5 Surprising Survival Uses for a Tampon

Learn how to use a tampon in survival situations in this article! On certain days, a tampon is a woman's best friend, but everyone can actually make use of a tampon in emergency situations!

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How to Use a Tampon | Survival Life Hacks

Survival Uses of a Tampon

There are survival uses for so many things, but there is a product that most survivalists don’t consider or think about, and that is a tampon.

I know, it sounds a little weird, but you’d be so surprised how useful they are in a survival situation. One should always carry a few tampons in their survival kits and here are five reasons why:

1. First Aid – Medical Bandage

Tampons are sterile, come pre-wrapped, and are designed to be ultra-absorbent, which makes them ideal for a first aid bandage. The cotton part of the tampon can be stretched out flat and then taped to the skin.

Tampons have also been used to plug a bullet hole until medical help can arrive.

2. Fire Tinder

Cotton makes the perfect fire tinder. With a tampon, you can stretch it out and slightly pull apart the fibers, which increases your chance of a successful fire on the first strike.

You can also separate the tampon into four sections which will give you more chances for a successful fire later on. If you coat the tinder in petroleum jelly or Chapstick, even better, as they are both extremely flammable.

3. Waterproof Container for Matches and Tinder

The plastic wrapper that the tampons come in can also be used as a waterproof container for your matches and/or tinder.

The cord from the tampon can be used to tie off the top of the wrapper to further ensure that your tinder and matches stay dry.

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4. Wick for an Improvised Candle

Whether you’re on a camping trip or at home and need an emergency wick for a survival candle, the string of a tampon is a perfect solution.

Depending on the length of the string you have chosen to use, it can last anywhere from 20-40 minutes.

5. Cordage

The string of a tampon won’t supply you with a huge amount of cordage, but a little bit of any kind of cordage is better than none at all when you’re in a survival situation.

You can separate the string of a tampon into single strands which can be used for setting a small trap, for example. You’d be surprised how many uses there are for cordage when you’re in a survival situation.

Watch this video by Survival Mistakes on how to make tampon fire rockets:

A tampon is definitely a very useful household item some of us may not expect. Knowing how to use a tampon in emergency situations is an advantage that could save you or your loved ones' life!

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Do you have a survival use for tampons that you would like to share? Let us know in the comments section below!

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on November 10, 2020, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.