Reality check: disasters happen when you least expect them. You need to act quickly if the power goes out, tools run out, or things become really dangerous. The good news? You can save your life with some of the strangest survival tips. Not many emergency kits have these but trust me; you’ll be glad you know them.
In a survival situation, being able to think quickly and find new uses for everyday items could mean the difference between life and death, making it a crucial life hack. What if you don’t have a torch and the power goes out during a natural disaster? Or stuck in the cold without the right gear to keep them warm? That’s where these crazy DIY survival hacks come in. They may sound crazy, but they work, and they could save your life at the worst possible time.
Crayons as Emergency Candles Survival
Do you think crayons are only for kids? Not so fast. Five crayons can burn for thirty minutes. If you need light but don’t have any candles, just put a pencil on its side on a safe surface, light the tip, and let it burn. The wax will feed the spark, giving you an unexpected source of light. This is especially helpful when the power goes out for a long time, and candles or flashlights aren’t working.
Doritos as Fire Starters
Not a kindling? Not a problem. You can use those cheesy, crunchy chips as the fire starts, too. Doritos are very easy to set on fire because they contain oil and sugar, and they burn for a long time. Put some under your fuel and light them for a quick campfire solution in a wilderness survival situation. In no time, you’ll have a fire going. This trick also works for Cheetos and other greasy snacks like potato chips.
Tampons as Water Filters
You might not have thought of tampons as survival gear, but in a pinch, they can help cool water. Inside, the cotton can pick up dirt and other things in the water. Although it won’t make it fully clean, it’s a good start before you boil it or use purification tablets. You can also use them to stop bleeding from wounds or as fire starters in an emergency if you’re in a tough spot.
Duct Tape for Everything
You can use duct tape like a Swiss Army knife in a survival situation and stay alive. It can fix a broken pipe, patch up a tent, seal cuts (yes, it works like a bandage in an emergency), or even make shoes out of it. You will be amazed at how many times a roll saves the day. It’s one of the most essential survival tools to have on hand. You can use duct tape to secure a shelter, make splints for broken limbs, or even temporarily stop water from getting into containers that are leaking in a survival scenario.
Using Newspapers for Insulation
Keeping warm can be a matter of life and death in cold weather. Newspapers can be very good insulators. Put them inside your clothes to keep your body heat in, or use them to line the walls of your shelter to keep the cold out. People who are homeless and people who are into survival have both used this easy trick to stay warm when it was freezing outside. If you have enough, you can also put newspapers under sleeping bags or blankets to keep warm on cold nights.
Solar-Powered Water Bottle
You can clean water in a clear plastic bottle if you don’t have any else. Put the bottle in bright sunlight for six hours and fill it with dirty water. The water is safer to drink because the UV rays will kill any germs or viruses that are in it. It’s an easy and free way to clean water when you don’t have any other choices. The World Health Organization (WHO) and other groups suggest this method, called solar water disinfection (SODIS), for places where getting clean water is hard to come by.
Batteries and Gum Wrapper Fire Starter
Don’t have any matches but need a fire? You can start a fire with a gum wrapper and a battery. Tap both ends of the wrapper onto the battery wires, and watch as the middle catches fire. Just make sure you have fire ready in case something sparks. AA or 9V batteries and gum wrappers with paper on the back work best for this trick.
Hand Sanitizer as Fire Accelerant
That hand sanitizer bottle in your bag does more than kill germs; it’s also very explosive. Put some on your kindling and light it up if you need to start a fire fast. Wood doesn’t burn easily when it’s wet, but this tool does. It burns hot and for a long time. Just be careful when you use it because alcohol-based hand sanitizers can catch fire quickly and burn very hot.
Why These Hacks Matter
These life-saving hacks for survival aren’t just cool party tricks; they could save your life. Thinking outside the box can make the difference between suffering and thriving when bad things happen. Even the most prepared prepper has to deal with unexpected events. Knowing these little tips will give you an extra edge.
It’s not enough to have a fully stocked emergency kit; you also need to be able to change and think of new ways to get what you need. Thinking outside the box and using normal things in strange ways can help you get through the hardest times.
Learn Survival Hacks & Be Prepared Now
Prepare Your Home for Disaster: A Self-Reliance Guide for Grid-Down Preparedness by Blaze R. Vaughan is a must-read if you want to take your survival skills to the next level and be ready for anything. This book teaches more than basic emergency tips. Further, it shows you how to keep your family and home safe in any situation.
It talks about protecting your home from disasters, storing goods, and finding other power sources in case the grid goes down. This book will make you question whether you’re really ready for anything and help you fill in the blanks to increase your chances of survival. Don’t wait until something bad happens to start getting ready!