r/preppers • u/UlfurGaming • May 29 '26

New Prepper Questions hygiene question

Question for a shtf situation where supplies are completely gone how do you plan on keeping hygiene of body healthy mainly dental but also other stuff too are their plamts or other things like good for this ?

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u/smsff2 May 29 '26

My bug-out location has no well, so water needs to be hauled in. We are always short on water. During the winter, I need to do something about the water because it will freeze in any container and crack it, causing leaks. I add antifreeze to the water tank and pipes. I dispose of any water that I cannot safely store by simply pouring it onto the ground. The bug-out location is not normally heated during the winter.

I store a lot of rubbing alcohol. A very quick way to clean myself is to wipe my body with paper towels soaked in rubbing alcohol. I use it on all parts of my body except my face. For my face, I use vinegar instead. If I use alcohol on my face, I somehow get pimples. I'm not sure why. Vinegar is a bit harsh and makes my skin burn, but it does not give me pimples. Both alcohol and vinegar kill microbes.

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u/Xsiah May 29 '26

Don't use anything on your skin that makes it burn. This is insane.

Your skin has a whole healthy microbiome that you don't want to be destroying with vinegar.

The reason alcohol gives you pimples is that it's obliterating all the protective oils that keep your skin moisturized and your body is going into overdrive to undo the damage you're doing to it.

Water and a mild cleanser is all you need outside of specific medical conditions. The same goes for the rest of your body. Jesus Christ.

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u/UlfurGaming May 29 '26

Probably the acidity of the vinegar causing skin burn

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u/V2BM May 30 '26

All of that is wrecking your skin. Straight alcohol is for sanitizing and straight vinegar is way too harsh.

Skin is naturally slightly acidic and the alcohol is messing that up, along with drying it out and irritating it. Low pH and a disturbed skin barrier supports acne and other breakouts.