When disaster strikes, most people’s first instinct is to rush to the supermarket shelves and stockpile food. The mind fills with fantasies of canned goods, pasta, rice, and big jugs of purified water. Yet everyone having this same vision means these wanted staples will vanish almost immediately.
However, there’s one item that savvy preppers know has even higher value than bags of rice and beans. In fact, the number one item scavenged in most disasters is toilet paper. We saw it during the COVID-19 pandemic, when panic-buying left shelves bare for months. In a true SHTF scenario, or widespread natural disaster, humble toilet paper will have currency-like value.
While a roll of double-ply toilet paper might not help you fend off a throng of looters on the day, it remains a high-demand comfort and hygiene item that will always have practical value.
Why Toilet Paper Is the #1 Item to Acquire at Supermarkets
Toilet Paper Helps Maintain Morale
Being well stocked on supermarket toilet paper also helps maintain morale. Being able to wipe with ease each morning provides people with a shred of normalcy in their daily routine. It also provides comfort and conveys a sense of dignity.
Hygiene & Sanitation
Toilet paper’s hygiene value also contributes to it being the number 1 scavenge item. Improper sanitation can lead to disease outbreaks, and wiping with more abrasive materials can cause irritation that increases the risk of an unsanitary infection!
Barter Value
In a SHTF situation that causes a total collapse, or a widespread natural disaster that cuts the region off from resupply, people will trade almost anything for rolls of toilet paper. It becomes survival currency that you can use to barter for other things you might need.
In case you run out of toilet paper…
Here’s the thing – you can’t stockpile endless rolls of toilet paper, no matter how prepared you think you are. That’s why mastering hygiene without relying solely on TP it’s a smart strategy.
Having a backup plan makes all the difference. Beyond the obvious – bidets, leaves, and other natural options -our ancestors had hygienic methods that we’ve completely forgotten. Skills we take for granted today were once essential for survival.
The good news is that The Amish Way Academy makes it easy to learn these timeless skills, equipping you to handle whatever challenges come your way. By learning what’s worked for generations, you gain confidence and control when unexpected situations arise, turning survival into a skill you can rely on rather than a scramble for supplies.
You’ll discover how to set up low-tech systems that work reliably, minimize waste, and keep your household safe and healthy under any circumstance. It’s about creating routines that protect your family and give you peace of mind even when the unexpected hits.
Other Non-Food Essentials to Scavenge
Trash Bags
Like toilet paper, heavy-duty trash bags have a strong hygienic value, yet they can be used for more than just holding garbage. They’re waterproof, strong, and versatile. You can use them as raincoats, improvised tarps, a makeshift shelter roof, or even to collect rainwater.
Liquid Bleach
A gallon of bleach is another top-scavenged value item on supermarket shelves. Just prioritize liquid bleach over gel bleach, which is used more for cleaning surfaces than disinfecting. In a SHTF scenario, you can use it to disinfect surfaces, sterilize tools, and make unsafe water drinkable when diluted properly.
Pro Tip: You have to be cautious with the dosage of bleach for purifying water. For a standard household 5–6% sodium hypochlorite, it only takes 1/8th of a teaspoon per gallon of water.
Feminine Hygiene Products
Feminine hygiene products like pads and tampons are one of the most overlooked products in a prepper’s stockpile, but mind you, they have a value similar to toilet paper. Moreover, they aren’t just for their intended use.
Pro Tip: You can also use them for wound dressings, fire starters, and absorbent packing material. For more essential tips like this, CHECK OUT THIS GUIDE! Packed with practical skills, this valuable resource is designed to help you stay prepared, resourceful, and confident when unexpected challenges arise. Find out more in the video below!
Matches & Lighters
Without fire, survival gets tough fast. Cooking, warmth, light, and sterilization all depend on it. Grab every box of matches and every lighter you can find. Even cheap disposable lighters become priceless commodities.
Pro Tip: Keep stick lighters scattered throughout your survival gear and camping packs. They make it easier to safely light a fire deep in a tinder pile, and if you ever need to start a fire quickly with an accelerant like gasoline, the longer reach keeps your hands safely away from the flames.
Alkaline Batteries
In a SHTF scenario, scavenging the supermarket batteries for flashlights, radios, headlamps, and rechargeable walkie-talkies becomes a top priority. Scavenge AA, AAA, C, D, and 9V batteries in bulk. Rechargeable products are ideal if you have solar capability, but in scavenging mode, quantity matters.
Pro Tip: Take an inventory of what type of batteries your essential electronics use. That way, you’re grabbing the best possible size. I think you’ll also find that D, AA, and AAA are more common than C and 9-Volt batteries.
Aluminum Foil
Lightweight and endlessly useful, aluminum foil works for cooking, food storage, and even signaling for rescue in a SHTF situation. In survival settings, it can also be shaped into makeshift cookware, reflectors, or insulation for small shelters.
Pro Tip: Look for the term Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil when scavenging the supermarket. Not only is it thicker and more resilient, but it’s less likely to shred on the roll like thin, cheap aluminum foil is prone to do.
Soap, Detergent, Hand Sanitizer and Disinfectants
When supply chains collapse after SHTF, diseases will spread faster than bullets.
Scavenge bars of soap, hand sanitizer, and any disinfectant wipes you can scavenge. Staying clean is survival 101.
But, even with a stockpile, it’s smart to know how to sanitize hands, dishes, and surfaces without conventional products.
You never know when you’ll run out or find yourself in a situation where nothing store-bought is available.
Duct Tape
If you only had one tool in a SHTF situation to fix, patch, or hold the world together, duct tape would be it. You can use it to patch holes in shelters, make improvised bandages, repair gear, or even craft restraints. Don’t leave a supermarket without as many rolls of it as you can carry.
Pro Tip: If you have a choice in color, I recommend scavenging black and brown duct tapes for utility purposes. Then stock up a few rolls of brightly colored duct tape that you can tuck away for times when you might need to signal for help.
First Aid Supplies
Historically, when a SHTF natural disaster strikes, people raid supermarket pharmacies for medications and antibiotics. Yet looters often leave the pharmacy aisles alone once the painkillers and antibiotics are gone. In any case, bandages, gauze, antiseptic creams, and burn ointments are invaluable. Because, as you all know, in survival situations, even small injuries can turn deadly without proper care.
Of course, you can handle injuries and emergencies without depending on store-bought supplies. These forgotten remedies are proven, practical techniques that can keep you and your family safe when your first aid kit runs dry. You’ll learn how to treat burns, cuts, bruises, fevers, digestive issues, and more using simple, accessible ingredients.
Knowing them gives you confidence to act quickly and protect your loved ones when it really counts. Whether you’re at home or facing unexpected emergencies, having these remedies at your fingertips transforms panic into control.
Candles
We all know that, in a grid-down scenario, a simple candle could become a powerful tool. It’s cheap, portable, and critical for safety and morale. But knowing how to make your own from scratch? That’s the true survival masterstroke.
That level of self-sufficiency is the core of The Forgotten Home Apothecary. This essential volume is packed with forgotten techniques and clever DIY methods that will surprise even seasoned preppers. Go beyond simple preparedness.
Transform every page into a tool for self-reliance and gain the essential knowledge for anyone serious about thriving when the system collapses.
Final Thoughts
When SHTF, we all know that food and water are absolutely critical, yet they’re not the top items to scavenge at the supermarket. Toilet paper and other items that support sanitation, comfort, and long-term sustainability need to be high on your radar.
Of course, I’m also saying this assuming that you already have a pretty serious food stockpile. So when SHTF, let the unprepared masses grab pasta, bread, and canned beans first. Then you can sweep through the cleaning, paper goods, and household supplies to get the sanitation supplies you need to survive beyond the first few days.
If your stockpile runs out, what’s your go-to method for hygiene, cooking, or light, without relying on modern supplies?
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