it in your carry-on bag.
2. A 6oz. tube can last several months.
3. You don't need to use very much per shave; no more than an almond-sized squeeze will work just fine for the average male face. 

One thing I do need to mention is that your face needs to be wet for Cremo to spread evenly. I mean really wet, to the point of "water dripping off it" wet. To use it, I put the hottest water I can stand on the area to be shaved for 30 seconds to one minute, then squeeze out the needed amount and spread evenly on my skin. 

I find that wetting my hands several times helps to get everything smoothed out well. Since there isn't a 3/8" layer of foam on your skin, putting a little water on your fingers and re-activating Creamo ahead of your next area to shave helps to prevent razor burn. When I'm out of town and not directly responsible for the utility bills, I shave in the shower, which helps keep my skin wet and the Cremo smooth. 

Another difference from traditional canned shaving creams is that Cremo doesn't foam or fluff up when applied, but instead gets sort of slippery as more water is added. Since it isn't fluffy, you'll need to rinse your razor more than you normally think is needed. I use a Schick razor and my beard is not heavy by any measure,  but the razor needs to be rinsed 5-6 times while shaving.

I can't recommend this shave cream any higher than to say that my wife borrows it and keeps a travel size tube in her makeup kit!

Recap and Takeaway

• Look at this shave cream if you aren't satisfied with your current brand and look at the whole family of products. I'm not sure a Mango shave cream is necessary, but it is your choice and your money! I stick with the original version, as certain fragrances and chemicals give me a rash.
• The original scent is available in 1oz and 6oz sizes. Sorry, everything else is 6 oz only.
• Purchased a 6 oz tube of Cremo Barber Grade Original Formula from Amazon, $6.99 with Prime. (Actually I buy a 2 pack, since I know how it works!)

* * *

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

 

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

"It's just a scratch. Why the big deal about cleaning it?"

Because not cleaning it might lead to a real problem, up to and including death.

This is a tale about cellulitis infection. It's caused by common bacteria that are harmless unless they can get into your body, and all it takes for that to happen is a little scratch or scrape. It's a personal tale.

Last summer, the evening after a day trying to get some mowing and cleanup done between rain, my left foot was a bit sore. No big deal, I thought, I probably banged it on something earlier. That was a Tuesday. The next day it was a bit swollen and a tiny bit more sore.
By Thursday, it was a bit more of each, but no big deal. Come Friday evening, it was noticeably more swollen and definitely had more soreness. I promised myself that if it wasn't better by Monday, to the doctor I would go.

Saturday morning, I knew I had a real problem when I woke up in the driveway, wondering why I was face-down and bleeding. I'm not sure how long it took to get my mind to the proper line of thought, which was "I need help, and that means a phone." I finally made my way back into the house, where I kind of collapsed on the desk. Eventually I remembered why I was there, and called my daughter.

How serious was it? When she first got there she thought for a moment that I might be dead. I passed out again while she was calling 911, and again while the ambulance guys were working on me. 

This was my first ambulance ride, and I'd rather not repeat it. There were no red lights or sirens, but I'll tell you this: if you have a bloody head injury and they've called ahead that you've gone unconscious twice since they arrived, you practically fly into a treatment room.

Happily, various antibiotics will kill this infection. They had me on an IV full of them for two days, then sent me home with a prescription for the oral versions. 

Which brings me to this year. Last month I had pruned some holly and everything seemed fine, but when I got up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom a few weeks ago, my hand was sore. Yes, I'd gotten a few scratches on that hand, but right after I finished pruning I'd washed and put some New Skin on them. As it turns out, I probably should have done that when the scratches happened.

That morning my hand was more sore, and it had a swollen patch on the back. I went to work about 9 am; by 10 am, it was more swollen and painful, so I called the doctor's office to see if could get in. No joy; it was the Friday before Labor Day, and most people were already gone. By 11 am I told my coworker "I need to head to the emergency room." He wondered why I waited this long, so off I went. 

When the doctor came into the exam room I told him about last year,. He took one look at the hand and said "I think that's what this is," so once again I wound up in a treatment room with an IV of serious antibiotics running. I think part of their motivation involved me suddenly getting woozy and having trouble speaking properly -- again, like what happened last year. This time it was caught early enough, or maybe the hand/arm is easier to treat; in any case, after about an hour of the antibiotics I felt much better, and shortly after that they sent me home. 

In a survival situation, this same illness would have been bad at best, and at worst could easily turn fatal. Take care of those scratches and dings as soon as possible with soap and antiseptics. 

Keep It Clean, Folks

“Roughing it” or living in primitive conditions doesn't mean you have to -- or should -- live in squalor. Sanitation and hygiene are two of the biggest contributors to long, healthy living, and the human race has made great improvements in these areas in the last few centuries: sanitary sewers, canned food, and personal hygiene are all fairly recent inventions if you look at the entirety of human history.

Western civilization gets a lot of bad publicity in the various media for some of the things that occurred since the end of the Dark Ages, but very little praise for the things that it got right. Yes, slavery and colonization under “Manifest Destiny” was generally a bad thing. A lot of groups had their territory and lifestyles destroyed by European settlers, but they also garnered the benefits of centuries of trial-and-error learning about disease and health. Let's look at some of the basics.

Don't Defecate Where You Eat

This may sound like common sense, something we're taught at a very young age, but for most of history and most of the world it is an issue. Many places in Africa, South and Central America, and Asia still lack sewers and the results are not healthy. Fecal contamination is the main cause of diseases such as typhoid fever, tapeworms, Giardia, and a host of others. 

Learn basic field hygiene and how to crap in the woods if you're expecting to be away from a modern bathroom. Travel to areas that lack modern sanitation systems will require preparation and forethought if you want to avoid “Montezuma's Revenge”... or worse.

"Employees Must Wash Hands Before Returning to Work"

If you have to post signs in the bathrooms, that's an indication to me that some people aren't using common sense (and common decency). Some things are best not shared... in addition to the fecal matter mentioned above, other bodily fluids can carry diseases like Hepatitis and the cold/flu. 

I have been accused of going overboard on this subject (I wash my hands a lot), but I also have worked with chemicals most of my life and don't really want to ingest any of the nastier ones. It's not just diseases that can make your life miserable: chemical contamination from handling fertilizer, pesticides, or just about any industrial chemical is a serious issue. Lead dust from the reloading bench, unknown substances from sorting through trash/recycling, and petroleum products from working on machinery all come to mind.

Pease porridge hot, pease porridge cold...

Preparation of food has improved more than most people know. In an age where we can get fresh foods delivered to our doorsteps every day or pick up fresh fruits and vegetables at a grocery store regardless of the season, keeping a pot of soup simmering for days or weeks is a foreign concept. The “pease porridge” in the nursery rhyme is what we know as split-pea soup made from dried peas, an easily produced and stored food. The pot was kept hung over the firebox of a fireplace to keep it warm, but the fluctuation in temperatures produced an ideal growing place for bacteria. 

Keep all food hot, not warm. There's a reason state and county food service inspectors spot check buffets with a thermometer, and that reason is keeping food above 165°F will prevent bacterial growth. Heat kills pathogens, while cold will slow them down.

Cool It

Refrigeration is one of the biggest improvements to daily life in human history; greatly reducing food-borne illness by preventing microbial growth has changed life more than most people think. Insects tend to go dormant or die at any temperature below 40°F, and bacteria and other simple life-forms slow way down as the temperature gets close to freezing. 

You're not going to destroy most bacteria with any common cooling equipment, but you can keep it from reproducing and at a level that your body can tolerate. Less than a hundred years ago, ice houses and harvesting ice were still the main way to keep food cool. The invention of home refrigeration changed the way people buy, prepare, and store food; look into how your great-grandparents lived if you want ideas for how to deal with life without an electric refrigerator. 

On a side note, there are alternatives to electric refrigerators. I covered the propane-fired type in an article about RVs, but there are companies making them in larger sizes. Living in the frozen north, I could rely on harvested ice and an ice house, given enough time. Stored ice as a way to preserve food has been around for at least 3000 years, and it still works.

We have it good right now, but preparing for times without the niceties of electricity and running water is part of why we're called preppers. Think ahead, and try to make do with what you have available.

Dirty Dishes

Having spent time around extended family, most of whom are not preppers, I've noticed that the younger generations are lacking in basic skills and  have no idea what to do without access to modern amenities like electricity and clean, running water.

One of the ways this was brought to my attention was cleaning up after a family dinner: the dishwasher was (over)loaded and there were still dishes to be cleaned, so a cousin and I started washing them in the kitchen sink. You'd have thought we were magicians by the way the under-30 crowd was reacting to two old men washing dishes faster, cleaner, and more efficiently than the machine under the counter. Add in the jovial banter and conversation and it was actually a pleasant time. We had twice as many done as the machine before it was finished with its cycle... and ours were cleaner, too.

Washing dishes isn't hard. I grew up doing them by hand, and have not seen a household-grade dishwasher that can match hand-washing for sanitation and cleaning. College and 16 years working in a laboratory gave me plenty of practice cleaning glassware, and when you're using that glassware to measure chemical and biological components, clean and sterile are requirements rather than goals.

My cousin worked in packing plants and kitchens for most of his life and knows how to clean things rapidly and well. Years of camping, most of them in tents or towed campers, taught us how to “rough it” without getting ill from eating off of dirty dishes.

TSHTF isn't always a permanent thing; sometimes you just need to be able to survive a few days, weeks or months until things can get back to “normal”. Consider the following scenarios: a storm has passed and you're without electricity for a week or two; the city has problems with their water plant and issues a “boil order” for the tap water for a week; your dishwasher breaks and the repair parts or replacement unit is on back-order (or stuck on a container ship off the coast of California); you lose your job and have to cut back on expenses like water and electricity bills. 

Here's how to properly clean dishes and cooking utensils without an expensive appliance.

Preparation

• Plan your meals to use as few dishes as possible. This is the “Spartan” kitchen philosophy: do more with less and you'll have less to clean, carry, or store. Aim for dining hall trays instead of a full set of dinnerware for each person; one tray is easier to clean than 4-6 plates and bowls. I keep a supply of paper plates and plastic dinnerware in the pantry for ease of clean-up, but that is a finite resource and creates more waste.
• Plan your menu to reduce leftovers. If everyone cleans their plate, there's less to wash off after the meal. Add a piece of bread to the meal so diners can wipe up gravy or sauces. The cook can use the same trick to get the bottom of their pots and pans ready for washing.
• Having raised children and served in the Army, I've found that picky eaters lose that attitude when they get hungry enough. 
• Portion control is important when dealing with hungry people, too. They tend to take more food than they'll eat and that creates more waste to dispose of later.
• Have your washing equipment ready before the meal and start washing as soon as possible after. Dried food is harder to remove, so get it before it gets to that stage. When camping, Mom would put a pot of water on the stove/fire while we were eating to ensure we had hot water for washing with when the meal was done.

Washing

The “3 bucket method” is common and has been used for decades. You don't have to use actual buckets; I've used plastic tubs and double-basin sinks. 

• Bucket #1 is full of hot, soapy water. As hot as you can stand to put your hands in, and as little soap as you can use while still having suds (foam) on the surface.
• Bucket #2 is a clean water rinse. After shaking the soapy water off of the dishes, they are dipped into the rinse water to remove the last bits of soap.
• Bucket #3 is a sanitizing solution. Boiling water works, as will a dilute bleach mixture or one of the commercially available sanitizing mixes. This is an extra step used primarily when dealing with larger groups or when living outdoors. If you're in a house and have basic sanitation in place, it can be skipped.

How it works:

1. Everybody eats all of the food given them and wipes down their dishes before bringing them to the washing station. A quick pre-rinse with a bit of water doesn't hurt. 
2. Dishes are washed from the cleanest to the dirtiest, with the greasy pots saved for last. This extends the life of the soapy water. Utensils usually get washed first because they're small and tend to have more places for food residue to hide.
3. Using a scrubber or sponge, dishes are washed in bucket #1 to get food residue off. They are then given a quick rinse in clean water in bucket #2 before going into the sanitizer if you choose to use one. Air-dry or towel-dry as time and space allows before putting the clean dishes away to deter mold and bacterial growth. 
4. Once all of the dishes are clean, dispose of the wash water away from your water source and use the rinse water to wash out the buckets for their next use.

My family has the tradition that when we get together for a large meal, the women cook and the men clean up afterwards. For day-to-day life, I generally take care of both for various reasons. I prefer to wash my dishes by hand since it's just the two of us now, we don't create enough dirty dishes to require a dishwasher, and I've never been satisfied with their performance anyway.

The Lunatec Aquabot

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

I wasn't sure what I'd talk about today, and then the Lunatec Aquabot arrived in the mail. The Aquabot is a lid which fits on most wide-mouth Nalgene bottles, turning them into a pressurized water sprayer. 

https://amzn.to/3yhp1wl

The Aquabot has three settings:

1. Mist, which is good for keeping cool in the heat. 
2. Stream, which directs a sturdy jet of water that is capable of cleaning food off of cooking utensils. You can also spray water into your mouth with this setting, allowing you to drink from the bottle without having to remove the Aquabot lid. 
3. Shower, which is like Stream but has 3 separate jets to cover a wider area, and is best for cleaning body parts. 

I keep coming up with uses for settings 2 and 3 the more I think about it: wound irrigation, washing food before cooking, washing your hands before eating, portable outdoor bidet, etc. The lack of water pressure is a big inconvenience when outdoors, and this dandy device solves that problem handily.

 

You can buy the Lunatec Aquabot on Amazon for $27, where it comes with a 750 mL Nalgene bottle. There is also a 3 foot long Tube Extension ($15) which allows you to direct the water while the bottle is on the ground, in a backpack, etc. 

https://amzn.to/3yoqwZS

I don't yet know how sturdy mine is having just received it, but apparently the Aquabot has been around since 2017 and I can find only good things said about it, which tells me it's probably reliable. If you have experience with the Aquabot, please tell me about it in the comments below. 

I'm looking forward to testing this the next time I go camping. If it's as good as I think it is, then that'll be money well spent. 

Odor Removal

One of the constants goals of civilization seems to be making bad smells go away. Whether through soap, perfume, or deodorant, we regularly try to make things smell better. This can be a more significant issue with long term storage of fabrics; to this day I can close my eyes and vividly recall the childhood memory of canvas that had been in a box since the previous summer’s camping trip.

While there are a variety of products on the market that claim to remove or cover an odor, many of them don’t work as well as advertised, and their availability depends upon a working supply chain. However, there are still a number of things we can do with relatively simple ingredients to remove or cover smells we don’t want. The critical question is, are you trying to remove an odor or merely mask it with another scent?

Masking Odors

Masking is generally easier, though often temporary, and most essential oil-based sprays and scented candles can do that with varying amounts of success.

Scented Candles

Scented candles are another common method used to cover odors, but not just burning them. Placing a vanilla-scented candle in a tub or container for long term storage will infuse the contents with that scent, while absorbing some offensive smells. The same thing can be done with scented soaps or herbal sachets. In times past it was common to put pieces of cedar in with wool garments and blankets to help keep moths away, the cedar also infused the fabric with its pleasant fragrance.

Essential Oils

 My wife and I use a lavender-based spray when we stay at a hotel or friend’s house as a familiar and comforting scent. You can make your own essential oil spray fairly simply, using this recipe:

• 2 cups distilled water
• 2 tablespoons unflavored vodka or rubbing alcohol
• 15-20 drops preferred essential oil

Mix the ingredients and put in a spray bottle. Increasing the alcohol to water ratio will make a spray that evaporates faster. 

Keep in mind, though, that citrus-based oils can degrade plastic over time, so if you are using that type of oil, consider a glass spray bottle.

When buying essential oils, make sure they’re the real deal. If all the different types are the same price, they probably aren’t all the same quality. Additionally, keep in mind that many essential oils are toxic to pets. From the Animal Medical Center of Deer Valley:

Essential oils harmful to cats

These include, but are not limited to:

• Cinnamon
• Citrus
• Clove
• Eucalyptus
• Lavender
• Oregano
• Pennyroyal
• Peppermint
• Pine
• Sweet birch
• Tea Tree
• Thyme
• Wintergreen
• Ylang Ylang

Essential oils harmful to dogs
These include, but are not limited to:

• Anise
• Cinnamon
• Citrus
• Clove
• Garlic
• Juniper
• Pennyroyal
• Peppermint
• Pine
• Sweet birch
• Tea Tree
• Thyme
• Yarrow
• Ylang Ylang

Symptoms of your pet having a reaction
The symptoms of a reaction to essential oils are virtually identical to those seen in animals that have suffered poisoning. These include:

• Breathing problems
• Difficulty walking
• Drooling
• Fatigue
• Muscle tremors
• Pawing at the face/mouth
• Rash that develops on his skin
• Redness or burns on their lips, tongue, skin or gums
• Vomiting
• Weakness / collapse

You may also be able to smell the essence of the essential oil on your pet's coat, skin or breath.

Removing Odors

True odor removal is difficult, time-consuming, and often expensive. Only you can decide whether or not the result is worth the effort. 

Skunk Musk

As anyone who’s ever had to deal with a skunked dog will relate, that’s not an easy smell to remove. There are many different home remedies, and the three most common are:

• tomato juice (can be pricey)
• hydrogen peroxide (also pricey and can damage fur)
• vinegar (I spoke more about vinegar here)

The main benefit of tomato juice and vinegar is the acid helps break down skunk musk. As I had a darker colored dog the last time I dealt with this issue, I didn’t try hydrogen peroxide. In my experience,  tomato juice and vinegar were equally effective, but vinegar was noticeably less expensive and much less messy.

Cigarette Odor

Back when I was involved with WWII living history, I purchased an M1923 cartridge belt for my M1 Garand. The belt was in excellent condition, but it came from the home of a heavy smoker. I washed it several times and couldn’t get rid of the smell. What finally worked was packing it in baking soda and sealing it in a plastic tub for a week. After that, even when it got wet in the rain, there was almost no cigarette smell.

Mold and Mildew

Depending on the material, a 1:10 mixture of bleach to water works well at removing mold and mildew and their related smells. For more delicate fabrics spraying them with 91% or better rubbing alcohol, Everclear, or unflavored vodka (either straight or diluted with water) will destroy the odor causing organisms.

Clothing Odors

Finally, don’t forget about open air and sunlight. Hanging clothing outside on a dry sunny day can help remove odors considerably. However, for those with severe allergies, this is not recommended.

During a disaster, life will stink enough, and hopefully these suggestions will make that stink slightly less literal.

White Vinegar: the Miracle Acid

White vinegar, also called distilled or spirit vinegar, has been found on kitchen and bathroom shelves for hundreds of years. White vinegar is probably one of the most underappreciated kitchen chemicals most people have in their pantry. For such a simple compound its uses are legion, everything from cleaning glass to dressing salad.

Vinegar can be made out of anything that has alcohol in it: wine, hard cider, and beer are popular choices. White vinegar, like vodka, is distilled from grain. Grocery store white vinegar is generally made up of 5–10% acetic acid and 90–95% water. Industrial and agricultural grade white vinegar can contain up to 20% acetic acid but is not intended for human consumption. 

In the food realm alone, white vinegar has numerous uses, such as:

• Pickling vegetables, fruits, and eggs
• Salad dressing
• Marinades and sauces for meats, seafood and vegetables
• White vinegar combined with baking soda is a good leavening agent for certain types of baked goods
• White vinegar and milk can be used to make certain types of cheese

Outside of edibles, white vinegar has even more uses when it comes to cleaning. 

WARNING: Never combine vinegar and chlorine bleach. This combination can release chlorine gas, which is potentially fatal.

• Disinfectant and cleaner for a variety of items:
• Countertops
• Showers and tubs
• Toilets
• Floors
• Dishwashers
• Windows and mirrors
• Coffeemakers
• Removing adhesive from many surfaces
• Drain cleaner and deodorant
• Mold killer
• Cleaning hard water stains
• Stain remover in laundry
• Weed killer, especially when combined with salt and dish soap
• Removing skunk musk

Speaking of animals, a dilute mixture of white vinegar and water can be used to treat a pet’s itchy or scaly ears. Finally, white vinegar can be used to dissuade cats from using a location as a litter box. Since cats really dislike the smell of vinegar, spraying some on a place they’ve used as a bathroom can prevent them from reusing that spot. Simply apply straight vinegar on outside spots, or diluted 50/50 with water for indoor locations. You may need to reapply, especially with outside use, 

WARNING: Never use vinegar on marble or other stone surfaces. The acid in vinegar can permanently damage them.

A gallon jug of white vinegar generally costs less than four dollars and is available at grocery and hardware stores around the world. I highly recommend everyone have some of this miraculous wonder chemical in their household preps!

A Bright Way To Sanitize?

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping.

This is another quick post on an unusual item seen in the stores I call on. I found this on display in most of the Home Depot stores I see in my rounds.

Ion UV Sanitizing Tool Bag

From the webpage:

UV-C LED technology that gets the job done and done exceptionally well. The Tzumi ion UV Tool Bag is a specially designed UV sterilizing bag that disinfects all your tools and/or job site items in as little as 10-minutes. All it takes is 1-click for the ion UV Tool Bag to achieve a 99.9% sterilization efficiency rate.

• Portable, compact and lightweight
• Built-in safety shutdown feature
• No radiation, ozone or chemicals used - just pure UV-C light
• 1 touch operation
• 1200 mAh rechargeable battery
• Includes: micro USB cable

The inside of the bag
with the UV light turned on.

You may be wondering how much UV is actually produced in the bag. I have to say that I don't know, but in a very short hands-on test with a co-worker's light sensitive glasses, there was enough UV to start changing the lenses in less than a minute.

I don't need a sanitizing bag for the work I do, but possibly someone else might want to give it a try.

Oh, the best part? These are all on Clearance here in the San Francisco Bay Area. Check your local stores for the following sku numbers:

• Internet #315256258
• Model #7858HD
• Store SKU #1005991067

Recap And Takeaway

• I did not buy this bag, but you might want to hurry. The Ionizing Tool Bag started out at $39.99, but is now (at least in Northern California) $7.99!
• Nothing was purchased this week, but I still have a backlog of reviews.

* * *

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Ear Cleaning

Here's the link to the Earwax Removal Kit I review in the video below. 

Lokidude

Random Tips & Tricks

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

In the spirit of David Blackard's "Buffet Posts", I give you an assortment of disorganized-but-hopefully-useful things that I either thought of or made use of during last week's trip out of state. 

Knuckle, Not Fingertip

If you need to press buttons on something that a lot of people have touched -- such as an ATM, or a pay at the pump gas station, or a credit/debit console, or even the floor buttons of an escalator -- use the middle knuckle of your middle finger to do it. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strike_(attack)#/media/File:Nakadaka_ken.png

Your knuckles are quite strong, which is why many martial art forms teach you to punch with them, and they are also quite dexterous. This makes them ideal for pressing small things like buttons with proper force and accuracy. I suggest you use your middle finger because not only is it longer and therefore the first to make contact, but also because you are highly unlikely to use your middle knuckle to touch your face, your smartphone, food, or anything else which could lead to contamination. It's also a very small surface area and therefore easily cleaned with hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, etc.

Clip Your Curtains

In almost every hotel and motel I've stayed, two things have been true: there are bright lights outside the window and the blackout curtains don't completely overlap. If you are bothered by that slit of bright light peeking through your window, bring along one or two "chip clips" to clip the curtains together, overlapping them if possible. 

https://amzn.to/2Zb18po

This also works with clothespins, but I prefer the chip clips as they have a larger gripping surface and, being brightly colored, are less likely to be forgotten and left behind. 

Pack a Shower Puff

I can practically hear the men saying "Hey now, I don't need this" but bear with me for a moment, because shower puffs belong in everyone's luggage for the following reasons:

• The washcloths that hotels give you to use are awful. They're often scratchy and almost always thin. Why would you want something like that on your face and other delicate bits?
• Shower puffs are amazing at making lather, which means those tiny hotel soaps go much further. 
• They dry a lot faster than loofah body scrubbers, which like to hang onto moisture and, if put away wet, can result in a moldy surprise the next time you open your toiletry bag. 

https://amzn.to/2Zj8RSl

Not only do I have one in my overnight bag, I have one in my bug-out bag as well. I even attached a mini carabiner clip to the loop so that I can clip it to the outside of my pack for faster trying. 

Those are three tricks which made my life easier last weekend. Do you have anything similar?

Product Review: Wahl Color Pro Hair Clipper

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

My father is a career military officer, and so even though at 85 he has sparse, thin hair, he still goes to the barber shop once a month to get it trimmed... or at least he did, until all the barber shops in the area closed down due to loss of business from Covid-19. 

If you are a man who needs a haircut, or a woman with short hair, or you have young children, then it may be worth your while to purchase an electric hair trimmer. I am a fan of the Wahl Color Pro, as it is not only cordless but also comes with attachable combs of sizes from 1/8 inch to 1 inch. These combs are color coded to ensure the right length of hair is cut. 

https://amzn.to/3sUgI6I

Hygiene is important and long hair requires a lot of maintenance, so after a disaster it may become easier just to cut your hair short. In addition, the Wahl can be used to shave hair around injuries to allow easier access to the wound by caregivers or for bandages to stick. (I do not know how well it cuts pet fur; I expect that it depends on the breed.) 

I found the Wahl easy and convenient to use, and while you may never cut hair into a fashionable style with it, you can definitely use it on yourself and end up with a cut that looks adequate. I find that most men look good with a 1" comb along the sides and a 1/4" comb along the sides and back. Feminine haircuts are harder to do, but Pixie Cuts are possible. 

The worst thing I can say about the Wahl isn't really its fault, and that would be its dependence upon electricity to function. I don't have a good answer to this; it's great to have around the home if you want to save money instead of going to the barber (after 2-3 uses it will have paid for itself) but it is unlikely to be a part of your long-term preps for situations where the power grid goes down. 

On the other hand, we will probably be having pandemic scares and lockdowns for years to come, so perhaps it has a place in your preps after all?

Pooping In The Cold

Yes, I said it. Yes, I'm serious. Doing your business in the cold is a valuable life skill, and today I'm sharing it with you.

While this video is about using outhouses in cold weather, the same principle applies in the woods; just find a log to sit on. 

Lokidude

Product Review: the Luxe Bidet Neo 120

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

Just hang on a moment, Erin! I hear you saying. Why is a prepping site talking about a bidet?

Do you remember the Great Toilet Paper Shortage of Spring 2020? That's why. I don't know how well the rest of you fared, but even though we didn't ever run out of TP, we did get down to the single-ply emergency stocks and that was unpleasant. So when I heard that there was another run on TP due to an expected surge of COVID-19 this flu season, I decided to go ahead and get a bidet, the Luxe Neo 120, to help make our supplies of TP last longer. 

Disclaimer: In order to write a useful post about this subject, I need to talk about things which a lot of people find distasteful and/or embarrassing. Everybody poops and everybody needs to wipe, so let's just be adults about this. 

https://amzn.to/3mMPjQC

I admit that I wasn't sure how I would feel about a stream of cold water right on my anus, but my friends who own bidets (and it turns out I have a surprisingly large number of them) told me that it wasn't a big deal and that I'd get used to that pretty quickly. I'm going to jump ahead in this review and say a few things about this now:

1. It really isn't a big deal. I can feel that it isn't warm water, but it isn't the shock to my system that I feared it would be. 
2. If you have anal irritation, such as from hemorrhoids, cold water can be a relief and help reduce swelling. 
3. If it's still important to you, it's possible to get warm water bidets. 

Price and Features

I paid $35 for mine, which I felt was entirely reasonable. The Neo 120 is one step up from the bare bones model; it features a self-cleaning nozzle feature which the Neo 110 ($28) lacks. Models 180 ($40) and up feature dual nozzles for feminine cleansing; I skipped that because neither my mother or I need that particular function. The Model 320 is the only one which is heated, but costs $50 and requires a hose which runs from the toilet to the under-sink hot water taps. Given that our toilet is several feet away from the sink and the taps are behind cabinets, I decided this was more trouble than it would be worth. 

Installation

I can only speak for the Luxe Bidet which I bought, although I figure other Luxe models install in more or less the same way. Installation took me about an hour, and some of that was due to the fact that my toilet seat isn't exactly standard and didn't want to cooperate with the mounting hardware, but I got it work nonetheless. I consider myself to be competent with tools but not especially skilled, yet I had no problems with the installation (other than the toilet seat); someone who is more proficient would install it sooner and have the same amount of trouble I experienced, which is none. 

The only tools I needed were those to remove my toilet seat, which in my case was a socket wrench. All other tools were included, and the instructions were clear. 

Pro Tip: Make sure that the hose from the cold water feed to the bidet is fastened tightly, and slowly turn the tap back on. If it's not tight enough you'll have a leak, and it's better to have a dribble than a spray. 

Performance

First of all, this doesn't eliminate the need for toilet paper; you still have to wipe yourself dry. That said, I have found my TP use greatly reduced to somewhere between 1/2 and 1/4 of my normal use. For preppers, that ought to be enough to convince you to buy it. 

It also makes me feel cleaner. We've all had bowel movements where it seemed like we'd never get clean, and this solves that problem every time. 

Finally, if you ever have a really bad case of intestinal upset, this will pay for itself in no time. The cold water is soothing on an inflamed anus, and if you're having to use the toilet again and again (such as if you are preparing for a colonoscopy and you need to take a laxative before the procedure), this will prevent that feeling of rawness and chafing that you get after continual wiping. 

Also

Be sure to get the package of Toilet Seat Bumpers. Trust me, the bidet raises your toilet seat up enough that it won't sit flush (hah!) on the commode bowl, and you really don't want to break the seat by bending it where it doesn't want to bend. I bought these and I'm happy I did. 

https://amzn.to/3gmPFuY

Two warnings, though:

1. The plastic over the adhesive is a massive pain to peel of. Be prepared for that; I had to use a knife to get it started and then tweezers to grab it. 
2. Don't drop the adhesive. Especially not into the toilet water. They stick great if you apply them to the seat straight off the plastic, but if there's other stuff on the adhesive then it may not stick and you might end up having to order a second set. 

http://amzn.to/1X5kJ1P

Finally, some of you may be asking I have a Squatty Potty. Does the Luxe Bidet work well with it?

The answer is Yes, very much so. In fact, if you position yourself just right with the Squatty Potty, you can basically give yourself an enema with the bidet. 

That may sound gross, but let me tell you this: if you've ever been constipated, that can really help soften and loosen your stool and just might speed up the process. I know that it helped me a great deal. 

My Recommendation: A+
If you're a human being who poops, buy this. It's more comfortable than dry wiping, it's probably better for the long-term function of your septic system to flush less toilet paper, and the paper you do use will last longer. It's easy to install, it's great if you have health problems (including reduced flexibility that makes wiping difficult), and if you register it comes with a 2 year warranty. 

If it ever breaks, I'll be sure to let you know.