I was reading a book about early settlers in Oregon (I’m always reading something like this) and I again noticed that they whitewashed their cellars and barns.  So, I was wondering why they did this all the time - was it just to make things look better, or perhaps it was used to control bugs, etc.  Thank goodness for the internet, otherwise I would know nothing…..

White wash, which is basically lime and water is a pretty effective antimicrobial.  They didn’t know much about microbes back then, but they did know that lime when mixed with water made an effective paint - most probably white washed because it “looked” cleaner.  In today’s world we have more convenient methods, but what happens when you realize you can’t run to the hardware store for paint and your disinfectants have run out?  White wash isn’t really recommended for in house use, but if you have a shed, cellar or barn where you’re keeping food stocks, or you want to do everything you can to keep your farm animals healthy, you might use white wash.

There are several ways to make white wash, the easiest being mixing pure slaked lime in water and use a regular paint brush to apply.  The mixture will go on pretty light, but then harden up after it cures.  With this method you’d have to have access to or a store of slaked lime.  You could slake your own limestone if you live near a natural limestone supply, which many in the US do.  Slaking limestone is as simple as mixing with boiling water and keep covered until the limestone breaks down into a paste.  You can then strain it and add additional water to make white wash.

In the days before commercial production of lime, most people used lye made from wood ashes.  This is a much more tedious method as you need to save enough ashes to make a bucket of lye, which can take a year.  However, this may be the only source of lye you have, so it’s worth considering. 

To make lye, boil the ashes from hardwood fires in soft water (this would be rain water) for about half an hour.  Allow the ashes to settle to the bottom of the pan and then skim off the liquid lye.  Save the liquid for soap making and use the sediment or potash to make lime by mixing the ash with water and an equal mixture of salt and water.  This combination will cause a chemical reaction that produces a result similar to natural lime. 

You can also use the leaching method to make lye.  Take any large wooden or steel container, cut holes in the bottom and put in a layer of pebbles.  Add two or three inches of straw or dried grass on top and then fill the barrel with ashes (leave some room at the top).  Tap everything down and leave a small depression on top of the ash.  Set the barrel about three feet off the ground allowing room underneath for a wooden or steel bucket.  Fill the depression in the top with water - as the water seeps through the ash, lye will begin to trickle into the bucket.  This is slow work, but be patient and only add more water once the depression is empty.  If the second or third runs seem weak, you may need to run them through the ash again.  This method requires more equipment, but can be left unattended.

Whitewashing is one of those skills that our grandparents didn’t pass on - so it’s important to be aware of the basics, knowing it’s a handy skill to have.

I was doing a little research this week about storing vinegar - which by the way stores indefinately - and found out how easy it is to make your own.  This is a handy skill to have, especially in a grid-down, long-term emergency situation.

Vinegar has been used for thousands of years as a food, cleaning product and medicinal treatment.  It can clean the grease off your car wheels and is safe enough to use with children and pets.  You can even use it as a teeth and mouth cleaner - just brush or rinse weekly.  Vinegar will kill mold and gives a boost to bleach’s power.  It’s also a green way to kill weeds and pests in your garden.

Vinegar made at home will not look like the clear vinegar you’re used to buying - unless you have the means to distill it.  Vinegar can be made from almost anything that contains sugar or starch and takes place through a fermentation process.  Here are the basics you’ll need to make your own:

• A container with a wide mouth, it should be glass, enamel or stainless steel, you could use wood, but glass works great.
• Cheescloth to cover the container.
• Fresh fruit juice, cider or you can use fruit scraps.
• Starter culture (you can use some of your unpasturized vinegar, or buy some Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar.
• A dark, warm place.

Pour about 1 quart of starter into the container.

Pour 1 quart of juice into the container.

Put the mix in a warm dark place.  Check it regularly until it’s as strong as you like.  For your first time you might want to buy a testing kit - vinegar should be at least 4% acidity, but it could be slightly higher.

Strain the vinegar through a coffee filter and bottle in an airtight container.  Let this sit for at least 6 months for best results, but it can be used immediately although the taste will be quite strong.  You can also pasturize your vinegar, which will allow you to store it indefinately. 

How to pasturize vinegar:

Heat the vinegar and pour into sterilized bottles or jars.  place in a hot water bath and heat until at least 140 degrees (do not exceed 160 degrees F).  Cool containers and store in a cool dark place.

Some of vinegar’s many uses:

Dab on insect bites to stop the itching

Soothe sunburn

Use as an antiseptic on cuts and scrapes

Use as an aftershave lotion

Eliminates bad breath and whitens teeth

Kills weeds and grass

Gets rid of rust on sigots and tools

Kills slugs

Removes lime buildup

Removes some carpet stains - test first!

Kills germs on door knobs and any nonpourous surface (except marble)

Whitens clothes and can remove some stains

Kills fleas on pets

I was reading an interesting thread over at Flu Wiki yesterday about how to prepare in 24 hours.  There were varying thoughts on if this is even possible and I thought I’d post a little about that today.

I don’t think those who will try to prepare in 24 hours can really call themselves preppers.  I think it’s possible to stock up on some basic necessities within one day - but there are so many unknowns that I wouldn’t want to leave the safety of my family to “what ifs”.  My own experience over the last few weeks with the swine flu outbreak have proven to me that if I don’t have the things I need well before the panic strikes, I’m out of luck.  I still can’t find any Purell or face masks and the stores are still getting shipments - the suppliers themselves are running short.  Thankfully give it another couple weeks and the shelves will be stocked again, but I’m learning from this exercise.  While we’re all grateful that this current wave isn’t too serious yet, we know it’s coming.  Eventually.  If it’s a pandemic, we’ll probably have a little notice that it’s coming.  However, most disasters strike without warning, so it’s prudent to prepare beforehand.

If you had 24 hours to prepare, what should you buy?  Here’s a list of what I would consider the bare necessities:

Water - The average person needs between 2.2 and 3 liters per day to remain healthy, more if you’re very active, ill or nursing.  That’s just for drinking, you’ll need extra for cooking and hygiene.  1 gallon is approximately 4 liters, so on the safe side you should have at the very least 1 gallon per day per person.  If you’re stocking up for three months, that’s 90 gallons of water per person.  That’s a lot of water, so you’ll have to make due with less.  Think about other sources of water once your stock supply runs out.

Food - We can survive on a lot less than our current average daily calorie intake.  However, food is a comfort and in times of need, food stress can overwhelm you.  Think first about easy to prepare foods that won’t require water or heating.  Canned foods are a must and then supplement with packaged foods with a long shelf life. 

First Aid - Masks, gloves, OTC medicines and basic supplies like bandages and antibiotic ointments are a must.

Hygiene - Dirt is not your friend.  Keeping clean is just as important as having water to drink.  Soaps, alcohol rubs and hydrogen peroxide will cut down on germs that can cause sickness.  Don’t forget chlorine bleach for disinfecting - this is a great last minute item as it doesn’t have a long shelf life, but will outlast a three month quarantine.

It’s impossible to predict what our next emergency will be.  Think ahead and stock up now, leaving the last 24 hours for gathering fresh produce and other last minute items.  Don’t wait, we probably won’t have enough warning - be prepared and you won’t have to panic.