10 Essential Homemade Survival Items

Here are 10 innovative homemade survival techniques to keep you alive, with a few dollars left in your pocket:

1. Survival Biscuits

When you begin to get peckish on a long sea voyage and the last packet of crisps were gobbled days ago, or find yourself stranded in the jungle without '101 Berries You Shouldn't Eat or You Will Die Horribly', we have found a perfect recipe to keep you alive and satisfied, without the need of a refrigerator.

Hardtack is a long lasting cracker made from basic flour and water. The art of making it last is in the making of it so read carefully:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

• Measure 2 cups of flour, and put in a mixing bowl.

• Slowly add water (salted or unsalted) a little at a time to make a dough.

• Roll out the dough until it is 1/4 inch thick (you can make it thicker, but remember there are no dentists out in the wilderness to fix any chips on your teeth!)

• Cut the dough into squares, bigger than the modern saltine cracker. Use a fork to prick holes in the top to let the steam escape.

• Lay out squares on a baking tray.

• The cooking temperatures vary, so listen up! -Bake at 350 degrees of the first 15 minutes. For the next 30 minutes cook at 250 degrees, and then for another 30 minutes, turn the heat down to 200 degrees.

• Throughout, flip them with a spatula so they are evenly cooked on both sides.

• You will know they are done when the squares are hard, and either still white or off white. Don't wait until they burn!

• And....Voila! You are ready for an adventure.

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2. Pocket Lint

You'll be happy to know that you carry around highly flammable materials every time you wear your favourite blue jeans. Well, maybe not particularly happy in normal circumstances, but when you need to light a fire pretty quickly and need to get your hands on some tinder, just reach into your pocket and use the lint! It ignites very quickly-you'll be glad you wore your favourite jeans on your hiking-trip-gone-wrong.

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3. A Drop of Oil

Of course we all know that water is crucial to our survival. However, many an adventurer has uncovered they have finished their last drop of Evian on a 4 day mountain trek, and the only alternative is some dodgy looking lake water. What can be done?!

You can use lime or grapefruit Essential Oil to purify water.

Just add 1 drop per gallon.

Stir it well.

Let the mixture stand for a half hour before drinking.

If the water is cloudy with suspended particles:

 First filter the water as best you can.

 Simple? YEAH!

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4. Thompson's Water Seal

The last thing you want to find is how that bargain/cheap poncho you bought last minute isn't actually waterproof. And now it's raining. And you are very, very far from home. This water seal is a great way of avoiding the problem, and is really easy to get hold of.

You can use it on loads of things before your big trip- tents, tarps, whatever fabrics you can think of! Just test it on a small area and then just dip or coat the item. Wonderful!

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5. Pet Food Can Stove

 

This is a very easy to make, home built stove. The 'Super Cat' stove, as it’s known, is made from a single 3 ounce aluminium pet food can that serves as both the stove and the pot stand. Once you've gathered your materials, it takes only a few minutes to complete. It has a reputation of being able to boil 2 cups of water in under 4 minutes.

Now that you've a hot tea in your hand, it's time to work out where in the world you are...

 Click here to download a copy of the SUPER CAT build instructions. The document is an Acrobat (PDF) file about 1.6MB in size, and contains text, photos and diagrams that will allow you to easily construct your own stove.

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6. Cotton Ball Fire starters

With just a few simple cotton balls and some Vaseline/petroleum jelly, you can make a homemade fire starter. Here are the instructions:

1. Get a bag cotton balls.

2. Get some petroleum jelly.

3. Get a plastic bag, empty 35mm film canister, or similar container. The cotton balls are kind of messy, and you don’t want these rolling around in your preparedness kit.

4. Lightly compress one cotton ball with your fingers. Dip the cotton ball in the jelly, enough to cover most of one side.

5. Use your fingers to work the jelly around the entire exterior of the cotton ball while compressing the cotton ball as much as you can. Use the jelly to “seal” stray fibers in place.

6. Repeat until you’ve had enough.

Now you’re set to go!

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7. Creating Water Proof Matches

 

The BEST & SAFEST Method for making your own waterproof matches is to use Turpentine. (Turpentine has a higher "flash point" relative to Acetone, which commonly used in Nail Polish. Nor does it involve the use of flame as is needed in the Wax or Paraffin methods.)

1. Pour 2 to 3 large tablespoons of Turpentine into a small (Tumbler sized) glass.

2. Place the matches, (Head down) into the Turpentine and allow the matches to soak for 5 minutes. During that time the turpentine will soak into the head as well as the stem. All the water will be driven off by the turpentine.

3. Remove the matches and spread them out to dry out on a sheet of newspaper. Generally, 20 minutes for excess turpentine to be evaporated is recommended. Matches treated in this way remain waterproof for several months or longer.

Cheap and Easy!

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8. Fire from a Can of Coke and a Chocolate Bar

By rubbing chocolate onto the bottom of the can you can create a high shine. By focusing the sun onto some timber using the can, you create a fire.

But please, don't eat the chocolate after the rubbing process. It won't taste too good, and isn't good for your survival!

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9. Wooden Snow Goggles

Ok, so they're not Ray Ban Wayfarers, and you're likely to turn heads on the beach for the wrong reason, but these bark sunglasses may be a requirement for your survival.

Unless you protect your eyes from the sun, ultra violet rays can actually burn your eyes. The symptoms may be delayed, so at some point on your trip you may find yourself unable to find your way to safety.

So, follow these simple instructions:

1. Cut the bark into a rectangular shape.

2. Measure the distance between the centre points of your eyes.

3. Transfer this measurement to the centre of the bark and cut out a small slit for each eye. The slit should not be very large, perhaps 1/8 inch wide at most.

4. In the centre bottom of the bark cut out a wedge shaped piece for the bridge of your nose.

Survival snow goggles are made from whatever materials are at hand in order to protect the wearer from snow blindness. Wood, bark, cloth, or other materials can be used. And you never know, it could be the next big thing.

Very Couture!

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10. Candle/Cardboard Stove

The buddy burner is a nice little stove made from the simplest of materials. Just remember to put some paper under before you pour the wax - view the source and see what we mean!

It's especially nice because it is pretty immune to moisture and, unlike propane, will light at fairly low temperatures. Plus, they should burn for about 2-3 hours, which isn't bad considering its size and weight.

All you need are:

• A tin Can

• Candles

• Some Cardboard

• A small amount of Tin Foil

Just shove it in your back pack and go on an adventure!

Here is a video on YouTube:

http://youtu.be/dRJiVvdfLLU

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Hidden Dangers of Cleaning Products

Poisons Under Your Sink: Hidden Danger of Cleaning Products

by: Glenn Beach

The American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) has recorded many exposures to household cleaning substances that were serious enough to require treatment in a health care facility. Incredibly, according to the AAPCC the largest number of occurrences of poisoning in 1993 were due to cleaning products - drain cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, bleach, soaps and detergents.

One million poisonings in Canada each year are due to household cleaner ingestion. Some are fatal. Thousands of children and adults are permanently disfigured or injured through contact with chemicals in the home each year.

Here is an alphabetical list of some of the most hazardous cleansers found around the house:

AIR FRESHENERS: interfere with your ability to smell by releasing nerve-deadening agents or coating nasal passages with an oil film, usually methoxychlor, a pesticide that accumulates in fat cells. Known toxic chemicals found in an air freshener are formaldehyde, a highly toxic, known carcinogen, and phenol. When phenol touches your skin it can cause it to swell, burn, peel, and break out in hives.

AMMONIA: is a very volatile chemical and is very damaging to your eyes, respiratory tract and skin.

ANTIBACTERIAL CLEANERS: may contain triclosan, which is absorbed through the skin and can be tied to liver damage.

BLEACH: is a strong corrosive. It will irritate or burn the skin, eyes and respiratory tract. It may cause pulmonary edema or vomiting and coma if ingested. Never mix bleach with acid toilet bowl cleaners or ammonia. These mixtures may produce fumes which can be DEADLY.

CARPET AND UPHOLSTERY SHAMPOO: Most formulas are designed to over power the stain itself; they accomplish the task but not without using highly toxic substances. Some include perchlorethylene, a known carcinogen that damages liver, kidney and nervous system damage; and ammonium hydroxide, a corrosive, extremely irritable to eyes, skin and respiratory passages.

CHLORINE: The first agent of chemical warfare was chlorine. WWII ended with an abundance of this cheap chemical. In the name of huge profits, it was added to our water supply and many other products. Chlorine is the number one cause of breast cancer and can be lethal. Scientists won't handle chlorine without protective gloves, facemasks, and ventilation, yet it is in most store-brand cleaners, including dishwasher detergents. The harmful effects are intensified when the fumes are heated, as in the shower. It ís in our drinking water, swimming pools, Jacuzzis, and more.

DISHWASHER DETERGENTS: Most products contain chlorine in a dry form that is highly concentrated. The #1 cause of household poisoning is dish detergent. Dishwashing liquids are labeled"harmful if swallowed." Each time you wash your dishes, some residue is left on them, which accumulates with each washing. Your food picks up part of the residue -- especially if your meal is hot when you eat it.

FURNITURE POLISH: contain petroleum distillates, which are highly flammable and can cause skin and lung cancer. They contain nitrobenzene, which is easily absorbed through the skin and extremely toxic.

LAUNDRY ROOM PRODUCTS: Laundry detergents contain phosphorus, enzymes, ammonia, naphthalene, phenol, sodium nitilotriacetate and countless other chemicals. These substances can cause rashes, itches, allergies, sinus problems and more. The residue left on your clothes, bed sheets, etc. is absorbed through your skin, as is everything else you touch.

OVEN CLEANER: one of the most toxic products people use. They contain lye and ammonia, which eat the skin, and the fumes linger and affect the respiratory system. Then there ís the residue that ís intensified the next time you turn your oven on. 

TOILET BOWL CLEANERS: usually contain hydrochloric acid, a highly corrosive irritant to both skin and eyes that damages kidneys and liver; and hypochlorite bleach, a corrosive irritant that can burn eyes, skin and respiratory tract. Toilet bowl cleaners also may cause pulmonary edema, vomiting or coma if ingested. Contact with other chemicals may cause chlorine fumes which may be fatal.

Are you one of the millions of consumers who tend to think anything sold must be safe? Think again. Since WWII more than 80,000 synthetic chemicals have been invented. Most have been created from petroleum and coal tar for the purposes of chemical warfare. The sad thing is that hardly any of these substances have been tested for safety, but have been added to our food, water and cleaning products without our consent and most often without informing us of any dangers. There is a lot of intentional suppression in this industry that adds approximately 1000 new chemicals each year.

According to the National Research Council, "no toxic information is available for more than 80% of the chemicals in everyday-use products. Less than 20% have been tested for acute effects and less than 10% have been tested for chronic, reproductive or mutagenic effects." Most have not been tested for combined or accumulated effects, nor for their effects on unborn children.

What can you do to protect your loved ones from chemical injury and poisoning?

First of all, educate yourself, and find safer alternatives as much as possible.

Second, minimize use of harsh chemicals. Clean spills and stains immediately, remove food waste promptly, keep home moisture/humidity down to 30-50%, and use entry way mats at all entrances.

Third, store all cleaning agents in their original containers out of the reach of children. Follow the directions on the label and use only the amount of product recommended. Read labels, follow safety precautions and contact the manufacturer if you have questions.

By definition, we clean our homes to reduce damage or harm to human and pet health, and to protect our valued possessions.

Let's not make the solution worse than the problem!

This week I'll post safe, natural substitutes for the most hazardous cleansers that most of us use everyday around the house:

** Air freshener **

** Ammonia **

** Antibacterial cleaners **

** Bleach **

** Carpet & upholstery shampoo **

** Chlorine **

** Dishwasher detergent **

** Furniture polish **

** Laundry products (more) **

** Oven cleaner **

** Toilet bowl cleaner **

Stay tuned!! If you have any "recipes" of cleaners that has worked for you, share it here!!

Blog to you soon...

Natural Laundry Soap {recipe}

Manufacturers of laundry products spend a good deal of money on advertising to convince us that their products contain "magical" ingredients that can solve every laundry problem. Well, they don't! With their cleaning power stemming from caustic bleach, EDTA, and optical brighteners (which are strong allergens), their ingredients are anything but magical.

After experiencing lots of different recipes, here are some that worked really well. They are easy to make, cheap and natural.

These formulas don't have any magical components that you can't pronounce. Instead, the cleaning power of these soaps comes from combining clean, pure ingredients.

Basic Laundry Soap Powder

1 cup washing soda

1 cup scented baking soda (fill a shaker-type container with baking soda and add about 10 drops of your favorite essential oil. Click here for a list of essential oils and their benefits)

1 cup soap flakes or finely grated pure bar soap (I like Dr Bronners castile bar soap)

Combine all ingredients and store in a heavy plastic container or glass jar (canning jars work great - make sure to use the wide-mouth ones!). Use 1/2 cup per average laundry load.

Basic Liquid Formula

2 1/4 cups liquid castile soap

1/4 cup white vinegar

1 tablespoon glycerin

3/4 cup water

10-15 drops essential oil of you choice (you may skip this if using the scented castile soap)

Combine all ingredients into a plastic container or squirt bottle. Shake once or twice before adding to the wash. To use, add 1/4 cup per average load; 1/2 cup for extra large or heavily soiled loads.

How To Make Your Own Liquid Fertilizer!

Looking to go green and save green with your vegetable fertilizer blend? Vegetable gardening is so much fun and very rewarding, but no-one really want to buy chemical fertilizers for their cropping plants anymore. There are many, many solutions out there, but you can make your own fertilizer blend at home using kitchen scraps. Not only will you have an excellent vegetable garden, but you will be re-using and recycling even more waste. This is a terrific way to stay green while gardening!!

Things You'll Need:

• Blender or Food Processor
• Epsom Salt
• Vegetable & Fruit Scraps
• Large bucket with lid

Step 1: Save all cooked or raw vegetable & fruit scraps from meal preparation. This includes potato peelings, apple peelings, pea pods, or any other parts you would ordinarily discard. Even the water used to cook vegetables in is a good source of nutrients for your garden.

Step 2: Place the scraps in an ordinary household blender and emulsify. If scraps are dry, add enough water to assist the blender in creating a smooth puree.

Step 3: Pour the vegetable scrap puree into a large plastic bucket. Add 1/2 teaspoon of Epsom Salt per quart of puree and mix thoroughly with a large wooden spoon.

Step 4: Seal the container and let set at room temperature overnight or until you have enough compost to create liquid fertilizer for your garden. Each quart of mulched veggies will make one gallon of liquid fertilizer.

Step 5: Prepare liquid fertilizer for the garden. Simply mix one quart of pureed vegetables to one gallon of warm water. Shake to mix well.

Step 6: Pour liquid fertilizer directly on the soil around plants in the garden.


Tips & Warnings


*Using liquid fertilizer on a daily basis will prevent the bucket of vegetable scraps from developing an odor.
 
*Use cooking liquids to help emulsify foods in the blender or as a substitute for warm water when mixing the pureed veggies before applying to your garden.
 
*Do not use vegetable scraps that have been fried or that have fats added.

How To Make Your Own Laundry Detergent!

In today's economy, I'm always looking for ways to trim down my household expenses. Laundry detergent is no exception. So I found many recipes and many different ways to make my own laundry detergent and decide to give it a try! The soap is a  fraction of what I would pay at the store.

Here is the recipe that I used:

Ingredients Needed

1 cup washing soda, such as Arm and Hammer (NOT baking soda)
1 bar of Fels Naptha soap (I only found at Macey's, but it can be found online too)
1 cup of Borax
Essential Oil (optional)
About three gallons of water
Containers to store the soap (2 liters soda pop bottles, old laundry soap dispensers, etc)
1 five gallon bucket
Large wooden spoon
Large Pot
Cheese Grater

Put four cups of water into the pot and heat until boiling. Reduce heat until it is just simmering. While the water is heating, grate the soap up into little curls. This will help the soap dissolve faster than by chopping it up into pieces.

Place the soap into the water, a little bit at a time. Stir the soap and water solution until the soap is completely dissolved.

Pour 1 cup borax and 1 cup washing soda into the 5-gallon bucket. Add 1 gallon of hot water. Stir until dissolved. Stir in the melted soap. Stir more! Add very hot water - about 2-3 gallons and stir again.

If you want to add some essential oil, now is the time to do it! I used about 20 drops of lavender oil. You can use any fragrance that you like - clove oil, eucalyptus, baby oil, sandalwood, etc.

Store the soap in any plastic conatiner (easier to handle) or leave in the bucket. Let it sit for 24 hours.

Observations:

1. If you are storing the soap in plastic containers, do it as soon as the soap is done, because...

2. As the soaps sits, it will thicken (gel like) and lumps will happen. So it will be harder to scoop into the container. 

3. This soap does NOT suds - which is better for your washer and plumbing system.

4. May be used on whites (hot water) and darks (cold water).

5. May alliviate soap allergy symptoms.
*** Fels-Naptha soap contains terpene hydrocarbons, which are considered "moderately toxic," according to the Materials Safety Data Sheet. The product, manufactured by Dial Corp., is not considered hazardous but might cause eye or skin irritation upon contact. If you are looking for an All Natural soap, click HERE.

Shake well before each use.

For hard water: add an extra 1/2 to 1 cup borax per wash load.

Use 1 cup for light washes and 1-2 cups for extra dirty and super sized  loads.

The best part about making laundry detergent is the savings. The total cost for almost 5 gallon of soap was $11!!!

Year's Supply

For a family of four you'll need;

2 boxes Borax

2 boxes Washing Soda

16 bars Fels Naptha

Sorry Tide... From now on I will make my own detergent!!!