EXCERPT
Turn your everyday items into life saving tools. From dental floss to tea bags, these household staples have unique, emergency uses.
ARTICLE
Having a first-aid kit in your home is a smart way to stay healthy and safe in times of emergency. However, these kits are often old, missing items or lost altogether. You might wonder what you can use if this kit isn’t available. Luckily, there are basic items around the house that make a difference. Take a different look at these simple, household items because they can save a life down the road.
Linens
Linens are a catch-all term for blankets, sheets, towels and other fabrics. They’re soft and strong in the event of an emergency. Use linens to soak up spilled liquids or to stem the flow of blood from a cut. Create a tourniquet to ease blood loss in more severe cases.
During a fire, roll up linens to block any fumes seeping underneath a doorway. Always keep any old linens as rags because they can be useful in other situations that require volume, such as warming up the family when the electricity goes out on a winter night.
Duct-Tape Wonders
Use duct tape with your linens to create bandages when there are none around. Duct tape alone is strong enough to be used as a splint for broken or fractured bones. It must be wrapped several times around so that it’s strength can be felt. Temporarily repair items around the house, such as stemming a plumbing leak, with duct tape too.
Feminine-Hygiene Products
If you’re trying to save your linens for other purposes, try tampons or pads to soak up bodily fluids. Tampons are particularly helpful for bloody noses. The pads have an adhesive on the backside so that you can hold them in place whenever necessary. Roll out the gauze within these items if an occasion calls for it. The material remains absorbent even if it’s dissected from its original shape.
Plastic Wrap or Garbage Bags
Use plastic wrap and garbage bags as liners on the ground or waterproofing across your emergency kit. Cover injuries with the plastic to avoid infection. Keep one bag intact so that it can hold water when municipal supplies are compromised. If anyone has a burn, plastic wrap doesn’t stick to the wound as you try to keep the person comfortable.
There’s a hero inside of everyone. You simply need the mental tools to deal with each situation. Teach your loved ones about these everyday items, including your children. You never know when an emergency might strike.
