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SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles

 
Anonymous Coward
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11/11/2012 10:56 AM
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SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
Sounds easy enough. Recently we had a power outage that lasted about 17 hours, started right before dark, so we had to spend an entire evening with no power, and well, it was a good test run to see how "prepared" we are. NOT...these candles are a great idea. I am totally stalking up on this. Because my first realization in my recent power outage was in the event of long term power outages, which could come to a neighborhood near you soon enough, we did not have much light to last for very long.


[link to teotwawkiblog.blogspot.com]
Carol B.

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11/11/2012 10:57 AM

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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
Sounds easy enough. Recently we had a power outage that lasted about 17 hours, started right before dark, so we had to spend an entire evening with no power, and well, it was a good test run to see how "prepared" we are. NOT...these candles are a great idea. I am totally stalking up on this. Because my first realization in my recent power outage was in the event of long term power outages, which could come to a neighborhood near you soon enough, we did not have much light to last for very long.


[link to teotwawkiblog.blogspot.com]
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1317305


Last time our power went out we brought in two of our solar yard lights. Totally lit up the hallway and elsewhere all night!
Prayer.....the world's first wireless connection.
Anonymous Coward (OP)
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11/11/2012 11:06 AM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
Sounds easy enough. Recently we had a power outage that lasted about 17 hours, started right before dark, so we had to spend an entire evening with no power, and well, it was a good test run to see how "prepared" we are. NOT...these candles are a great idea. I am totally stalking up on this. Because my first realization in my recent power outage was in the event of long term power outages, which could come to a neighborhood near you soon enough, we did not have much light to last for very long.


[link to teotwawkiblog.blogspot.com]
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1317305


Last time our power went out we brought in two of our solar yard lights. Totally lit up the hallway and elsewhere all night!
 Quoting: Carol B.


That is great if you can afford solar. Not everyone can. This is great for those who do not have a lot of money to invest, for a quick solution for longer term. Thanks for your input !
Anonymous Coward (OP)
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11/11/2012 11:21 AM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
There are a lot of other great stuff to learn on this website as well. If you have the time to look. Another thing I figured out from this power outage, water water water. I didn't really want to tap into my emergency water stash for this power outage, but rain barels are great for those who don't live in the freezing north. We couldn't flush out toilet, are real inconveniance when living with a MAN !
Anonymous Coward
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11/11/2012 11:26 AM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
Sounds easy enough. Recently we had a power outage that lasted about 17 hours, started right before dark, so we had to spend an entire evening with no power, and well, it was a good test run to see how "prepared" we are. NOT...these candles are a great idea. I am totally stalking up on this. Because my first realization in my recent power outage was in the event of long term power outages, which could come to a neighborhood near you soon enough, we did not have much light to last for very long.


[link to teotwawkiblog.blogspot.com]
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1317305


Last time our power went out we brought in two of our solar yard lights. Totally lit up the hallway and elsewhere all night!
 Quoting: Carol B.


That is great if you can afford solar. Not everyone can. This is great for those who do not have a lot of money to invest, for a quick solution for longer term. Thanks for your input !
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1317305


Little solar yard light can be had very cheap all over the place and at any hardware store. They can be bought in boxes of 4 or 6 or 8. Purchased at Walmart for under 20 bucks and also better ones foe up to 60 bucks. Last for years if you don't expose them to the harsh winters and can be set into any light to be charged. Cheap Cheap Cheap.

The making candle thing is great for a long term forever type of SHTF senario after the fact. Thanks for bring the recipe here. hf
lou la belle
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11/11/2012 11:34 AM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
great post op. what a great idea, I am going to use cans and a popsicle holder broke in half for a wick, thanks again.
Crazy Harriet

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11/11/2012 11:53 AM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
Useful link, OP.

Would leave a full 1/2" above the wax for the wicks, however. That's what you normally get in candles you purchase and when it's time to use them, you can snip it to 1/4" if you want a little light and small flame, or leave it higher if you are willing to sacrifice length of time it is burning for increased light immediately.
"I would rather take a political risk in pursuit of peace, than risk peace in pursuit of politics." - Donald Trump
Anonymous Coward
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11/11/2012 11:57 AM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
Even quicker is buy crisco and stick a wick in it. Wick could even be paper towel or strip of cloth off a shirt if necessary.
Anonymous Coward
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11/11/2012 12:00 PM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
I purchased 12 exercise bikes and daisychained them into one generator. When power goes out I'll charge the neighborhood fat ladies to pedal them in an exercise class. Should be a win-win for all concerned. :)
Anonymous Coward
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11/11/2012 12:03 PM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
I purchased 12 exercise bikes and daisychained them into one generator. When power goes out I'll charge the neighborhood fat ladies to pedal them in an exercise class. Should be a win-win for all concerned. :)
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 27481102


An added bonus would be the heat generated from all their work.
Crazy Harriet

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11/11/2012 12:09 PM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
About the Shortening candle. Does a wick work if it isn't prepped with melted shortening before you make the candle? Have read that the prepping is necessary to draw the wax into the wick, otherwise it would just burn to a crisp and be gone.

Just asking. Haven't tried it myself.

BTW, first-time candlemakers. Those wicks are prepped with wax which makes them stiff but the hot wax poured around it can make it soft and sag into your candle. Tie the wick to a pencil braced over over the top of your container so it doesn't disappear. Fishing one out is messy, and not all that fun.

Also, if you overheat the wax and start a fire, using baking soda or a fire extinguisher. Water may just spread the wax, like an oil fire, and thus spreads the fire. You must suffocate the fire.
"I would rather take a political risk in pursuit of peace, than risk peace in pursuit of politics." - Donald Trump
Anonymous Coward
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11/11/2012 12:35 PM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
About the Shortening candle. Does a wick work if it isn't prepped with melted shortening before you make the candle? Have read that the prepping is necessary to draw the wax into the wick, otherwise it would just burn to a crisp and be gone.

Just asking. Haven't tried it myself.

BTW, first-time candlemakers. Those wicks are prepped with wax which makes them stiff but the hot wax poured around it can make it soft and sag into your candle. Tie the wick to a pencil braced over over the top of your container so it doesn't disappear. Fishing one out is messy, and not all that fun.

Also, if you overheat the wax and start a fire, using baking soda or a fire extinguisher. Water may just spread the wax, like an oil fire, and thus spreads the fire. You must suffocate the fire.
 Quoting: Crazy Harriet


I've never made it, but yeah, you got to soak the wick if its homemade. good tip on fires!
Anonymous Coward (OP)
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11/11/2012 12:38 PM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
THanks for all the excellent replys and tips on here. Great info, ok so solar lights can be cheap, will have to look into that. Love the ideas on here, keep them coming, even the fat ladies riding bikes , got a great visual. tounge
Anonymous Coward (OP)
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11/11/2012 12:39 PM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
About the Shortening candle. Does a wick work if it isn't prepped with melted shortening before you make the candle? Have read that the prepping is necessary to draw the wax into the wick, otherwise it would just burn to a crisp and be gone.

Just asking. Haven't tried it myself.

BTW, first-time candlemakers. Those wicks are prepped with wax which makes them stiff but the hot wax poured around it can make it soft and sag into your candle. Tie the wick to a pencil braced over over the top of your container so it doesn't disappear. Fishing one out is messy, and not all that fun.

Also, if you overheat the wax and start a fire, using baking soda or a fire extinguisher. Water may just spread the wax, like an oil fire, and thus spreads the fire. You must suffocate the fire.
 Quoting: Crazy Harriet


good tips
Anonymous Coward (OP)
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11/11/2012 12:39 PM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
I purchased 12 exercise bikes and daisychained them into one generator. When power goes out I'll charge the neighborhood fat ladies to pedal them in an exercise class. Should be a win-win for all concerned. :)
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 27481102


funny tip
Anonymous Coward (OP)
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11/11/2012 12:40 PM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
Even quicker is buy crisco and stick a wick in it. Wick could even be paper towel or strip of cloth off a shirt if necessary.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 17984635


very excellent, doesn't involve a lot of work and is easy and cheap enough, maybe a little stinky though ?
Anonymous Coward (OP)
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11/11/2012 12:41 PM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
About the Shortening candle. Does a wick work if it isn't prepped with melted shortening before you make the candle? Have read that the prepping is necessary to draw the wax into the wick, otherwise it would just burn to a crisp and be gone.

Just asking. Haven't tried it myself.

BTW, first-time candlemakers. Those wicks are prepped with wax which makes them stiff but the hot wax poured around it can make it soft and sag into your candle. Tie the wick to a pencil braced over over the top of your container so it doesn't disappear. Fishing one out is messy, and not all that fun.

Also, if you overheat the wax and start a fire, using baking soda or a fire extinguisher. Water may just spread the wax, like an oil fire, and thus spreads the fire. You must suffocate the fire.
 Quoting: Crazy Harriet


No, i have made homemade candles before with a cotton wick that is not treated and they work just fine.
Anonymous Coward
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11/11/2012 12:41 PM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
my solar flashlight is out on the window ledge charging up. I use it every night.
Anonymous Coward
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11/11/2012 12:45 PM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
Those solar LED lanterns that have the hand crank on the side to charge it in case there is no sun are fantastic. Very bright and cheap. Amazon has them for less than 20 bucks. I still keep a few hurricane candles around but the LED lanterns are much safer and brighter.
Anonymous Coward
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11/11/2012 12:46 PM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
Anonymous Coward (OP)
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11/11/2012 12:48 PM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
my solar flashlight is out on the window ledge charging up. I use it every night.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 23011194


I have one of those flashlight that goes on friction power. Like you shake it and shake it and shake it, then you have light. Not the best, but will do in an emergency. It is in my bug out bag. Also have one of those radio/flashlights that runs on cranking. super duper to have for a real SHTF scenario. You may have a lot more time on your hands anyway without modern day life getting in the way but to sit around cranking a radio for about an hour. Or it could become a daily ritual where everyone in the family takes their turn, while you sit around the campfire ...tee hee
rickky

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11/11/2012 12:54 PM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
buy several of those Solar Powered Garden Lights like they sell at Walmart 3 dollars each. Charge them in the morning and at night time twist the top off and set them around the house 2 to 3 will light up a room and each one can be used to charge 2 AA batteries. Much safer than candles especially around children.

Edit: Head lamps are much more useful then flashlights they make lanterns almost obsolete, no use lighting an area where your not looking. Always stick with led's.

Last Edited by rickky on 11/11/2012 01:00 PM
Anonymous Coward (OP)
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11/11/2012 12:54 PM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles

 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 27142846


Thanks for the excellent tip potty mouth. . . .oops2
Quasar

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11/11/2012 01:04 PM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
For later viewing...
Anonymous Coward
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11/11/2012 01:13 PM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
Sounds easy enough. Recently we had a power outage that lasted about 17 hours, started right before dark, so we had to spend an entire evening with no power, and well, it was a good test run to see how "prepared" we are. NOT...these candles are a great idea. I am totally stalking up on this. Because my first realization in my recent power outage was in the event of long term power outages, which could come to a neighborhood near you soon enough, we did not have much light to last for very long.


[link to teotwawkiblog.blogspot.com]
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1317305


Last time our power went out we brought in two of our solar yard lights. Totally lit up the hallway and elsewhere all night!
 Quoting: Carol B.


Good for you Carol B! Glad to see you thinking like that. I'm the guy writing most of the Last minute tips for parents when the SHTF topic. That's something I've mentioned before and a great survival means of safely illuminating your home.

In some disasters, one of the issues is gas leaks. Say you've had a tornado or hurricane. Another big issue is that people fall asleep with candles burning too.

Latinos use large votive candles, and these can be purchased cheaply. I'm glad to see someone using survival skills to make them too.

In a true collapse, you want to save your fat sources (oil, Crisco, etc.) Those might be very important for calorie supplementation. Other times we want to use minimal fat, especially the saturated kind. In a SHTF scenario where food stores dwindle, fat add much more per gram of calories and people are working harder and using up energy.

It's true you can say, take a bit of fiberglass, a bit of twisted wire, and some oil and make an oil lamp, or you can use Crisco to make an emergency candle, but if it's a long lasting disaster or worse, then you've used up resources that you could be using better in other areas.

Yes to the poster describing crank lanterns. In a disaster in which there are no gas leaks, then this is the cheapest way by using a dynamo. They are load though and not good for stealthy walks through the woods, but they are excellent especially for children to use as then they don't waste batteries. LED flashlights all the way otherwise.

If we look to the hurricane, there's real supply chain issues, and people could run out of food in some areas since it's lasted almost two weeks. That means carefully managing all supplies.

Candle making after a collapse is fairly complicated. Rendered fat doesn't come easily for use in making candles from tallow. It requires a lot of hunting or raising animals. Even then, you want to eat that fat as calories unless you have an abundance.

Candle making from pre-made soy wax isn't difficult as the burn temperature is even. Rendered fat candles from tallow wasn't, and they often added mixes of plant sources to even the burn rate. Things like wax produced from wax myrtle or sumac were used as additives.

Soy wax of course is difficult to replicate. You'd again have to press the oils from soybeans, and while soybeans are a commonly grown crop, again that's valuable calories too.

Re: trimming wicks, one thing you can do is purchase cheap candle followers. The're the cylindrical metal piece that fits over a candle and limits the burn rate. If you have a candle lantern, usually the candle is spring loaded and a candle follower is at the top.

If there's no power and it's cold, then if you have parafin oil lanterns they produce a lot of heat as well as light. Be careful though since if they tip, they can cause fires.

In a disaster, using light isn't a big deal, but in a collapse you have to be careful about using light as it reveals that the home is occupied.
phoenixe
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11/11/2012 01:18 PM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
I purchased 12 exercise bikes and daisychained them into one generator. When power goes out I'll charge the neighborhood fat ladies to pedal them in an exercise class. Should be a win-win for all concerned. :)
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 27481102


An added bonus would be the heat generated from all their work.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 27481102


..but not the stinky smell that comes with that, too !
Anonymous Coward
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11/11/2012 01:20 PM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
excellent! Thanks for sharing the link!...
Anonymous Coward
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11/11/2012 01:30 PM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
I use the $3 solar yard light from Walmart. I buy the ones that have a flat top, so when I bring them in, I turn them upside down and they will sit anywhere. In the store they are on display in a box that holds 12. Since many had already been sold, I just took the box with the ones I purchased and it makes a great holder to sit them outside to charge during the day. They last all night!
Carol B.

User ID: 21050000
United States
11/11/2012 01:36 PM

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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
I use the $3 solar yard light from Walmart. I buy the ones that have a flat top, so when I bring them in, I turn them upside down and they will sit anywhere. In the store they are on display in a box that holds 12. Since many had already been sold, I just took the box with the ones I purchased and it makes a great holder to sit them outside to charge during the day. They last all night!
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 19207062

That they do! I bought a 6 pack on way sale...keep them charged up just in case.
Prayer.....the world's first wireless connection.
Anonymous Coward
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11/11/2012 03:31 PM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
Sounds easy enough. Recently we had a power outage that lasted about 17 hours, started right before dark, so we had to spend an entire evening with no power, and well, it was a good test run to see how "prepared" we are. NOT...these candles are a great idea. I am totally stalking up on this. Because my first realization in my recent power outage was in the event of long term power outages, which could come to a neighborhood near you soon enough, we did not have much light to last for very long.


[link to teotwawkiblog.blogspot.com]
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1317305


Last time our power went out we brought in two of our solar yard lights. Totally lit up the hallway and elsewhere all night!
 Quoting: Carol B.


That is great if you can afford solar. Not everyone can. This is great for those who do not have a lot of money to invest, for a quick solution for longer term. Thanks for your input !
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1317305


You can buy solar yard lights for $2 apiece at stores like Deals or Dollar Tree. More expensive ones are around 3 to 4 dollars. I know the candles give off heat, so there's a difference, and maybe the heat is what you want. But for the amount the candles cost at the link, you could get several solar lights (as long as you have sunshine, which sometimes you don't during storms). One nice thing about the solar lights is there is no smoke, that can be a bad thing with asthmatic children, even just from candles. No power also means no air filters or nebulizers for breathing treatments. No power also means people are likely to be putting woodsmoke out into the air...most don't think twice about their wood burning being bad for the neighbor's asthmatic kid or the elderly person with emphysema.
Anonymous Coward
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11/11/2012 03:39 PM
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Re: SURVIVAL TIP : Great Recipe For making CHEAP Emergency Candles
There are a lot of other great stuff to learn on this website as well. If you have the time to look. Another thing I figured out from this power outage, water water water. I didn't really want to tap into my emergency water stash for this power outage, but rain barels are great for those who don't live in the freezing north. We couldn't flush out toilet, are real inconveniance when living with a MAN !
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1317305


If there is a power outage or likely to be on, fill up the bathtub and the washing machine with water. Do it before the storm hits, if you have prior warning.
You can dip with a small bucket and pour right into the toilet, it will flush itself once you get enough water in the bowl, you don't have to take the tank cover off.

I always figured that if worse came to worst, I would put a black plastic bag in the toilet bowl so as to be able to sit on the seat, and put shredded newspaper in the bag. I would sincerely hope the bowl would be empty before doing this.

And then not sure what to do next with the bag...LOL...bury it??? I think you can buy enzyme tablets, I should look into that Kitty litter is recommended, too, for emergency toilets like the plastic bag thing, but I don't have a kitty. Maybe it would work to pour bleach on it and let it set and then bury it or something. This is much farther along in the SHTF scenario that I would like to think, but I feel sure I would come up with something in that event.





GLP