Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Alum isn't exactly a common household item these days You can often find it in the spice section. People use it to make pickles. McCormick/Schilling sells it, among other major brands. Walmart sells "Hoosier Hill Farm" brand for about $15/pound.
My point was more that it isn't something people are likely to already have on hand at home. It's certainly readily available and extremely cheap for this purpose, but you need to actually buy some before a disaster hits.
Hoarding the clearance pickling supplies after the season is over is a long tradition in my family. :)