Sanitation

Here is the promised information on using the toilet without an operating toilet.  Lovely, I know.  I posted on this topic here, as well. What I have learned through my reading on this topic, is that there are several methods.  I have determined (this is simply my thoughts-if you have other ideas, please feel free to argue) that it doesn't much matter what method you use as long as you have a method.  Human waste running down a river, or in someone's backyard is not a good method, and could lead to wide-spread dysentery.  In other words, people would die.  So, here is one method.
First, it must be said that a composting toilet is the best option.
Otherwise, here are the steps:

• Sanitize and dry your toilet.
• Plug the hole in toilet bowl with a foam-filled rubber ball to prevent gases and critters coming into your home.  If no ball is available, plug the hole with a cloth saturated in shortening.  Repeat this step in every drain and toilet in your basement.
• Line the toilet with a heavy-duty plastic bag.  Use the toilet bowl only for solid waste.
• Liquid waste should go in another container.  Dilute with water and pour on soil.
• After using the toilet, cover completely with dry dirt, sawdust, wood chips, or some other similar substance.  It is helpful to keep this in a bucket next to the toilet.  An old soup can and stick can help with the spreading.
• When bag is full, carry outside in something sturdy, such as a cardboard box.
• Dig a 3-4 foot hole.  Dump contents of bag into hole, and throw bag on top.  Cover with about 2 inches of dirt.  
• Place a board over the hole between each bag dump to keep animals and humans out.
• When the hole is filled to 6-8 inches from the top, cover with about 2 inches of soil.  Cover with about 1 inch of lime (to help keep dogs out), then a layer of newspaper.  Mound the rest of the soil on top.

Sanitation Without Running Water

Toileting Without Running Water
A friend of mine has an excellent article on sanitation following earthquakes, or other emergencies.  It involves a lot of the gross issues like bodily waste.  I should be able to get a copy of it soon, and then I will share it with you.  In the meantime, I found this site.  It talks about make-shift toilets, disinfecting, and some good basics supplies to have around.

Showering and Washing Hands Without Running Water
Don't plan on getting a full blown shower very often.  Use a little of your stored water to clean your face and teeth clean (I know I feel a lot better after brushing my teeth, even if the rest of my body is dirty!) as needed.  Wash hands as frequently as needed/possible.  It wouldn't be a bad idea to store some of those face wipes that have cleaner already on them.  Have extra toothbrushes and toothpaste on hand, including in your 120 hour kit.  Store water in old liquid dish and hand soap containers.  Store extra soap and hand sanitizer.

I don't have any suggestions on washing clothes, other than don't plan on keeping them very clean, have extra, and locate other sources of water that you can use for non-drinking purposes.  Do you have any ideas?

Drinking and Cooking Without Running Water

Can you believe it?  I'm actually going to post on a topic that I said I would!

Drinking without running water:  follow these instructions and have water on hand to drink.  Have drinking water to last 2 weeks per person. 

A few thoughts on cooking without running water:  First, avoid cooking foods that require large amounts of water, such as dry pasta or beans.  Second, use the water in canned foods you are using, such as canned vegetables or meat.  Third, keep foods on hand that do not require water, and are not salty.  If all you eat is chips and crackers, you will be increasingly thirsty, and drinking more water than you should be.  Fourth, if you must cook pasta, use just enough water to cover it, and put it on the stove to boil after adding the pasta.  This takes a little longer to cook, but saves water and fuel. 

Do you have any other ideas on cooking without running water?

What Do You Do Without Indoor Plumbing?

Now that April is half over, I am finally looking at the goal I set for the month of April back in December.  The topic is "Water Outage."  In other words, what would I do if I could not have water instantly come into my home by simply turning or lifting something.  While I love indoor plumbing, and honestly "don't know what I would do without it," people lived without indoor plumbing for thousands of years, and some people still do.  I think I will survive if I have made a few preparations before hand.
I have had very few instances in my life when I have not had running water at the tip of my fingers.  Two funny stories of when the water has been shut off for short periods of time can be found here and here.  If these very short periods of time (just a few hours each) without running water were difficult for me, what would I do if I had to go without it for days, weeks, or months?
So first I will address the question of what I use water for.

1.  Drinking
2.  Washing hands
3.  Showering
4.  Laundry
5.  Cleaning
6. Toilet
7.  I feel I'm missing something...
8.  Edited to add:  Cooking

Throughout the rest of this month I hope to address these topics.  This is definitely an area that I need to prepare for.  You can find information on storing water here.

Water Storage Saves the Day!!!

Last week my husband was fixing the bathtub (isn't he wonderful?!) so he had to shut off the water in the house.  Fine.  We can handle that.  Unfortunately, the problem was going to be harder to fix than he initially thought, and the water was off for about 5 hours.  Everything was fine until my potty-training child peed on the couch.  My baby had just woken up from his nap, so I went into their room to get the older child some new underwear and pants.  And the baby had taken off his diaper and pooped.  (That's what I get for not duct taping the diaper!)  I am so grateful that I had this on hand:

filled with water

Thank you to Food Storage Made Easy for this idea a while back!  I put the baby in the sink, and was able to wash his dirty hands and feet very nicely with the spray tip on this old soap container.
See, being prepared really does help me nearly every day.  Sometime I'll have to write more about powdered eggs.  Those save me nearly every day!

This could be fun!

Head on over to Food Storage Made Easy and join the challenge!  7 day challenge begins today.  No water today!  Good luck!

More About Water Storage

I had a question about why we should not store water on the ground.  And you know, I don't know.  I know that plastic is permeable to vapors, and should be stored away from gasoline, kerosene, pesticides, etc.  But that doesn't answer the question about storing on the ground.  That is just something that I have always read and been told.

Preparedness Pro says that it is okay to store water on cement as long as it is not hot.  Here's her full quote:

Water Storage Myth: Don’t store your water barrels on cement.
Water Storage Fact: Actually, there’s always a missing component to this myth. The key is not to store your water barrels on HEATED cement, and even that’s questionable advice. To store your water in your basement on the cement floor is just fine. There’s no need to make your barrels less stable by putting them on 2 x 4s. Cement only leaches chemicals when it gets hot. If you’re going to store your water in your garage, where the sun heats up the connecting driveway cement, then yes, I’d consider raising your barrels up on floor boards or such.

 I wish I knew her sources on this,  but I don't.  But to me, it makes sense.  I would appreciate my readers' comments on this.  The rest of the article is excellent.

Here is another article on water storage.

Water Storage

FEMA recommends storing water to last at least 3 days, with at least a gallon per person per day.  In my opinion, that is not very much.  People are supposed to drink at least 8 cups (1/2 gallon) of water each day.  If it's hot, you're supposed to drink more than that.  So, that only leaves 1/2 gallon for sanitation purposes; washing your hands being the most important.  But what about flushing the toilet, taking a shower, and washing clothes and dishes.  So, I would recommend storing 1 gallon per person for 2 weeks.  Or more, if you have the space.
Several years ago, when I was 8 months pregnant with my first child, a water line broke in my community.  I was at home, and needed to go to the bathroom (something that I needed to do frequently).  But I wasn't too worried, because I was leaving in just a few minutes to go to the hospital for my Lamaze class.  I would just go to the bathroom there.  No!  The water was off there, too!  If you can only imagine a room of very pregnant women with no access to a toilet, or at least an operating one.
This is just one example of the importance of having as large of a water supply as possible.

How I store water:
1.  I buy cases of bottled water when it is on sale.  The primary reason for this is because it is convenient.  If I'm on my way out the door, and I can't find my refillable water bottle, I just grab a bottle of water.  And it gives me water storage.
2.  I re-use empty juice and pop bottles.  Yes, this is safe, because the bottles are food-grade.  Do not use milk jugs, because the plastic will get brittle.  Before storing water in your old juice and pop bottles, you need to clean and sanitize them.  First wash with warm, soapy water.  Rinse.  Then fill the bottle up with tap water and 1 tablespoon of bleach per gallon.  Most juice bottles are 1/2 gallon, so you would need 1/2 tablespoon of bleach.  Shake well.  Then, leave the bottle alone for 1 minute.  Dump the bleach water out, and air dry.  Then fill with water.  I then write the date on the bottle with a permanent marker.  I like to refill my bottles every 6 months, because water begins to taste funny after this time. 
3.  Keep water off the ground, in a clean, cool area.  If you have extra space in your freezer, you can keep water jugs in there.  Then it can serve a double purpose.  If your power goes out, the fuller your freezer is, the longer the food will stay cold and safe to eat.

You can also store water in containers marketed for this purpose.  There are plastic containers in all different sizes you can buy to store water in.  If you purchase a 55 gallon water jug, you may consider putting it on a cart.  This will make it more convenient to both fill and use.

Space saving idea:  Connect bottles of water together with rope and hang from a closet ceiling on "S" hooks.  Then, if you need to leave in a hurry, you can just sling them over your shoulder.