The owner of TopSurvivalPreps is a survivalist and has been prepping extensively for two decades. We own and use the majority of these items. If it’s on this site, that means we are confident to use it ourselves. Many of the items on this site have links to Affilates such as Amazon. You pay nothing extra and we get a small referral fee that helps us build and maintain this site. As an Amazon Associate we do earn from qualifying purchases.
Best Topical Antiseptic For Preppers & Survival For Wound Care, Infection & Surgery - Providone Iodine
Betadine Antiseptic For Wound Care, Surgery, Treatment & Prevention Of Infection
TopSurvivalPreps.com is reader-supported. When you buy via the links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more.
Providone Iodine (Betadine Solution)
Betadine Solution should be an essential component of everyone's medical supplies and is great for preppers in a long term survival scenario. Betadine is a topically applied antiseptic for the treatment and prevention of infection in wounds and can be used as first aid and wound management for minor cuts, grazes, burns, abrasions and blisters.
Why you might need it
Betadine Antiseptic Solution has many uses for wound care & surgery. Betadine (Providone Iodine) has been used in hospitals for decades and has been widely used for the prevention and treatment of skin infections, and the treatment of wounds. Betadine is a microbicidal sudsing cleanser that promptly kills a broad spectrum of pathogens. It is used for hand hygiene, surgical hand-scrubbing, and topical degerming of patient's skin prior to surgery. Betadine is also effective against yeasts, molds, fungi, viruses, and protozoans. Use it as a surgical scrub and for pre- and post-operative skin cleansing, or mix it with water to an "ice tea" consistency and use it to flush wounds. Some people also use Providone Iodine to disinfect water (see video below). Betadine should be a component of every preppers medical kit.
Smaller pre-packaged versions that are great for a first aid, med kit, in your car, backpack or Bug Out Bag. These are all ready to use options that are a great antiseptic for sanitizing nicks, cuts, and scrapes.
Iodine (Betadine) Swab Sticks (50 - 3 Packs) (Pictured below, these are about 2-3 times larger diameter than a Q-tip. You may want to also purchase a small bottle of Betadine to dip these in for applications that are so sensitive that no pressure can be applied, as sometimes these swabs may need to be more wet with Betadine).
The following YouTube Video shows Betadine being used in an antiseptic application.
BETADINE Antiseptic Application
The following YouTube Video shows Providone Iodine being used by a prepper in an water purification application.
Liquid Iodine as a Water Purification Method
Sample Amazon Feedback
"Was in the health field before retiring, so I know how good this product is for treating infections of the skin in cleansing the area."
"As a veterinarian, I believe there are no problems that cannot be solved with either Betadine, whiskey, duct tape, WD-40, a sharp knife, Microsoft Excel, or just sufficient time. This product, Betadine, is one of those essential problem-solving items. Buy this, and all the other required items too, and you're set for the apocalypse. Use it to prep surgical sites, or mix it with water to an "ice tea" consistency and use it to flush wounds. Great stuff."
"My family always had Betadine at the house.. Mom used to say "It's What They Use in Hospitals". I found this at a fantastic price here & love, love love it! Large size will last a very long time. I use it on all cuts & scrapes... anything that may get infected."
"Great product a must have for your emergency first aid kit. We added one to our pet supply bag as well."
"This is just what I needed after my surgery. I was really pleased with the product. It help me to keep my wound clean and free from any bacteria that would have happen without. My doctor was pleased with healing process."
"Betadine is an antibacterial drying agent typically used by doctor's in surgery prep. My doctor used it in connection with wound care on my legs prior to being wrapped. It keeps the skin dry and the wound free of bacteria. It is an Over-The-Counter medication which I have to purchase myself. I am very pleased with the results. It does stain, so care must be taken when applying it."
"Betadine is a great antiseptic solution for wound management on people and pets. We have a farm and have used Betadine on our dogs, cats, and horses."
"We have several bottles of this in our medical kits and bug-out bags for Doomsday long term survival preparation."
Also, from Dr. Chamberlin's blog is the information below on making water drinkable with Betadine.
Important Note
To see more medical items that Dr. Ryan Chamberlin (trauma surgeon) recommends for preppers, click "Medical & Dental" in the navigation bar in the upper left. Please check back as this is a new web page and more medical items are added in continued collaboration with Dr. Chamberlin.
Caution & Warning
Use at your own risk. Please note that the information provided on this web page is for information only. TopSurvivalPreps.com and it's owner have no liability or responsibility for anyone using any items described on this web site including Betadine.