Medical Preparedness · Hygiene and Sanitation
Hygiene and Sanitation: illness prevention when water runs short.
When water service or plumbing is disrupted, illness spread by hands, surfaces, and waste becomes the health risk to plan for. This category covers the habits and supplies that keep a household well.
By Dan Whelan, founder of New World Survival
Researched from government agencies, university extension services, and other published sources. See our sources
Planning guidance, not medical advice. This section helps households prepare for medical continuity during disruptions. Work with your doctor, pharmacist, and specialist for your household's specific medical needs.
What this category covers
Hygiene during an emergency is a health measure, not a comfort.
A household can manage a few days of inconvenience. What turns a disruption into a health problem is illness that spreads when handwashing, toilets, and cleaning break down. Ready.gov counts sanitation in its water guidance for this reason: one gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation.1
CDC's baseline holds during emergencies: wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and if soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.2 CDC also notes that hand sanitizer is not as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy, which is why a small water reserve for handwashing matters.
Bathing water needs the same care. CDC advises against bathing in water that may be contaminated with sewage or toxic chemicals, or in rivers, streams, or lakes contaminated by floodwater, and to follow local health authorities on what is safe.2
What these guides do not cover
- Wound care and bleeding control: Bleeding Control and Wound Care
- Storing and treating water: Water
- Toilets and waste without running water: Sanitation Without Water
- Laundry, dishes, and household cleaning: Emergency Hygiene
Where to start
Four steps before the water stops.
-
Set aside handwashing supplies.
Soap, an alcohol-based sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, and a container of water kept just for handwashing.2
Hygiene During Emergencies -
Plan for waste.
Decide now how your household would handle toilets without running water.
Sanitation Without Water -
Know who needs extra care.
Infants, older adults, and anyone with a weakened immune system or an open wound need more than the standard routine.
Hygiene During Emergencies -
Put hygiene items in your medical kit.
Pack them alongside medications so they travel together.
Medical Bag
Guides in this category
Where to go deeper. Hygiene as illness prevention.
Related guides elsewhere in Medical Preparedness
Common questions
Planning questions, answered plainly.
How do I keep hands clean when water is limited?
CDC advises washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.2 Keeping a small container of water set aside only for handwashing helps stretch limited supply.
Is hand sanitizer enough during an emergency?
Not always. CDC notes that hand sanitizers are not as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy, and they do not remove all types of germs or harmful chemicals.2 Use soap and water whenever you can.
Is it safe to bathe after a flood?
Follow your local health authorities. CDC advises against bathing in water that may be contaminated with sewage or toxic chemicals, or in rivers, streams, or lakes contaminated by floodwater, human sewage, or animal waste.2
Sources
- Ready.gov (FEMA). Build a Kit. https://www.ready.gov/kit. Accessed October 6, 2026.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for Personal Hygiene During an Emergency. https://www.cdc.gov/water-emergency/safety/guidelines-for-personal-hygiene-during-an-emergency.html. Accessed October 6, 2026.
Connected guides
Hygiene and Sanitation connects to the rest of your plan.
First Aid
The hands-on half: emergencies, wounds, burns, and the household kit.
Water
Storage, treatment, and conservation.
How Much Water to Store
Planning numbers that include sanitation.
Children and Infants
Hygiene needs that change with very young children.
Medical Bag and Supplies
Where hygiene items travel with medicines.