March 6, 2017
Survival uses for petroleum jelly:
Petroleum Jelly is something most of us grew up using. You probably have a tub in your cabinet right now. It is one of those products that we use for just about everything! Well, because of this, this product can also be used in a preparedness application in ways you might not even realize. It’s a great product to have on hand, even in small quantities.
The top 3 survival uses for petroleum jelly (Vaseline):
- Skin protectant from the elements: While this is the intended use for the product it is very helpful in a prepping environment due to the nature of a critical threat situation. Petroleum Jelly creates a protective barrier for wounds, blisters, and irritated patches of skin. This keeps the wound hydrated and keep debris and bacteria out. It can be used to prevent chaffing and running of body parts when you are forced to walk long distances.
- Preventing rubbing of equipment: When two pieces of equipment rub together and wear out over time petroleum jelly is the remedy. All material that rubs together long enough will begin to break down and erode. Coating the parts that rub together it will enhance the longevity of the products that you are using. This could save your life if your weapon has issues.
- Firestarter: Being a petroleum-based product, it is extremely flammable. First, take a cotton ball, cotton swap, or piece of material and massage in petroleum jelly into it. Second, store it in a secure air-tight container like saran wrap, a contact case, or zip lock bag and it will burn for hours. Camping stores sell something called tinder. This is a fibrous substance that looks like rope and is very flammable. When tinder is coated or massaged with petroleum jelly the fire-starting possibilities are endless. This is a great asset to any EDC (every day carry) kit, bug-out-bag, or survival kit. It also takes up very little space in a bag.
There are much more uses for petroleum jelly (or Vaseline as I call it by the product name), but these are the top 3 that are the most useful for a survival situation. Keeping a small container of it in your car, bag, purse, or EDC kit could prove to be life-saving in a critical situation. Read more on EDC Kits HERE.
Cheers!
Nila
Billie
Interesting! I love Vaseline, but I had no idea it was flammable. I’m half-tempted to start up a fire in the fireplace just to test that out! Thanks for the tips! We have emergency bags that we keep in our vehicles. I’m going to have to add some Vaseline to them.
Mil-Spec Mom
It works quite well! I would totally recommend trying it so you can see how it works! If you need tips on what else to put in your emergency bags check out my Bug Out Bag post! We list everything you could possibly need to carry in your vehicle in an emergency. Thanks for stopping by!