Look Linger Love

Hurricane season officially runs from June 1st – November 30th, but we are currently in the thick of it right now. Charleston is no stranger to flooding (this is an understatement) and as we prepare for Hurricane Florence this week, it’s a great time to go over the importance of being prepared for a natural disaster in your area.

In partnership with Clorox, I’m sharing a few items I have in my disaster preparedness kit. Having this kit with these survival essentials are crucial to help keep my family safe and prepared after a disaster strikes!

A few items that are in my preparedness kit:

• First Aid Kit
• Food & Water (+ extra granola bars for my kids, they love these)
• Flashlights
• Important family documents (insurance policies, identification…)

Some may not know, but at it’s most basic, bleach is made for disaster relief. For more than 30 years The Clorox Company has worked with the American Red Cross to donate Clorox Bleach following natural disasters. Clorox Regular Bleach, with CLOROMAX, can be used to purify unsafe water in the days following a natural disaster and for disinfecting moldy walls, floors, and household items as people return home and start rebuilding. It can be used in the following ways (see below for instructions):

• Treat drinking water if authorities haven’t confirmed it is safe
• Help kill bacteria such as E. Coli in places where floodwater was present
• Clean up mold/mildew and prevention after flooding
• Prevent mosquito breeding areas

In addition to including bleach in your natural preparedness kit, you should also have other necessities. The American Red Cross recommends additional supplies like:

• Water: one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
• Food: at least a three day supply of non-perishables and a can opener
• First aid kit
• Clorox bleach: used as a disinfectant or to treat water
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Battery powered or hand-crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
• Whistle to signal for help
• Wrench and an assortment of tools to turn off utilities
• Local maps
• Dust mask to help filter contaminated air
• Moist towelettes and garbage bags
• Hygienic supplies
• Fire extinguisher
• Matches in waterproof container
• Paper plates, paper towels, utensils
• Extra clothing and rain jackets for each person
• Infant formula and diapers if necessary
• Sleeping bag or warm blankets for each person
• Important family documents (insurance policies, identification, bank account records…)
• Pet food and extra water for pets
• Cash
• Prescription medications and glasses
• Books and activities for children

How You Can Use Bleach At Home:

Utilizing bleach sets the stage for disaster preparedness and is one small step to getting your home back in order after disaster strikes.

• Treating Contaminated Water: When boiling off water for 1 minute is not practical, you can use Clorox® Regular Bleach₂with CLOROMAX® for emergency water disinfection at home. All water of uncertain quality should be treated before it is used for drinking, food preparation, or hygiene:
  • Remove suspended particles by filtering or letting particles settle to the bottom.
  • Pour off clear water into a clean container.
  • Add 8 drops (or 1/8 teaspoon) of Clorox® Regular Bleach₂with CLOROMAX® to one gallon of water, or add 1/8 teaspoon of the product to 1.5 gallons of water. Allow the treated water to stand for 30 minutes. Properly treated water will have a slight chlorine odor. If not, repeat dosage and allow the water to stand an additional 15 minutes. The treated water can then be made palatable by pouring it between clean containers several times.
  • For cloudy water, use 16 drops per 1 gallon of water, or add 1/4 teaspoon of this product per 1.5 gallons of water (3 drops to 1 quart). If no chlorine odor is apparent after 30 minutes, repeat dosage and wait an additional 15 minutes.
• Remove Mold and Mildew: To remove mold and mildew at home, you can use Clorox® Regular Bleach₂with CLOROMAX® on hard non-porous surfacesand items.
  • Disinfect all cleaned surfaces with a solution of 3/4 cup of Clorox® Regular Bleach₂with CLOROMAX® diluted in 1 gallon of water.
  • Let the solution stay on the surface for at least 5 minutes before rinsing with clear water or allowing to dry.
  • Routinely check potential problem spots (e.g. Bathroom, laundry, mechanical room, etc.) for moldy odors, and disinfect often with a solution of 3/4 cup of Clorox® Regular Bleach₂with CLOROMAX®diluted in 1 gallon of water.

Stay safe!!

Wearing:

pull on cotton shorts, similar blue tee

In partnership with Clorox.