Post SHTF Personal Hygiene will be a hard at best, but even more important than ever!

Hello my friend and welcome back! Now we all know the value of good hygiene and its importance in everyday life.  Its importance will be multiplied however in a post SHTF world, and that is the subject of today’s post, so grab a cup of coffee and have a seat while we visit.

It’s kind of funny really, because I know people who will go insane without a hot shower every day and a nice soft roll of toilet paper for when nature calls, after SHTF hits. Unfortunately I also know a couple that will probably not miss it at all.  In fact, I am afraid that there may be a lot of people who will just not worry about it and that can get them in trouble.  Besides smelling to high heaven, they will also be putting themselves at risk for disease and infections.  I can already see where this will lead to a few lost lives before it is all over.  Now don’t misunderstand me, I know that there will not always be the opportunity to take a hot shower, but every effort should be made to do so when at all possible.

Now anyone like myself who has ever served in the military and especially those that have been in combat, know that a hot shower is a luxury, and not a necessity. There are however other ways that can be used to help mitigate the unpleasant effects of not showering.  There are actually things that you can get now that will help you maintain a higher level of hygiene at for at least a little while after things go south. These will disappear quickly or may not be available at all after Things go bad so get what you can now.  Things like a hanging shower bag that you can find in the camping section of department stores would be a great investment if you don’t already have one.  Other items for your bug out bag include “Baby wipes”, dehydrated towels and soap strips that weigh very little and take up practically no room at all in your bag.  Anything that will allow you to keep at least any amount of personal hygiene while travelling.   While not required, deodorant (not antiperspirants) would be good to have and use so as not to give away your position with your smell, and I’m sure the other members of your group would appreciate it as well.

Don’t forget to have a tooth brush and tooth paste with you as well. Poor dental hygiene can lead to tooth and gum disease as well as infections.  Believe me when I say that the last thing you want is to find yourself in a gun fight or running for your life with a tooth ache at the same time.  To avoid this, you need to plan now and take action to add items to your pack that will allow you to take care of your mouth and teeth while bugging out and even after you get to your safe place.

Now, because I am not a woman, I’m not even going to open that can of worms as to what they should bring for hygiene. That is a Pandora’s Box that I prefer to leave closed thank you very much!  I think you get the idea though and I trust that they will let you know what they will need to bring in their BOB for just that purpose.  If not…good luck!

So what else can you do to prepare for good hygiene when it all goes wrong? Well you could also start by packing a couple of tubes of antifungal, or Athletes foot medicine for openers.  When SHTF hits, you will find yourself wearing shoes a lot more than normal and this can lead to trench foot or other fungal issues with your feet.  You will also want to bring some diaper rash medicine just in case you get a rash caused from sweating and walking or working at the same time. Believe me when I tell you the old timers tell you that regular cornstarch you find in the baking section of the grocery store is a must have for heat rashes. It helps keep you dry and stops the friction.   Just remember that the environmental conditions will not be the same then as they are now.  With no air conditioning and a lot of work and bugs thrown into the mix, a person could get in trouble real fast if they are not prepared.  Other things to think about are head lice and fleas if you have long hair and can’t keep it clean in the wild.  I could see where that would drive a person crazy real fast if you weren’t prepared to deal with the situation.  Think ahead when it comes to personal hygiene and get what you will need now while you can.  Every person should keep a small container of shampoo, soap and tooth paste as well as deodorant in their BOBs.  My point here is that personal Hygiene is important now, but when SHTF hits, it will become critical as there may be no antibiotics or first aid creams available should you need them. I guess that is it for today and I hope that you have enjoyed today’s post.  Until next time, stay safe, stay strong and stay prepared!

-The Sargent-