This Is How to Clean a Cut the Right Way

Cuts and scrapes are extremely common — especially among children. However, what begins as a small scrape can turn into a nasty infection if not properly cared for.

Knowing how to clean a cut doesn’t require expert knowledge or plenty of fancy products. All you need is a few tips and clean hands, and you’re good to go.

Keep reading to find out how to clean a wound the right way.

Start With Good Hygiene

Before you start cleaning a wound you need to ensure that your hands are clean. Treating your wounds with dirty hands increases the chance of infection, taking a small cut to a nasty problem very quickly.

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water and ensure they’re dry. It’s even better if you have disposable gloves on hand.

Apply Gentle Pressure

If your wound is bleeding, you need to first staunch the bleeding before attempting to clean or disinfect it. Use a clean cloth or sterile gauze to apply pressure gently to the cut. Keep doing this until the bleeding had stopped. FASO small kits come complete with the gauze necessary for this purpose.

If the bleeding is quite severe, it will ooze through the material. Leave the covering on the wound and continue to apply gentle pressure until it eases.

Cleaning a Cut

A huge myth about how to clean a wound is that it must be cleaned with hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, or iodine products. In fact, simply cleaning the cut with water is the most effective way.

Use water to rinse the wound and make sure that you’re able to remove all the dirt and debris. You can use a washcloth and mild soap to clean around the wound but don’t clean the wound with soap as this will only serve to irritate the exposed skin.

If there are still debris and dirt in the cut, then use tweezers to gently and carefully remove it.

Disinfecting a Cut

After you’ve cleaned the wound with water you should apply an antibiotic or anti-septic cream that is available over the counter. These topical creams help to prevent infection and boost the healing process.

While this part isn’t completely necessary for small cuts or scrapes, applying a thin layer is still a good idea.

Bandage the Wound

Another myth about caring for cuts is that you always need to cover a cut. This is not always the case. If it is minor, you can leave the wound uncovered.

However, if the cut is more severe, it’s a good idea to cover it with a clean, sterile bandage that is non-stick. This should be done after cleaning it and applying the correct topical creams.

It’s especially important to cover wounds that are on the areas of your body commonly exposed to dirt and grime — such as your hands.

Knowing How to Clean a Cut is Important

Knowing how to clean a cut is important for keeping healthy and keeping infections at bay. Acquiring minor cuts is common, but you can boost the healing process by ensuring it’s properly cleaned, disinfected, and covered.

Are you interested in knowing more handy tips and tricks for everyday life? Our site is packed with interesting content — keep exploring for more articles!