*Cloth Diapers*
By: Pistolshooter
13 December 2010

I was looking for something useful that I have not seen here on the boards that I could write an article about when my daughter-in-law called, and ask me if I had any diapers in my preps in case there was an emergency of some kind and they had to come to my AO. I didn’t, so I got to thinking about the cloth diapers, and what other uses I would have for them other than the obvious one.

There are many advantages to stocking up on cloth diapers for an emergency situation. I am talking about the regular un-pleated cotton cloth diapers, not the pleated ones although they could have their uses also. I have three grandchildren that are from 4 months old to about three years old that still wear diapers. I know that two of the three will be with me during any kind of SHTF situation or disaster. For me, or my kids, it would not be economical to stock mass quantities of disposable diapers in various sizes for use in a long term situation, they take up a lot of room, and then how would I dispose of them after use. That is 6 to 10 a day - each. They are not very bio-degradable, and it takes a really hot fire to burn them because of the chemical absorbents used.

This is a small list of ideas I had for using and why I will be stocking the cloth diaper. They could be useful in almost any situation.

  1. The cloth diapers can be used, naturally, as diapers.
  2. They can be used as a feminine hygiene item.
  3. I use them for cleaning and wiping down my firearms, and to lay parts on when I disassemble them so they don’t roll around.
  4. They can be used for bandaging large wounds or as a tourniquet.
  5. They can be used for securing splints.
  6. They can be used as a sling for a broken or sprained arm.
  7. They can be used as an Ice pack or heat pack.
  8. They can be used as inserts or soakers.
  9. They can be used for filtering large solids from liquids. When I was a kid, we would use one to strain the milk into jars after milking in case there was anything kicked into the bucket while we were milking and we didn’t see it.
  10. They can be used as a dust cloth.
  11. Folded they can be used as a pot holder or oven mitt.
  12. They can be used to mop up almost any kind of spillage because they are so absorbent.
  13. They can be used as a washing cloth or small towel.
  14. They can be used for cleaning most glass or lens since they are generally lint-free.
  15. By folding the opposite corners together, they can make a small pouch like a hobo bag on a stick.
  16. By sewing them together they can be a liner for clothing during cold weather.
  17. They can be used as a bandana or sweat band/rag in warmer areas.
  18. When you have several rolled up, they will make a makeshift pillow for your head or to put behind your back when driving (if you have a bad back).
  19. When attached to a hat or tucked under a hat, it can be a shield for the neck or shoulders when working in a garden to keep you from getting too much sun and being blistered.
  20. They can be used for padding between breakable items when moving.
  21. I have used them for polishing the car, as a rag for my oil/transmission dip sticks, and as a general grease/oil rag.
  22. When I was a kid, I saw my dad and granddad use them as a dust mask when they went to check on the cows and other animals during a dust storm when we lived south of Lohn, Texas. The mask’s didn’t do a lot of good, but worked for them for a short time. We even wore them in the house during that storm.
  23. They dry rather quickly, when they are wet because they are thin.
  24. They can be used for barter.
  25. They are cheap and reusable.

This is just a few ways that I have come up with for using cloth diapers. I am sure that I have barely touched the surface of their many uses. Several dozen will not cost very much, and they take up very little room in your preps. Also, they can be washed or rinsed in a creek/river for reuse in a worse case scenario.
Pistolshooter



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