Prepper Training for Youths

Young children learn rapidly, but are also easily scared.

So what life skills should you teach them to be prepared for a potential economic or societal breakdown, i.e. the proverbial SHTF scenario?

Here is a list to consider:

1. Gardening - the most valuable skill for sustainability.  Let them plant their own seeds.
2. Livestock - Raising "Pet" chickens is a valuable skill for sustainable living. Let your kids check for eggs & see chicks hatch.  Raising pet goats is a most valuable skill for Nomadic living. 
3. Fishing - probably the most valuable skill for living in the wild.
4. Horse Back Riding - is fun and a useful skill as a form of sustainable Transportation.
5. Camping - cooking & sleeping outside in various environments without fear is essential.
6. Water - Safe drinking water is critical to survival.  See the Rule of 3.
7. EDC Survival - Surviving with your Every Day Carry (EDC) items. 
8. Shooting - starting with Gun Safety, followed with shooting a BB Gun at a young age. 
9. Archery - a fun sport and precursor to hunting.  
10. Build your own bow and arrows as well as using modern ones.
11. Paint Ball or Laser tag - a fun way to learn military drills and security skills.  
12. Fire Making - a key skill to teach with caution as they become Teens.
13. Wilderness Survival - Knowledge is free and light weight vs a heavy pack of supplies.
14. Hunting - a key skill to learn as Teens but mental preparation to kill an animal is important.
15. Edible Wild Plants - another good skill for Teens, especially the Universal Edibility Test.

There is so much you can teach your children starting as young as 6 to 8  years old. The most important thing is to make learning fun, where they are looking forward to it.  If some of these prove to be boring, move on to another one.  Avoid talking about dooms day or situations that will scare them; just have fun learning valuable skills.

For additional information see the following links: 
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Top Rated Prepper Handbook Posts of all time  

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Prepper Training Drills

During an emergency, it is easy to become indecisive. Unsure about what to do, people often freeze and do nothing.  Such delays can be life threatening in some cases.  But having rehearsed your plans makes executing them second nature.

http://www.primitiveskills.com/

It is good to have plans, but we must be able to execute them, and that requires practice. So what are some good training drills to practice?  Anything that you have formal written plans for should be practiced.  In addition to that, here are some suggested Training Drills:

1.  Bug Out Time - there are Red Flag Warnings that it is bug out time, but will we recognize them and respond in a timely & sensible way?  
2. SHTF Day One exercise - what do you do the first day you realize things are falling apart?
3. Home Invasion - Often there is no warning, requiring that you respond quickly and respond. Group Security Drills
   Urban Survival Perspective
   Urban Survival Plan
   Country Home Security Plan 
   Home Invasion Response Plan
   
4. Pandemic Quarantine procedures - don't just let people come and join your group. 
5. Shooting Skills - Target Practice, especially for beginners.  A .22 Long Rifle or BB gun are the best for beginners and still fun for old timers. 
6. Group Movement Exercises for your Security Team.  How do you safely move from point A to point B when the SHTF?
7. Power Outage - practice being out of power for 1 day, 2 days, .... days.  Its ok to leave your refrigerator and freezer running, but turn the breaker off for everything else and practice surviving without electricity.
8.  Fishing Skills are essential to Wilderness Survival and should be practices frequently.
   Survival Fishing
   3 Odd Techniques for Primitive Fishing
   How to catch your own live bait
   Noodling
   
9. Camping - outdoor skills are essential.  Camp out with the family and practice living off the land with only what you can carry in your Survival Back Pack.
10. First Aid practice is good.  Take Red Cross CPR classes or other such training. 

Beyond this, document and practice your own Prepper plans.

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Sewer disposal when the SHTF

Here is a TEST for you.  After this test, the importance of this topic will be obvious. 

Go 7 days without toilet paper or flushing your toilet.  How long before it is intolerable?

Or try to bring in water from a creek or swimming pool in a 5 gal pail for every toilet flush you do.

Now suppose that every time you go out for a pail of water, that your life is in danger from Looters.

Consider the rule:  when it is brown, flush it down; if it is yellow, let it mellow.

For many, it may be difficult to imagine how dark and violent the world can become.  City Survival could become dangerous, especially without a Neighborhood Watch Program.

But our focus here is on waste disposal, which is an often overlooked consideration.  Imagine what the neighborhood will be like when everyone starts dumping their poop in different places.  Is there a vacant lot, or empty space away from everyone and water sources for dumping waste? Perhaps a business dumpster, or even an abandoned business.

Burning some waste and burying the rest (got shovels?) in 8" deep catholes could be a solution, although the smoke from burning could draw undesirable attention to you, putting your life in danger especially if you don't have Security &/or Intruder Detection.  Even if you detect intruders, do your people have  Shooting Training, or even Gun Safety Training?


The US Department of Conservation offers the following:

Shallow holes for human waste

Dig a shallow hole for human waste; but not just any hole, anywhere. Choose an appropriate place to dig the hole.
How to do it:

• Keep human waste well away from waterways. Dig shallow holes at least 50 m from water, tracks and campsites.
• Select a site where other people are not likely to walk or camp, such as next to thick undergrowth or near fallen timber. If possible also dig your hole where it will receive plenty of sunlight. Heat from the sun helps decomposition.
• Use a trowel to dig a hole 150 - 200 mm deep (about the length of the trowel blade) and 100 -150 mm wide. Deposit your solid human waste. Then back fill the hole with dirt and disguise it with leaf litter or other natural materials.
• If camping in an area for more than one night, or if camping with a large group, agree on a single toilet place and dig a hole deep enough for the group for the length of your stay.

Toilet paper

• If you have to use paper, use only plain, unbleached, non-perfumed types.
• Use toilet paper sparingly.
• Do not burn toilet paper, as this can result in wildfires. Bury paper in your shallow hole or carry it out with you in a plastic bag. 
• Try using natural materials such as bark or leaf vegetation (non-prickly!) or snow instead. Natural ‘toilet paper’ is as sanitary as processed toilet paper and blends back easily into the environment.

While a topic of debate, using human waste, a.k.a. bio solids or night soil for fertilizer, has been done for centuries.  In the absence of commercial fertilizer (and pesticides), it may be necessary to use anything possible.  Human urine is sterile and contains Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium which are essential plant nutrients.

Your Neighborhood Watch Program could help organize a safe, sanitary latrine location a minimum of 200 feet away from water, trails, and campsites, in organic soil.  Your latrine should be about 12" deep and one foot long for each person that will be using it each day.  Then as the first one foot is used, the waste is covered and then the next foot is used.

By the middle of the 1800's cities, life in big cities was hazardous to your health.  The air was polluted, the streams were open sewers and the streets were covered in horse manure.  This led to disease and the death of many people.  We must manage waste to prevent this from reoccurring and a small amount of planning can help achieve this.

For additional information, see the following links:
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Top 10 List of Prepper info
Top Rated Prepper Handbook Posts of all time
Top Rated Prepper Website

How Much Ammunition Is Enough?

The ammunition industry has been a very exciting place for the past few years. In addition to an influx of new hunters and shooters, we’ve also seen a number of individuals stocking up on various calibers of ammunition in anticipation of future shortages. The reasons to stockpile ammunition vary. But regardless of your reason to acquire a cache, how much is a sufficient quantity?

 JR Note:  There is no such thing as too much, except in one location.  See: Right Amount of Ammo

Our (CTD) newest guest blogger, Selous Scout, writes about just this in his post “How Much Ammunition is Enough?”

The argument over how much ammo to buy and store is one of the most widely contested subjects on the Survival/Militia internet forums today. Many feel that only 500 rounds total is necessary while others suggest amounts that would require heavy trucking to move about.

All things considered, the amount of ammo you need to store is directly tied to what your perception of what TSHTF will consist of and how you go about preparing for it. The amount of ammo required by a homeowner protecting the contents of his home after a natural disaster is considerably less than the Survivalist preparing for a multi-generational economic collapse/NWO takeover/Government suspension of civil rights scenario.

In one you may have to protect yourself and property for several months while in the others your succeeding generations (if there are any) will have to rely on what you stored up for them. So where does this put you? Since this relies on your personal beliefs, no one can tell you what will suit your needs. You must evaluate what may possibly happen during your SHTF period and purchase accordingly.

Do you feel that you will have to fight off the ravening hordes of un-prepared sheeple?
Do you plan on supplementing your stored food with small game?
How good of shot are you? Can you do one shot kills on an attacking feral dog pack?

If you like to shoot as a hobby you may already have reloading equipment and lots of supplies. It is a worthwhile hobby to take up as it can cut the cost of ammo for your favorite non-common caliber, whether it is a wildcat load or an obsolete military caliber, and it is also fun. But how much is enough?

Perhaps the best way to approach this is to set up a purchasing plan. Work out on paper (or computer) the most likely scenario to happen in your area sooner than later. If you do not have supplies to get you thru 72 hours of your favorite SHTF, that is your primary concern. If you don’t have one, buy your primary weapon for your arsenal and several hundred rounds to go with it. Next purchase a weeks worth of storage food. Then purchase water purifying supplies that will clean 50 or more gallons. Alternate your purchases each month building on what you had before until you have reached a level at which you are comfortable.

Once you have done this, then plan for the next most likely scenario. Using this technique you can slowly build up a supply of food, water, gear and ammo without sacrificing one group of items for the sake of another. You will also be able to add gear for the least likely scenario without sacrificing for the most likely to happen.

Now that you have met your most dire needs and prepared for those what ifs, you can begin to stock-up on ammo.

But what do you buy?

First thing to understand is that in a natural disaster, life will go on outside of the affected zone. This means that ammo will continue to be produced by the respective manufacturers and what you have accumulated through your purchasing plan should be sufficient for your needs.

However…

If we were to experience an economic breakdown, with riots and such, martial law would most likely be imposed, some people disarmed (most likely the wrong ones), and no ammo available for the foreseeable future, if ever again. Let the experiences of those who suffered the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and other disasters be a lesson to you.

Lesson 1
You can be forcibly removed from your home for “your own good”! In a future disaster, your food and supplies may be seized and redistributed to the sheeple.

Lesson 2
You will be disarmed for the general good. You may be shot if you do not co-operate willingly. You may never see your firearms again.

Lesson 3
The government is inept at responding to disasters of this scope.

Lesson 4
Those with the guns make the rules.

Those with extensive reloading supplies (hidden away) will be in a fairly good position, but you can not reload .22lr!

The barrel life of most average modern (WWI and up) military firearms is up to 50,000 rounds fired with proper cleaning techniques and controlled rates of fire of 5 to 10 seconds between shots.

This is also true of most .22lr’s.

So now we reach the answer for a multi-generational firearm. Buy for the life of the barrel. Unless you own a Ruger 10/22 and a select few other makes, the ability to replace the barrel will exceed the skill of most users, especially after TSHTF. The 10/22 has an easily removable barrel and a spare can be stockpiled along with other spare parts needed to keep your rifle humming.

100,000 rounds of .22lr = $2000.00+ in today’s money. This is a large, forbidding outlay of cash for a lot of us, so the answer is to continue to purchase over time, and storing in metal ammo boxes.

Now you ask, What do I need with all that ammo?

YOU don’t need all that ammo. But your children and grandchildren may. If a MG-SHTF (multi-generational) happens it is likely .22lr will never in the foreseeable future be manufactured again!

Therefore, what you have put aside will be more valuable than gold. Literally. Where someone may sneer at your Krugerand they may jump at the chance to barter for a handful of .22lr.

Don’t forget, a certain amount will be spent in training new hunters and will not contribute anything to the stew pot! Also, prices will continue to climb and eventually, the Government may ban ammo sales altogether.

Ok, now what about the other calibers?

The same goes for the other calibers of your arsenal. You may want to buy some of each caliber at the same time or rotate it like you did with your gear. I would not buy 100,000 rounds of anything unless I had a secure area to store it in, away from confiscation and looting, in an area you feel secure in caching it, or at your secure retreat. Also, do not neglect other aspects of survival just to buy ammo.

Stockpiling large amounts of ammo is not for everyone. I do not advocate it if you have little or no disposable income to prepare with. But for those thinking of buying gold or silver for TEOTWAWKI, I would recommend that you first consider ammo. For barter purposes, stocking up on some of the less common calibers might give you the leverage you need to get that one item you want and need which nothing else will budge. Reloading dies in these calibers will insure a steady customer for your trade goods.

A lot of people say that bartering ammo is a bad idea as it may be used against you (me included), but I think that once the situation has stabilized to the point that community bartering is occurring on a regular organized basis, this danger may be past. Bartering at an established trading post will help alleviate some of this danger once they have been created (and they will).

So, for my last recommendation.

Buy a black powder flintlock rifle and learn how to make your own black powder. Store extra flints as well as barrels, lock mechanisms, bullet molds and lead. You may well then truly have the ultimate rifle for civilizations end.

Selous Scout is a 52 year old single father of 2 teenage boys living in the Pacific Northwest. He has been actively involved in survival preparations since he was 19 years old, and an avid backpacker and hiker from the age of 14. He enjoys the outdoors and loves all season camping. Selous Scout created his blog, Something Wicked Comes to share some of his insight and accumulated knowledge with those just starting out with survival prepping. He is also writing a serialized novel that he posts on his blog called “The Cache” which will be published early next year.

 

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Tags: Ammunition, Preparedness, Survival

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The mission of Cheaper Than Dirt!'s blog, "The Shooter's Log," is to provide information-not opinions-to our customers and the shooting community. We want you, our readers, to be able to make informed decisions. The information provided here does not represent the views of Cheaper Than Dirt!

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Best Survival Knife

If you could only have one tool for hunting, fishing, camping or wilderness survival, what would it be? Lets talk about the characteristics of the best knife:

TBT-010

1. Be durable, hold a good edge and does not break or bend under the most severe use.  This means is should be made in the USA.
2. Able to chop, saw and cut rough, large and small fine things.  
3. Usable for hammering, digging, prying and starting fire.
4. Easily skin, break bone, and process an animal for smoking. 
5. Have a solid, comfortable, full tang hand grip, and ideally a hole for a leather strap.
6. Has a hardy scabbard, that holds the knife safely and securely, yet has it accessible.
7. It should be a good defensive tool and be able to be strapped to a pole to make a Spear.

Here are some top candidates that my research revealed:

Tom Brown Tracker
Buck Knives - top rated knife
Tops B.O.B. Brothers of Bushcraft Survival Knife - top rated knife
Case Large Buffalo Horn Hunter Knife 
Case X-Small Leather Hunter Knife - good for people with smaller hands
Gerber Strong Arm Serrated Fixed Blade Knife
KA1218-BRK USMC Fighter Serrated
Ka-Bar BKR7-BRK Combat Utility
Ka-Bar Bk16 Becker Short Drop Pt

 

 

The Tom Brown Tracker TBT-010 is this Authors personal favorite fixed blade survival knife, having owned more than two dozen different knives.  Without a hatchet, axe or machete, this the best Wilderness Multi-Tool that you can chop or saw wood with.  Here is a video that shows its many uses starting at 5:00.  If you also have a chopping tool, a lighter knife like the Buck or Case is better.

But what about the Every Day Carry (EDC) rule?  This is the idea that you can only count on the tools, that you have on you each and every day.  This usually means a folding knife and compromising some of the heavier uses for a knife.

My top folding knife options are:

Case Amber Bone Hunter Trapper Pocket Knife
Buck 278BKG Fld Alpha Hunter
Kershaw Blur, Olive/Black
TOPS Knives MIL SPIE 3.5 Folding Knife
 
All top quality knives; the Case is the most versatile; The buck is hardy and better for skinning game while the Kershaw is the best defensive knife.  TOPS has a lot of good knives and the SPIE is sharp and holds an edge very well. In the end, there is no knife that is the best for every use.  The answer is to go camping and try different knives to see which one you like best.

More information:
Wilderness Today - Excellent detailed knife information 
Knife Den

For additional information see the following links:

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Alone Season 1 Pack List
Alone Season 2 Pack List
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Alone Survival Plan

Naked & Afraid Survival Plan
Survive on a deserted island
Survival Pack (Security Patrol or Bug Out pack)
Wilderness Survival Pack (Video)
Wilderness Survival

Edible Wild Plants
Greenbriar (catbriar)
Cattails
Dandelion
Chickweed & Hackberries

Survive on a Deserted Island

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Introducing Prepping to skeptics

Our Government says we should ALL prepare for disaster and even provides a website (Ready.gov) to tell us how.  To promote this, they have declared that September is National Preparedness Month.

Yet, we all know someone we care about who is not a Prepper or even thinks it is foolish.  These people fall in to three groups:

1. Likes the idea of prepping, but doesn't' have time, money &/or doesn't think it is urgent.
2. Not interested in prepping and even resents the idea if presented with it too often.
3. Thinks prepping is crazy and Preppers are lunatics; that a crisis will not happen, at least not one that will ever affect them.  Or if a disaster happens, the Government will take care of things. Despite our Government Recommending everyone prepare, these people think it is foolish. 

When one of our loved ones is like this, how do we handle it?  What can we do to help them?

The answer depends on what group they are in.

Group 1 is willing but just needs encouraging or help.  Having lunch with them, go hiking, camping, fishing or something together that you both enjoy.  Talk about prepping, tell them about a few basic preps that you have or would recommend to them.  Help them get started. Invite them to go to a camping store to buy a back pack, a.k.a. Bug Out Bag. Either that, or give them your old one. No one wants to have an empty Bug Out Bag; once you have it, you immediately want to start getting things to put in it. Share the Beginner Prepper List. Next trip together, go get a Water Straw or a fire starter, or something else.  Each month go do this.  Introduce them to the Rule of 3 to help set their priorities;  even better, the Step by Step Prepper Plan.

Group 2 requires a more strategic approach.  The first step is to realize how important it is to NOT push to hard nor too often.  Speak to them one on one, never as a group where you are out numbered.  Speak with love in your heart and avoid confrontation.  Back off if they resist, regroup and try another day and another way.  Gentle persistence over time is the key.

Giving strategic gifts that help them be better prepared is a good start.  For example: A good set of MURS Walkie Talkies for the nephew, kids or grand kids so they can play in the neighborhood and communicate. Play with the new toys with them. Pick “our channel” so they will know how to use them in the future if an emergency occurs.  

Give them a Crank Flashlight / radio and pretend a hurricane has taken out all communications and you are in the dark. Some of the Group 3 ideas below are also good for Group 2 and vice versa. If they start becoming responsive, send them a bucket of Beans, rice and oats and then share a prepper link and then back off for a while.

Group 3 is most likely impossible to reach.  They will be calling Preppers lunatics until a disaster occurs and then suddenly they wish they had listened. There is an old saying that you can't help someone who doesn't want help.

So your options are limited to Stealth Prepper Gifts and buying extra stores of your own so you can provide for them.  Even that may not work if they miss the Red Flag Warnings and wait too late and are lost before they can get to you.  Best case scenario, they are close to you and your preps.  If they are far away, you could lease a mini-warehouse near them and stock it with supplies.  This is not practical for most of us on a tight budget, but there are other less costly options.

Do NOT buy them a Gas Mask or other "Kook" preps (yet) as this will cause a major push back.

Start out giving them something sensible like rechargeable batteries and a nice charger, but also include a Solar Charger for when there is a power outage.  Another sensible gift are solar powered Lawn lights which provide "attractive highlights to the yard," an added element of security AND can double as indoor lights or solar battery chargers during a power outage.  After giving these gifts, allow them a chance to come in handy so that they see the value of having a few preparations.

If a Winter Storm is coming, loan them a Propane Heater or even a generator. but conveniently never get around to getting it back. IF they give it back to you while you are visiting them, set it somewhere it will be easy to "forget" and leave it at their house.


For each group, you can help in stealthy ways like this.  When visiting for a weekend BBQ, carry a large box of Strike Anywhere Kitchen matches to light the fire. When finished using them, put them away in their kitchen.  Also bring a manual can opener (not electric) and put it away in one of their kitchen drawers.

Take them to the shooting range/lessons, or buy the kids a BB Gun or Air Soft gun so they can learn shooting basics.  Be sure to give them Gun Safety Lessons.  Take them camping and supply them with a sleeping bag, a pack and the usual Camping Gear.  Teach them how to find a good camp site.

Later as they have come to recognize the benefits of a few of your gifts, ship them (direct) some water treatment or a months supply of food like beans, rice and oats. Or get the premium meals if you can afford them.

There are an endless number of ways you can help without ever mentioning the word Prepare.  I'm sure you can come up with some good ones; if so, please share them with us using the comments option below, or e-mail us using the form at the right, or visit us on facebook. 

For additional information see the following links:

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US Government Recommended Preparations;

List of Top 10 Lists 

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Power Outage Heater

Its freezing cold and the power is out for who knows how long.

Even if you have solar power with a battery back-up it won't last long using an electric heater.  A 100 Ah 12 VDC Battery will run a 1,500 watt heater for about 48 minutes. So here is what the author of the Prepper Handbook recommends.

This is a top rated heater that doesn't use electricity. It is safe for indoor or outdoor use.  This Mr Heater is one that I've tested and found to work great during cold winter nights.  I even used mine in a car when my heater was out. 

It uses these small propane bottles below  One bottle will last 6 hours on low and 3 hours on high, and produce about 2.6 times more heat than a 1500 watt electric heater.  Walmart sells these fuel bottles for $3.50 each.You can often get a multi-pack for even less per bottle.

Six of these cost about $21 and will keep you warm for 24 hours. This makes a good Prepper Gift for someone who does NOT have a fire place AND wood or natural gas.  If they have a fire place and NO wood or natural gas, they need help. They are also good for running a cooking stove.  For under $150, you can stay warm and cook your food.  These are also great for camping. 

For more information:
Blog Table of Contents
Power Outage Preps
Power Outage Heater
DIY Solar System 
The SHTF Day One
Survive a 2 week Power Outage

List of Top 10 Lists 

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Uses for Baking Soda

One of our Grandparents most trusted names

Personal Care Uses for Baking Soda

1. Make Toothpaste
A paste made from baking soda and a 3 percent hydrogen peroxide solution can be used as an alternative to commercial non-fluoride toothpastes. (Or here’s a formula for a minty version.) You can also just dip your toothbrush with toothpaste into baking soda for an extra boost.
2. Freshen Your Mouth
Put one teaspoon in half a glass of water, swish, spit and rinse. Odors are neutralized, not just covered up.
3. Soak Oral Appliance
Soak oral appliances, like retainers, mouthpieces and dentures, in a solution of 2 teaspoons baking soda dissolved in a glass or small bowl of warm water. The baking soda loosens food particles and neutralizes odors to keep appliances fresh. You can also brush appliances clean using baking soda.
4. Use as a Facial Scrub and Body Exfoliant
Give yourself an invigorating facial and body scrub. Make a paste of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water. Rub in a gentle circular motion to exfoliate the skin. Rinse clean. This is gentle enough for daily use. (For a stronger exfoliant, try one of these great 5 Homemade Sugar Scrubs.)
5. Skip Harsh Deodorant
Pat baking soda onto your underarms to neutralize body odor.
6. Use as an Antacid
Baking soda is a safe and effective antacid to relieve heartburn, sour stomach and/or acid indigestion. Refer to baking soda package for instructions.
7. Treat Insect Bites & Itchy Skin
For insect bites, make a paste out of baking soda and water, and apply as a salve onto affected skin. To ease the itch, shake some baking soda into your hand and rub it into damp skin after bath or shower. For specific tips on bee stings, see Bee Stings: Prevention and Treatment.
8. Make a Hand Cleanser and Softener
Skip harsh soaps and gently scrub away ground-in dirt and neutralize odors on hands with a paste of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water, or 3 parts baking soda to gentle liquid hand soap. Then rinse clean. You can try this honey and cornmeal scrub for hands too.
9. Help Your Hair
Vinegar is amazing for your hair, but baking soda has its place in the shower too. Sprinkle a small amount of baking soda into your palm along with your favorite shampoo. Shampoo as usual and rinse thoroughly–baking soda helps remove the residue that styling products leave behind so your hair is cleaner and more manageable.
10. Clean Brushes and Combs
For lustrous hair with more shine, keep brushes and combs clean. Remove natural oil build-up and hair product residue by soaking combs and brushes in a solution of 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a small basin of warm water. Rinse and allow to dry.
11. Make a Bath Soak
Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to your bath to neutralize acids on the skin and help wash away oil and perspiration, it also makes your skin feel very soft. Epsom salts are pretty miraculous for the bath too; read about the health benefits of epsom salt baths.
12. Soothe Your Feet
Dissolve 3 tablespoons of baking soda in a tub of warm water and soak feet. Gently scrub. You can also make a spa soak for your feet.

Cleaning with Baking Soda

13. Make a Surface Soft Scrub
For safe, effective cleaning of bathroom tubs, tile and sinks–even fiberglass and glossy tiles–sprinkle baking soda lightly on a clean damp sponge and scrub as usual. Rinse thoroughly and wipe dry. For extra cleaning power, make a paste with baking soda, course salt and liquid dish soap—let it sit then scour off.
14. Handwash Dishes and Pots & Pans
Add 2 heaping tablespoons baking soda (along with your regular dish detergent) to the dish water to help cut grease and foods left on dishes, pots and pans. For cooked-on foods, let them soak in the baking soda and detergent with water first, then use dry baking soda on a clean damp sponge or cloth as a scratchless scouring powder. Using a dishwasher? Try these energy saving tips.
15. Freshen Sponges
Soak stale-smelling sponges in a strong baking soda solution to get rid of the mess (4 tablespoons of baking soda dissolved in 1 quart of warm water). For more thorough disinfecting, use the microwave.
16. Clean the Microwave
Baking soda on a clean damp sponge cleans gently inside and outside the microwave and never leaves a harsh chemical smell. Rinse well with water.

17. Polish Silver Flatware
Use a baking soda paste made with 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water. Rub onto the silver with a clean cloth or sponge. Rinse thoroughly and dry for shining sterling and silver-plate serving pieces.
18. Clean Coffee and Tea Pots
Remove coffee and tea stains and eliminate bitter off-tastes by washing mugs and coffee makers in a solution of 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart of warm water. For stubborn stains, try soaking overnight in the baking soda solution and detergent or scrubbing with baking soda on a clean damp sponge.
19. Clean the Oven
Sprinkle baking soda onto the bottom of the oven. Spray with water to dampen the baking soda. Let sit overnight. In the morning, scrub, scoop the baking soda and grime out with a sponge, or vacuum, and rinse.
20. Clean Floors
Remove dirt and grime (without unwanted scratch marks) from no wax and tile floors using 1/2 cup baking soda in a bucket of warm water–mop and rinse clean for a sparkling floor. For scuff marks, use baking soda on a clean damp sponge, then rinse. Read Natural Floor Cleaning for more tips on avoiding toxic floor cleaners.
21. Clean Furniture
You can make a homemade lemon furniture polish, or you can clean and remove marks (even crayon) from walls and painted furniture by applying baking soda to a damp sponge and rubbing lightly. Wipe off with a clean, dry cloth.
22. Clean Shower Curtains
Clean and deodorize your vinyl shower curtain by sprinkling baking soda directly on a clean damp sponge or brush. Scrub the shower curtain and rinse clean. Hang it up to dry.

23. Boost Your Liquid Laundry Detergent
Give your laundry a boost by adding 1/2 cup of baking soda to your laundry to make liquid detergent work harder. A better balance of pH in the wash gets clothes cleaner, fresher and brighter.
24. Gently Clean Baby Clothes
Baby skin requires the most gentle of cleansers, which are increasingly available, but odor and stain fighters are often harsh. For tough stains add 1/2 cup of baking soda to your liquid laundry detergent, or a 1/2 cup in the rinse cycle for deodorization.
25. Clean Cloth Diapers
Dissolve 1/2 cup of baking soda in 2 quarts of water and soak diapers thoroughly.
26. Clean and Freshen Sports Gear
Use a baking soda solution (4 tablespoons baking soda in 1 quart warm water) to clean and deodorize smelly sports equipment. Sprinkle baking soda into golf bags and gym bags to deodorize, clean golf irons (without scratching them!) with a baking soda paste (3 parts baking soda to 1 part water) and a brush. Rinse thoroughly.
27. Remove Oil and Grease Stains
Use baking soda to clean up light-duty oil and grease spills on your garage floor or in your driveway. Sprinkle baking soda on the spot and scrub with a wet brush.
28. Clean Batteries
Baking soda can be used to neutralize battery acid corrosion on cars, mowers, etc. because its a mild alkali. Be sure to disconnect the battery terminals before cleaning. Make a paste of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water, apply with a damp cloth to scrub corrosion from the battery terminal. After cleaning and re-connecting the terminals, wipe them with petroleum jelly to prevent future corrosion. Please be careful when working around a battery–they contain a strong acid.
29. Clean Cars
Use baking soda to clean your car lights, chrome, windows, tires, vinyl seats and floor mats without worrying about unwanted scratch marks. Use a baking soda solution of 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart of warm water. Apply with a sponge or soft cloth to remove road grime, tree sap, bugs and tar. For stubborn stains, use baking soda sprinkled on a damp sponge or soft brush. Here’s how Sustainable Dave washes his car.

Deodorizing with Baking Soda

30. Deodorize Your Refrigerator
Place an open box in the back of the fridge to neutralize odors.
31. Deodorize the Cutting Board
Sprinkle the cutting board with baking soda, scrub, rinse. For how to more thoroughly clean your cutting board, see How To Clean Your Cutting Boards.
32. Deodorize Trashcans
Sprinkle baking soda on the bottom of your trashcan to keep stinky trash smells at bay.
33. Deodorize Recyclables
Sprinkle baking soda on top as you add to the container. Also, clean your recyclable container periodically by sprinkling baking soda on a damp sponge. Wipe clean and rinse. Learn about how to recycle everything.

34. Deodorize Drains
To deodorize your sink and tub drains, and keep lingering odors from resurfacing, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain while running warm tap water–it will neutralize both acid and basic odors for a fresh drain. (This a good way to dispose of baking soda that is being retired from your refrigerator.) Do you know what you’re not supposed to put down your drains?
35. Deodorize and Clean Dishwashers
Use baking soda to deodorize before you run the dishwasher and then as a gentle cleanser in the wash cycle.
36. Deodorize Garbage Disposals
To deodorize your disposal, and keep lingering odors from resurfacing, pour baking soda down the drain while running warm tap water. Baking soda will neutralize both acid and basic odors for a fresh drain.
37. Deodorize Lunch Boxes
Between uses, place a spill-proof box of baking soda in everyone’s lunch box to absorb lingering odors. Read bout safe lunch boxes here.
38. Remove Odor From Carpets
Liberally sprinkle baking soda on the carpet. Let set overnight, or as long as possible (the longer it sets the better it works). Sweep up the larger amounts of baking soda, and vacuum up the rest. (Note that your vacuum cleaner bag will get full and heavy.)
39. Remove Odor From Vacuum Cleaners
By using the method above for carpets, you will also deodorize your vacuum cleaner.
40. Freshen Closets
Place a box on the shelf to keep the closet smelling fresh, then follow these tips to organize your closet in an eco-friendly way.
41. Deodorizing Cars
Odors settle into car upholstery and carpet, so each time you step in and sit down, they are released into the air all over again. Eliminate these odors by sprinkling baking soda directly on fabric car seats and carpets. Wait 15 minutes (or longer for strong odors) and vacuum up the baking soda.
42. Deodorize the Cat Box
Cover the bottom of the pan with baking soda, then fill as usual with litter. To freshen between changes, sprinkle baking soda on top of the litter after a thorough cleaning. You can also use green tea for this purpose!
43. Deodorize Pet Bedding
Eliminate odors from your pets bedding by sprinkling liberally with baking soda, wait 15 minutes (or longer for stronger odors), then vacuum up.
44. Deodorize Sneakers
Keep odors from spreading in smelly sneakers by shaking baking soda into them when not in use. Shake out before wearing. When they’re no longer wearable, make sure to donate your old sneakers.

45. Freshen Linens
Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to the rinse cycle for fresher sheets and towels. You can also make homemade lavender linen water with this formula.
46. Deodorize Your Wash
Gym clothes of other odoriferous clothing can be neutralized with a 1/2 cup of baking soda in the rinse cycle.
47. Freshen Stuffed Animals
Keep favorite cuddly toys fresh with a dry shower of baking soda. Sprinkle baking soda on and let it sit for 15 minutes before brushing off

Miscellaneous Uses for Baking Soda

48. Camping Cure-all
Baking soda is a must-have for your next camping trip. Its a dish washer, pot scrubber, hand cleanser, deodorant, toothpaste, fire extinguisher and many other uses.
49. Extinguish Fires
Baking soda can help in the initial handling of minor grease or electrical kitchen fires, because when baking soda is heated, it gives off carbon dioxide, which helps to smother the flames. For small cooking fires (frying pans, broilers, ovens, grills), turn off the gas or electricity if you can safely do so. Stand back and throw handfuls of baking soda at the base of the flame to help put out the fire–and call the Fire Department just to be safe. (And, you should have a fire extinguisher on hand anyway, here’s why.
50. Septic Care
Regular use of baking soda in your drains can help keep your septic system flowing freely. One cup of baking soda per week will help maintain a favorable pH in your septic tank.
51. Fruit and Vegetable Scrub
Baking soda is the food safe way to clean dirt and residue off fresh fruit and vegetables. Just sprinkle a little on a clean damp sponge, scrub and rinse. Here’s another way to clean your vegetables as well.

For more great common sense tips on how to use everyday household items instead of expensive chemical based products, see www.care2.com

For additional information see the following links:
Blog Table of Contents
Complete Sustainable Living Plan
Blog Table of Contents
Acorn Flour Pancakes
Pemmican Recipe
Hardtack Recipe
Corn Bread
Sour Dough Bread
Corn Fritters
Apple Cider Vinegar
More on making Vinegar
Backing Soda vs Yeast
Baking Soda uses

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