Handy Items – Wet Wipes

Wet wipes can be bought from most super markets really cheaply, always get the budget brand – non scented, Morrison’s for example an own brand containing 72 wipes for around 50p.

These will prove invaluable when times get hard.

Firstly, for the obvious purpose of cleaning yourself, but beyond that, after you’ve cleaned up with them don’t chuck them away, they can be dried & used as toilet paper.

Another use would be as a sterile bandage, wet or dry. (although wet straight from the near sterile pack would be favourite)

If you leave them wet whilst working them they can be used for string. If you look at the wipe it’s not square, if you pull it, one way it will be firm and the other way it will be stretchy, roll up the wipe and cut in to 1/2inch strips, now you need to do it so when you unroll the strips you will be able to stretch them length ways, stretch them as far as you can, being careful not to break the strip. Then twist the strip tightly, if you connect 2 lengths together it will give you a length of approx. 2ft fix one end in a vice or similar & twist the other end, smoothing it out as you go, once it’s been twisted as much as it will take fix the other end & do the same again with another length. After that if both lengths are twisted together you will end up with a strong piece of “string” around 2ft long to use as you will, that from one wet wipe.

Dried they can be used to filter water or other liquids.

They can also be used by placing them at the bottom of a steamer to stop the smaller pieces of food falling through the holes.

Use them as individual bandages to cover cut or sores on fingers, fold into four – lengthwise then stretch it as far as it will go, wrap it around your finger tucking the loose end under and into the wrapped portion of material.

That’s a few uses, see what you can add to the list. Cheap, but invaluable in a situation where, for instance, a clean dressing is the difference between living and dying of infection.