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There are plenty of reasons to prepare your house for an emergency or life change. In case of a catastrophe like an earthquake, tornado, hurricane, a bad snowstorm, or a simple power outage or frozen pipes, there are a lot of reasons one would need to focus on prepping their bathroom just in case. In the event of a disaster, your SHTF bathroom can be a very important, and overlooked room of the house.
Prepping your SHTF bathroom is not just important in the event of a catastrophic emergency. Whether you are moving into a new home, moving in with a significant other, or preparing for an emergency, taking the time to prep your bathroom for what is to come is important and fairly easy.
Most of these things are probably already in your bathroom. But ensuring that they are stocked and ready for an emergency is essential to being prepared.
Water
In the event that your water and sewer lines have been disrupted, make sure you have enough usable water to thrive until the situation is over.
Aim to store 1 gallon of water per person, per day, to use in the bathroom. This will ensure there is enough water set aside for flushing. If you are lucky enough that the water or sewer lines have not been disrupted you can flush your toilet as usual.
If it’s not possible for you to store upwards of 20-30 gallons of water, depending on the size of your household, consider what you will do if you cannot use the toilet.
Waste Management
In the event that your sewer or water lines have been compromised, have a backup option for properly disposing of waste. A sanitation bucket with a seat or medium-sized plastic bucket with a tight-sealing lid will work well.
Make sure you are equipped with bags to collect waste properly. Protect infectious material from spreading to your family or community. Plan to use one bag per person per day.
Every time a person uses the bucket toilet, make sure to sprinkle some type of disinfectant on top of it. Pack a disinfectant like bleach, chlorinated lime, or even just baking soda.
Human waste creates very high amounts of hydrogen sulfide which can not only smell bad but can be dangerous if it builds up. Make sure to keep your portable toilet lid closed tightly. Flies and other unwelcome pests are attracted to this hydrogen sulfide smell and can subsequently pass any diseases on.
Failing to properly store and dispose of waste in an emergency can be hazardous to not only your family but also your neighbors and community.
First Aid
Your first aid kit should be stocked up.
Consider keeping a first aid kit separate from your normal medical supplies. This will ensure you don’t use up your tool kit before an emergency.
Make sure you are fully stocked with the following.
- Band-aids,
- antiseptic wipes,
- gauze pads,
- scissors,
- tweezers,
- pain-relief medication,
- antibiotic ointment,
- safety pins,
- towels,
- instant heat and cold packs,
- flashlights,
- extra batteries
Hygiene
Knowing and preparing for effective hygiene in an emergency is important to maintaining the health and safety of yourself and your family.
The best way to prepare your bathroom for an emergency is to focus on preparing a hygiene kit. Doing so can help ease the stress of an emergency situation.
Knowing where everything is can help you relax and deal with what is at hand. Make sure that the kit you pack is sustainable for 7-10 days.
Consider packing the following:
- A supply of toilet paper and baby wipes
- Feminine hygiene products
- Toothbrushes
- Medications — always have backup medication available if you rely on it every day.
- Medical equipment
- Hand sanitizer — keeping your hands clean during an emergency can help to keep you healthy and prevent the spread of germs to others in the home or the community. Make sure you have an alcohol-based sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol to keep your hands clean.
Conclusion
When things go wrong, it’s nice to know you are prepared for when SHTF. Having a plan to keep your SHTF bathroom stocked with the important things you’ll need to survive will help make your emergency situation more manageable.
