How to Irrigate a Wound

Irrigating a wound is an important step in preventing infection after an injury. Irrigation is the procedure used to wash away bacteria and debris from an open wound. When debris remains in the wound, the chance that an infection will occur increases. Wound irrigation must be done as soon as possible after the injury is sustained for maximum benefit. Irrigating a wound does not require any specialized medical skills and can easily be performed anywhere there is access to clean running water.

Things You'll Need

• Saline solution
• Plastic bag
• Running water
• Tweezers
• Alcohol
• Antibiotic ointment
• Bandage

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Instructions

• 1

  Stop or slow bleeding before you attempt to irrigate the wound. Apply light pressure with a clean cloth or bandage for up to one half hour to stop the bleeding. If bleeding does not stop, don’t attempt to irrigate the wound; instead, take the injured person to a doctor’s office or hospital.

• 2

  Use sterile saline solution to rinse the wound. Many contact lens solutions are saline solution. You can also use an unopened bottle of saline nasal spray to irrigate the wound.

• 3

  Clean the wound with pressurized tap water if you don’t have saline solution available. Cut a tiny hole in one corner of a plastic bag and fill the bag with tap water. Squeeze the bag slightly to force the water out of the hole and onto the wound.

• 4

  Run tap water over the wound if you don’t have a plastic bag. Use lukewarm tap water and place the injured area under the water for three or four minutes, making sure to turn the injured body part to expose all areas of the wound to the running water.

• 5

  Examine the irrigated wound for signs of debris. The Mayo Clinic recommends cleaning tweezers with alcohol and carefully picking out any debris or dirt that remains after irrigation. Don’t attempt to clean out deep or embedded debris. Any remaining debris must be removed by a doctor.

• 6

  Cover the wound with a layer of antibiotic ointment or cream, and apply a bandage. Using antibiotic ointment or cream keeps the wound moist, reduces the amount of potential scarring and helps reduce infection. Change the bandage every day or whenever the bandage becomes wet or dirty.