preparedness

15 Survival Uses for Rubbing Alcohol

It’s inexpensive, easy to store, and you can use it in many survival scenarios. Rubbing alcohol is a powerhouse multi-purpose liquid that you should stock up on for emergencies.

Rubbing alcohol is a mixture of denatured alcohol, water and other agents that are added to make it unpalatable to drink. Although it is usually clear, some rubbing alcohols may contain colorants. Nicknamed “surgical spirit” in the United Kingdom, rubbing alcohol has a strong smell that is similar to fingernail polish remover.

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The rubbing alcohol commonly sold in grocery stores and pharmacies in the U.S. comes in two grades — 70 percent isopropyl alcohol and 90 percent isopropyl alcohol. The 90 percent solution has a lower water content and is a bit more expensive.

The 70 percent solution has higher water content and is gentler on skin. You can find the 70 percent solution at the dollar store in the first-aid section. (Both types work well for the uses we have listed in this article.)

Rubbing alcohol is a common ingredient in hand sanitizers, paint thinner, antifreeze, household cleaners, and some personal care products. All rubbing alcohols are unsafe for human consumption. In fact, the term “rubbing alcohol” came into use during the Prohibition era to emphasize its use as a liniment for massage and to distinguish it from other forms of alcohol.

Now let’s look at some of the ways rubbing alcohol can help you in a survival situation.

1. Disinfectant – You can use rubbing alcohol to clean and disinfect non-porous surfaces such as cooking surfaces and cooking utensils when hot water and soap is not available. Apply the solution as a disinfectant and then allow it to dry.

2. First Aid – You also can use rubbing alcohol to sanitize tweezers and other first aid equipment and to clean minor cuts and scrapes. (Do not use rubbing alcohol for mouth wounds or deep skin wounds.)

3. Foot and Nail Fungus – Rubbing alcohol can kill the fungus that causes athlete’s foot and nail fungus. Mix together equal parts of rubbing alcohol and water and then apply on the affected area with a cotton ball several times a day to kill the fungus and to help prevent infection. You also can rub the feet each night with rubbing alcohol to help prevent fungal infection. A bonus is that the solution also kills the bacteria that cause foot odor.

4. Fire Starter – Rubbing alcohol is highly flammable and can serve as a fire starter in a survival situation. Squirt or spray small amounts on wood before lighting. If you have rubbing alcohol pads in your first aid kit, you can use these as handy fire accelerants.

5. Tick Removal – You can get ticks to unlatch themselves for easier removal with rubbing alcohol. Soak a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol and place it directly on the tick. When the tick releases its grasp, carefully remove it with tweezers.

6. Ice Packs – You can make your own frozen packs with rubbing alcohol. Here’s how. Mix together three parts water with one part rubbing alcohol. Pour the solution in a zippered bag and freeze for three hours. These squishy cold packs will bend and shape around an arm or a leg to reduce pain and swelling. The packs are reusable.
7. Cold Sore Treatment – Apply rubbing alcohol to painful cold sore with a cotton swab. Its antiseptic properties help the cold sore to dry out and heal. (Please note: The rubbing alcohol will sting a bit, and be sure to apply it externally only.)

8. Kill Pests – You can kill many insects by spraying them with rubbing alcohol. Be sure to avoid your stove, and any open flames when spraying since rubbing alcohol is flammable.

Aphids. Combine two parts rubbing alcohol with five parts water along with one tablespoon of dishwashing liquid. Spray directly on plants that are under attack from aphids. Repeat in a few days if needed.
Bed bugs. Spray rubbing alcohol on mattress and box springs to kill bedbugs on contact. Avoid spraying wood furniture.
Head lice. Use rubbing alcohol to sanitize your comb as you continue to remove nits.
Fruit flies and gnats. You can kill fruit flies and gnats by spraying them with rubbing alcohol. Be careful to avoid spraying any fruit you want to eat.

9. Soothe Insect Bites and Stings – Rubbing alcohol soothes skin and relieves itching from bites and stings. It also helps promote healing by drying out the skin.

10. Ease The Pain of Rashes and Burns – Similarly, an application of rubbing alcohol can help provide relief from rashes associated with poison oak, poison ivy and sumac. It also can help prevent infections that may result from these rashes.

11. Get Rid of Grease and Residue – Rubbing alcohol helps remove greasy, sticky and oily substances from pots and pans and surfaces when water is scarce.

12. Soothe Joints and Muscles – Let’s not forget the word “rubbing” as we discuss the uses for rubbing alcohol. The stress and physical labor involved with a survival scenario can lead to painful muscles and joints. Massaging rubbing alcohol into the skin increases blood flow and soothes discomfort. (Do not use on babies or young children.)

13. Hand Sanitizer – Rubbing alcohol is the main ingredient in most store-bought hand sanitizers. You can make your own version with rubbing alcohol, aloe Vera gel and if you’d like, a bit of essential oil. Here is the recipe.

2/3 cup rubbing alcohol
1/3 cup aloe Vera gel
10 drops essential oil (such as lavender)

Massage the resulting gel into your hands and fingers just as you would with commercial hand sanitizer but without any of the usually added chemicals. Keeping your hands clean will help prevent illness and infection during an emergency.

14. Prevent and Treat an Ear Infection – When water pools in the inner ear, it can lead to the painful infection commonly known as swimmer’s ear. Placing a few drops of rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball and placing it just inside your ear may help dry out the affected area. Another option is to moisten a cotton swab with a mixture of rubbing alcohol and white vinegar. Gently swab the area.

Here is a recipe for swimmer’s ear drops. Mix two tablespoons of rubbing alcohol with two tablespoons of white vinegar. Use an eyedropper to place two to three drops in the ear. (Use sparingly. Rubbing alcohol can cause dryness and irritation if you overdo it.)

15. Defroster – You can use a rubbing alcohol solution to defrost car windows when you need to get going in a hurry. Keep a spray bottle filled with a mixture of one part rubbing alcohol and five parts water in your car. It won’t freeze, and you can use it to mist your windows before wiping away melted ice.

By now, you see the advantages of having a large supply of rubbing alcohol on hand as part of your emergency preparedness. The amazing product also is useful in many non-emergency situations.

Use As Deodorant – Dab a cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol on your armpits to clean away and kill bacteria that can cause underarm odor. (Caution — rubbing alcohol can sting recently shaved underarms.)
Clean Mirrors and Windows – Rubbing alcohol is great at removing fingerprints and residue from glass. You can use it to clean your eyeglasses too.
Remove Laundry Stains – Pre-treat ink and marker stains in clothing with rubbing alcohol before laundering.
Marker Removal – Rubbing alcohol safely removes permanent marker from many hard surfaces.
Clean Granite Counters – Use rubbing alcohol to clean your granite kitchen counters safely.
Remove Sticker Residue – Remove the annoying remnants of adhesive from stickers with a cloth moistened with rubbing alcohol.
Disinfect Electronics – Apply a small amount of rubbing alcohol to a cotton swab to safely clean your phone, keyboard or computer mouse. It evaporates quickly, so you don’t have to worry about liquid damage.
Deodorize Smelly Shoes – Spritz the inside of smelly footwear with rubbing alcohol and leave them out in the sunshine to dry. The rubbing alcohol and the sunlight combine to kill the germs that are causing bad odors.
Clean Sinks – Rubbing alcohol cleans and disinfects kitchen and bathroom sinks. It also is safe to use on chrome and brass.
Deep Clean a Dry Erase Board – Get rid of lingering shadows from dry-erase markers by cleaning your whiteboard periodically with rubbing alcohol.
Clean Microfiber Furniture – Water can stain microfiber, but rubbing alcohol does not penetrate the fabric, and it evaporates quickly. Spray rubbing alcohol on the stain and then wipe clean with a white cloth. Allow the area to dry. If the microfiber seems matted, brush the area in a circular motion using a soft brush.
Refresh Sponges and Cleaning Clothes – Use rubbing alcohol to get rid of the bacteria that can cause sponges and cleaning cloths to smell rancid. Place the sponge or cloth in a small bowl filled with rubbing alcohol, allowing it to remain there for 15 minutes. Then rinse well with water.
Wipe Down Stainless Steel Appliances – Spray some rubbing alcohol onto a soft cloth for a streak-free and gentle way of cleaning your stainless-steel kitchen appliances.

Rubbing alcohol also comes in a 99 percent variety. It is extremely flammable and is mostly used for research and industrial work. Because it is toxic if swallowed, be sure to keep all forms of rubbing alcohol away from babies and young children.

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preparedness

4 No Cook Meals For Surviving The Pandemic And Food Supply Shortages

When it comes to your food supply, you just can’t risk not having enough. These no cook meals will be a great addition to your food supply planning. Check out the recipes below!

No Cook Meals to Help You Through the Pandemic

As of the writing of this article, there are 20 meat processing plants that have been shut down due to COVID-19 infections. We have been worrying about these types of effects on our food supply for months now, and this is the first real sign of how infections can affect the food supply.

When you walk into a supermarket, you might not see all the choices you had in the past. An empty meat case is a humbling thing for your eyes to fall upon. It’s the shocking realization that the seemingly infinite supply of chickens, pigs, and cows that are butchered for us has begun to run dry!

To deal with this issue, we are going to present four no cook meals that will help you create dinners at home that will feed your family without worrying so much about what’s available, or unavailable, in the meat case.

1. Smashed White Bean, Avocado and Salted Pork Sandwiches

Smashed White Bean, Avocado and Salted Pork Sandwiches | No Cook Meals for Surviving the Pandemic and Food Supply Shortages

As preppers we get beans. There are a bunch of ways to use beans and this a great example of how you can pack a sandwich with great nutrition and protein.

Serving: Makes 4 sandwiches

Ingredients:

Can of White Beans
Olive Oil
1 Avocado
8 Slices of Whole Grain Bread
8 Slices of Salted Pork (Prosciutto, Ham, Virginia Ham)

Instructions:

Begin by draining your beans in a colander then smashing them up in a bowl add a few glugs of olive oil, salt, pepper. This little mix is delicious. If you add some minced rosemary, you can even turn this into a delicious dip.
Pit your avocado and cut it in half and then quarters lengthwise. Leave the skin on.
Lay the bread out on a clean work surface for assembling the sandwiches.
Spread your mashed bean mix onto one side of the bread.
Peel your avocados and slice 1 quarter for each sandwich. Spread slices over the bean spread.
Add a few slices of your pork to over the top of the avocado.
You can finish this sandwich with some lettuces, fresh sprouts, or just eat it as is.

2. Delicious Crab Salad

Canned crab is a protein option that will likely be around through much of this meat crisis. It does have to be kept in refrigeration, but it’s delicious and this chipotle mayo salad is great in the spring and summer.

Ingredients:

1 Can of Crab Meat
1 Bunch of Asparagus
Chipotle Mayo
1 Bunch of Green Onions
1 Bunch of Cilantro

Instructions:

Drain your crab in a colander and set it in the sink.
Slice your asparagus into 1-inch pieces. Throw them into a bowl.
Thinly slice your onions and your cilantro and throw that into the bowl, as well.
Gently toss in the crab meat.
Squirt on enough Chipotle mayo to coat everything and toss gently not to break up the crab meat.
Chill in the fridge and serve.

3. Simple Greek Salad

Simple Greek Salad | No Cook Meals for Surviving the Pandemic and Food Supply Shortages

The combination of simple summer ingredients makes for an incredible quick salad that you could add other proteins, too, if you wanted. These could be canned meats.

Ingredients:

2 Large Tomatoes
1 Cucumber
1 Red Onion
¼ Cup of Feta Cheese
A Few Sprigs of Fresh Mint
½ Cup of Kalamata Olives
Balsamic Dressing

Instructions:

I like to cut the tomatoes in large chunks and have them kind of be the main course in this salad. Peel and slice your cucumber in half. Remove the seeds and either dice or slice in half-moons.
Peel and slice your red onion in half. Julienne your, or thinly slice, your half onion.
Add all these ingredients to a bowl. Finely slice your mint.
Add your olives, crumbled feta, and mint to the bowl and add enough dressing to coat everything.
Stir it up and allow this to chill for at least an hour for the flavors to really blend.

4. Mediterranean Tuna Lettuce Wraps

Mediterranean Tuna Lettuce Wraps | No Cook Meals for Surviving the Pandemic and Food Supply Shortages

Using some similar ingredients and adding a protein like tuna, you can create some delicious lettuce wraps. The key to a good lettuce wrap is to have most of the items around the same size. So, consider that when you are preparing this dish.

Ingredients:

Iceberg or Butter Lettuce
Canned Artichokes
Canned roasted Red peppers
Fresh Cucumber
Feta Cheese
Minced Olives ¼ Cup
2 Cans of Tuna
Green Onions
Basil

Instructions:

Start by peeling all the full leaves from your lettuce. Set them on a plate either cover them with a wet paper towel or put them back into the fridge.
Dice the peppers, artichokes, and cucumbers into cubes. Go no larger than ½ an inch.
Thinly slice your green onions and basil and add them to a bowl with your diced vegetables. Add your loves to this bowl and mix them thoroughly.
Crumble your feta cheese over the mixture.
Drain your tuna thoroughly and then add that to the bowl, as well.
Gently toss this mixture. Try not to break up the tuna and the cheese too much but incorporate it thoroughly.
If you want, you can add some olive oil to the mix or a few glugs of balsamic vinegar. It’s also delicious just how it is.
Scoop a few tablespoons into a lettuce leaf, wrap it up and eat up!

These no cook meals should help lessen the stress you feel when thinking of what to feed your family. If you don’t have the specific ingredients, use your creativity, and use what you have. You might discover a new recipe while you’re at it!

What’s your favorite no cook meal recipe? Please share it with us in the comments section!

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This Article Was First Found at survivallife.com Read The Original Article Here

preparedness

Billionaire Whistle Blower: Wuhan Coronavirus Death Toll Is Over 50,000

Exiled Chinese businessman Guo Wengui recently revealed leaks from Wuhan crematoriums. He claims based on the number of bodies their furnaces are burning, the death toll could be as high as 50,000.

A Chinese billionaire and whistleblower who lives in U.S. exile says Wuhan crematoriums have burned 50,000 coronavirus victims. | Credit: Chinatopix via AP

The official coronavirus death toll in China is a little over 800. But an exiled Chinese businessman says crematoriums are leaking the real figure.
A billionaire whistleblower alleges Wuhan has crematoriums working 24/7. He claims they’ve cremated some 50,000 coronavirus victims.
Guo Wengui is a Chinese billionaire living in exile in the United States.

The official coronavirus death toll is some 800 people in China. The current official death toll worldwide, outside of China, is 774. But a Chinese billionaire with a history of blowing the whistle on his former government says the real figure is much higher.

Exiled Chinese businessman Guo Wengui recently revealed leaks from Wuhan crematoriums. He claims based on the number of bodies their furnaces are burning, the death toll could be as high as 50,000. Wengui made the bombshell allegations in an interview with former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon.

Whistleblower: 1.5 Million Coronavirus Cases In China, 50,000 Coronavirus Deaths In Wuhan

He also claims to have inside information that there are 1.5 million confirmed coronavirus cases in China. Wengui is emphatic that these are not merely quarantined or “under observation” but confirmed cases of coronavirus infection:

China has struggled to contain the coronavirus. But it has also struggled to contain public outcry against censorship and tight control of information. Dr. Li Wenliang, who sounded the alarm about the disease, succumbed to an infection and died this week. The Chinese government arrested him for blowing the whistle.

Then officials tried to suppress news of his death. Afterwards, millions of Chinese citizens saw the hashtag #IWantFreedomOfSpeech on Mandarin language social media. But the Chinese government censored that too.

Are Wengui’s Crematorium Claims Credible?

Watch VICE’s 2017 profile on Guo Wengui. At the time, he published bombshell documents alleging corruption in the Chinese government. He got the attention of the media and reportedly the U.S. State Department.

(more…)