Here is a math problem that could determine if your family survives a grid-down scenario:
A standard American shower head uses 2.5 gallons of water per minute. An “efficient” 5-minute shower consumes 12.5 gallons.
In a survival situation, the average person needs 1 gallon per day for drinking and cooking.
The math is brutal: One single shower consumes 2 weeks’ worth of drinking water for one person.
If the taps run dry tomorrow, taking a shower isn’t just a luxury—it is a crime against your family’s survival. You are literally flushing your life support down the drain.
But you can’t stay dirty forever. Infection and disease spread rapidly in disaster zones. In Chapter 4 of Survive From The Pantry, the character Laura teaches us the rule of “One-Cup Hygiene.”
The Hierarchy of Water
When the water stops flowing, you must immediately switch your mindset. You no longer use water for “comfort.” You use it for life.
The Protocol Redwood Priority List:
Hydration: Drinking always comes first.
Medicine: Taking pills/mixing antibiotics.
Cooking: Rehydrating food.
Hygiene: Staying clean (Last priority, but necessary).
The Solution: The “No-Rinse” Method
How do you stay clean without wasting gallons? You use the same technology hospitals use for bedridden patients: Rinse-Free Sponges.
In my latest video, I demonstrated using Scrubzz. These are dry sheets infused with concentrated soap that only require a tiny splash of water to activate.
How to “Shower” with 1 Cup:
Activate: Take one dry sponge. Pour just 1-2 ounces of water onto it. Squeeze it to create a massive amount of foam.
Scrub: Wash your body thoroughly. Start with the face, end with the feet.
Dry: Use a towel to wipe off the foam. As it dries, it leaves no sticky residue. You are clean.
Why This Changes Everything
By switching to this method, you reduce your hygiene water consumption from 12 gallons to 1 cup.
That means a standard bathtub filled with water (approx 80 gallons) can keep a family of four hydrated for 20 days… instead of being wasted on just 6 showers.
Get The Full Hygiene Protocol
Hygiene isn’t just about showers. What do you do when the toilet doesn’t flush? How do you wash clothes without a washing machine?
Chapter 4 of my book covers the dirty details of staying sanitary when the grid goes down.
�� Survive From The Pantry: Protect Your Family from Food Shortages and Collapse
Stay clean. Save the water.
— Protocol Redwood