When we think of preparedness, we usually picture stockpiles of food, batteries, or emergency radios – but what happens when there’s no water to flush the toilet, trash pickup is a distant memory, and your hands haven’t touched soap in three days?

It’s not glamorous, but sanitation and hygiene can mean the difference between surviving and getting seriously sick in a disaster. Disease outbreaks often follow crises, not because of injuries, but because people couldn’t stay clean.

This week, we’re taking a critical (and slightly gritty) look at how to stay healthy when the comforts of plumbing and trash service vanish. Let’s get into it.