Hygiene in your emergency kit: managing when the water is down
Updated · 5 min read
When the water or power goes, hygiene is one of the first things you notice - but it is also easy to prepare for. With a few things set aside you can keep hands, body and toilet in order until the supply is back.[1] It is not about making it complicated, but about having the essentials ready.
In short: Set aside toilet paper, hand sanitiser, wet wipes, and pads and tampons, wash your hands with soap or sanitiser, and collect waste in a sturdy rubbish bag for residual waste if you cannot flush.[1][2]
Set aside hygiene supplies
Styrelsen for Samfundssikkerhed points to keeping toilet paper, hand sanitiser, wet wipes, and pads and tampons ready as part of your home emergency kit.[1] Count in a little extra water too, if you want to keep up basic hygiene beyond what you drink and cook with.[2]
Keep the hygiene supplies together with water, food and the rest of your kit, so everything is in one place the day it counts - rather than scattered around the home.
Hand hygiene without running water
Good hand hygiene matters, even when the tap does not work. Wash your hands with soap if you can, and otherwise use hand sanitiser.[2] It is a simple habit that limits the spread of infection while you manage without a normal water supply.
The toilet when the water is off
If you cannot flush the toilet, collect the waste in a sturdy rubbish bag meant for residual waste.[2] Place the bag in the toilet or a bucket, close it well afterwards, and dispose of it as ordinary residual waste.
Use a strong bag meant for residual waste, so it can be closed fully and handled safely. Good hygiene around the toilet keeps the home healthy while the water is off.[2]
With hygiene supplies, sanitiser and the right bags ready, hygiene is a solved task rather than a problem you have to work out in the middle of a situation.
Keep extra water ready
A foldable water container makes it easy to keep a little extra water for hygiene alongside what you drink and cook with.
See how water fits into the rest of your readiness: Water in your emergency kit: how much, and how to store it
Frequently asked questions
Which hygiene supplies should I keep in my emergency kit?
Styrelsen for Samfundssikkerhed points to toilet paper, hand sanitiser, wet wipes, and pads and tampons. Keep them with the rest of your kit so everything is together.
How do I wash my hands without running water?
Wash your hands with soap if you can, and otherwise use hand sanitiser. Good hand hygiene matters when the water is off.
What do I do about the toilet if the water is off?
If you cannot flush, collect the waste in a sturdy rubbish bag meant for residual waste. Close the bag and dispose of it as ordinary residual waste.
Sources
- [1]Styrelsen for Samfundssikkerhed (samsik.dk): Sådan forbereder du dig
- [2]Styrelsen for Samfundssikkerhed (samsik.dk): Spørgsmål og svar om hjemmeberedskab