Yup, you read the headline right – today we’re going to have a nice and cozy chat about how lady supplies can very well save your ass one day. As someone who has bought more tampons than he could ever care to remember, I always wondered if those things can be used for other purposes then, well… you know. Anyway, after digging around for a while, a stumbled upon this nice prepping forum where the topic was tampons. Although everything could have gone to shit, the people there were surprisingly very open about sharing their opinions on how to use feminine supplies in a shit hits the fan situation.
So, without further ado, here are 15 ways to use tampons for survival.
1. Bandage Replacement
Since most tampons are made from pure cotton, obviously they can be used as bandages in case of a medical emergency. I would venture to say that they’re more efficient in stopping bleeding compared to regular gauze since they’re manufactured to, well, suck out every drop of blood. Don’t forget to keep the pressure on that wound and to stack as many tampons as necessary to stop the bleeding.
2. Tinder
If you run out of char cloth, you could make some more using a tampon. Unwrap the thing and pour some lighter fluid on it before setting it on fire. Alternatively, you apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly.
3. Ear mufflers
Neighbors too loud? Mosquitos won’t stop buzzing around? No problem. Take a tampon out of its wrapper, rip it in half, and stuff the pieces in your ears. Now you’re all set for nap time.
4. Dry-clean yourself
If you forgot to pack a towel, use a couple of tampons to dry yourself. As most of them pack some kind of perfume, you could very well end up smelling like the proverbial rose. They’re also very useful for wiping your forehead of sweat.
5. Patch up tent holes
A hole in the tent’s tarp is no laughing matter, especially if you plan on camping during mosquito season. If you don’t have anything else, you could use to repair the hole, take a tampon out of its wrapper, strip some cotton, cover the hole, and apply some duct tape.
6. Craft an emergency candle
If your tac light’s out of juice, it’s possible to make an emergency candle out of a tampon. Get a bell or mason jar, fill with oil, fat, wax or petroleum jelly and stick a tampon in it. Allow it to soak the fuel and set it ablaze. Haven’t tested this out yet, but, apparently, the flame from burning a tampon is powerful enough for cooking. Let me know if it works.
7. Bait
As gory as this may sound, a blood-soaked tampon can be used to baitfish. And no, it doesn’t have to be human blood – you can use some from a freshly-gutted game or a smaller fish.
8. Self-defense\offensive weapon
Well, when shit really hits the fan, you’ll want to do everything to get your ass to safety, even if that includes torching someone or something with a tampon Molotov cocktail. To craft one, get yourself an empty glass bottle and fill it with lamp or gas. Take a tampon out of its wrapper and dip it in some petroleum jelly (you can also soak it in lighter fluid). Place the tampon inside the bottle but leave a bit dangling outside. Flip the bottle a couple of times to soak the tampon in oil or gas. Set fire to the part sticking out and let it rip.
9. Waterproof carrier for tinder and matches
Lost your tinder box? No problem. To avoid getting those matches and tinder soaking-wet, place them in a tampon wrapper and store them in your bug out bag. As many tampons come with a small, metallic case, you may be able to use that in order to craft a new Tinder box.
10. Extra cordage
Don’t panic if you run out of cordage. If there are tampons left in your backpack, take them out of their wrapper and cut them into smaller stripes using your multi-tool or survival knife. Tie the heads together, and voila, you have an extra piece of rope.
11. Figuring out the wind direction
If ever in doubt as to the wind direction, use a tampon. Take a small pole, attach a tampon to one of the ends and stick it in the ground. You’re welcome!
12. Corking a bottle
Should you lose your bottle’s cork or have to use it for any purpose, use a tampon to cork your wine bottle or whatever.
13. Making an emergency potty
You can make your own portable toilet by using a couple of tampons and a large zip-lock bag. Here’s what to do. First of all, ensure that there are no holes in the bag. Next, unwrap a couple of tampons, and get them inside the zip-lock bag. That’s it! You now have a pocket-size emergency toilet- great for number one, though I’m too sure about the other one (would be stupid to carry your own crap in a plastic bag, but survival makes us do ‘amazing’ things).
14. Water filtration
If you run out of water purification tablets or have no other means of sterilizing water, use a tampon and a plastic bottle. Put as many tampons as possible inside the bottle and pour water. The process will take a while, but the water collected at the bottom is safe to drink.
15. Treat blisters
I don’t think there’s any universe where blisters are embraced. Doesn’t matter if you’re hiking or running for your life, those blisters will slow you down. Now, if you have one on your foot, it may be possible to reduce the friction between the skin and boot and, at the same time, protect the area by duct taping a tampon over the blister. Yes, it looks awful, but it works.
Well, that’s about it on how to use tampons in a shit hit the fan situation. What’s your take on this? Hit the comments section and let me know.
