(Modern Survival.org) – Multipurpose items are valuable in a prepper’s stockpile because they save space and, potentially, money. One multipurpose item—which also happens to be a common household item—is petroleum jelly.
Traditionally, petroleum jelly is used for a number of tasks, including moisturizing skin, removing makeup, and preventing diaper rash. But for a survivalist, these uses are the tip of the iceberg.
To shed some light on the survival uses for petroleum jelly, SensiblePrepper has provided a helpful video:
Fire Starter
Petroleum jelly is an excellent accelerant. When combined with cotton balls, medical gauze, or even potato chips, it creates a quick and easy fire starter. In fact, many survivalists pack cotton balls covered in petroleum jelly in their bug out bags for exactly this purpose.
Dryer lint is another option to combine with vaseline to use as a fire starter. Simply mix the lint up with the jelly, fill a used toilet paper tube with the mixture, and light it up.
Let There Be Light…
In a pinch, petroleum jelly can be used to create a makeshift candle. To do this, remove the jelly from its original container and place it into a flame-resistant glass jar, or even an empty soup can in a survival situation. Find a suitable wick (such as a cotton ball), coat it in the jelly, then place it in the new container amidst the rest of the petroleum jelly.
Healing Ointment
Petroleum jelly has a variety of beneficial properties a survivalist can use. It helps heal wounds from scratches to stitches and can protect against windburn. Additionally, petroleum jelly can help with moisturizing dried, cracked skin.
Redundancy Increases the Odds of Survival
It’s a well-known fact in survival communities that redundancy is a prepper’s best friend. Redundancy means acquiring back-ups for every item in the stockpile, in case something breaks or goes bad. This is a common practice for many survivalists.
Part of maintaining redundancy in your stockpile is keeping a supply of multipurpose items like petroleum jelly on hand. In a survival situation, knowing how to use everyday household items to their fullest potential can not only stretch your resources but also potentially keep you alive.
To see another everyday item that can be used for survival, check out our article on using a soup can for a stove.
~Here’s to Your Survival!
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