How to Clean an Abrasion

While abrasions on their own are not typically serious injuries as a rule, they should be treated just like any other wound. An improperly cleansed abrasion can become infected, causing a lot of complications for the injured party. However, there are simple steps you can take to clean an abrasion, and save the injured person a lot of time, money, and pain.

Things You'll Need

• Latex gloves
• Povidone-iodine
• Antibacterial ointment
• Alcohol
• Bandaids or similar wound dressings

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Instructions

• 1

  Clean the abrasion first with clean water or saline for at least five minutes, unless the bleeding is profuse. This will get the majority of the debris lifted away from the scrape.

• 2

  Apply pressure to the abrasion using a gauze pad or clean towel. This will help to stop the bleeding. Hold that pressure for at least five minutes to ensure that bleeding has stopped. If it continues after five minutes of this consistent pressure, seek immediate medical attention.

• 3

  Use a cleaning solution like alcohol or povidone-iodine only in the case of minor scrapes. Using such fluids on a more severe wound can actually impede healing.

• 4

  Apply antibacterial healing ointment to the abrasion. This provides a barrier between the environment and the abrasion and protects it from future infection during the healing process.

• 5

  Change the dressings every day or every other day. Changing the dressings gives abrasions a chance to dry and reset under the bandages. It also allows you the apply a new coat of ointment to add additional antibacterial healing power.