When the SHTF, you’re definitely going to need a way to clean it off your backside!
Toilet paper is a modern luxury that none of us wants to do without. Unfortunately, for anything but a very short disruption in supply, you very likely may run out of TP in a survival situation.
Urban Survival Site has a list of 15 alternatives to TP. You can read the entire list here, but these are a couple of the suggestions we appreciated the most:
Rock – But not just any rock. You’ll have to find a smooth, flat (but not sharp) rock like the one in the picture (it’s not as big as it looks). With it you can do what’s known as the “scrape method,” which was very popular in ancient societies. Stir the rock in water to remove excess debris before scraping again.
Corn Husks – Because the pioneers grew and harvested so much corn, corn husks were one of their most popular toilet paper options. The leaves, when green, are relatively soft and a good size for bathroom or outhouse use. They can be dried for using during the winter months, and if that’s too rough you can always soak them in water to soften them again before use.
Maple Leaves – Specifically from the broadleaf maple. The leaves are large, don’t have irritable hairs, and are easily identifiable in the woods. Maples also produce an abundance of leaves, as anyone who has had to rake up after a maple tree can testify. Broadleaf and Sugar maples have the largest leaves, but in a pinch a mountain or vine maple could also be used, though the small leaves of these varieties would be awkward for an adult to use.
If you appreciate what we do here at Prepping News, please take a moment to share this with your friends and family. Thank you!
Photo by Gorilla Sushi licensed under Creative Commons 2.0.
Connect With Us!