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Solutions for Wound Cleansing

You were trying to be careful cutting up that chicken for dinner. You only wanted to trim off the excess fat and the knife slipped. Your first reaction may be to wash the wound with cold water. There are other solutions you can use for washing a wound---solutions that are safe and will aid in helping the wound heal faster.

  1. Saline Solution

    • Smith & Nephew Healthcare Division, a medical supply company that manufactures wound cleansers, recommends you clean the wound and the surrounding skin with a saline solution to remove any debris and foreign matter that may be present. Leaving debris and other foreign matter in the wound can cause an infection to develop.

      If you are using an over-the-counter saline solution, make sure you close the lid on the solution after each use. Leaving the lid off or open can lead to contamination of the saline solution. Also, a saline solution may not clean a wound that has dead tissue in it or is extremely dirty. Seek emergency help for extremely dirty or necrotic wounds.

    Commercial Wound Cleansers

    • Commercial wound cleansers or over-the-counter cleansers contain substances that help lift out bacteria and debris from your wound. These products can be applied directly to the wound and contain ingredients that will aid in healing the wound. Some commercial wound cleaners come in a spray bottle for easy application. Commercial wound cleansers are available directly from medical supply manufacturers, medical distributors and online.

    Iodine

    • Iodine is an anti-microbial cleanser that is effective against a variety of pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus. The cleanser is available at drug stores, retail stores and most grocery stores. The substance will stain your skin, but it is easy to clean off with tap water and a mild soap.

    Hydrogen Peroxide

    • Hydrogen peroxide can be used to clean wounds. Pour the solution directly into the wound. If you have saline solution on hand, rinse the wound with saline after using hydrogen peroxide. If no saline solution is available, rinse the hydrogen peroxide from your wound with tap water. Hydrogen peroxide is ineffective at killing bacteria and it should not be used on wounds with sinus tracts, which are mutated or diseased cells leading from within your bones or other structures to your skin surface.

    Tap Water

    • If no other wound-cleaning solution is available, use tap water. Make sure the tap water is suitable for drinking. Do not use water that is contaminated with dirt, debris or is undrinkable. Run the faucet for 15 seconds prior to washing your wound. You can also boil the tap water, let it cool and use it to clean out your wound.

    Consulting Your Doctor

    • If you are unsure of what solution to use, consult with your doctor, a medical center or hospital.

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