How to Properly Clean a Wound

Disinfecting wounds is not only great knowledge to have for yourself, but also, it’s great to have in your back pocket for the kiddos. We know kids are notorious for bumps, bruises, and scrapes. It’s always best to take care of it as soon as possible to avoid infection rather than going to your local medical center near mid-Missouri.

At Central Ozarks Medical Center our goal is to help you and your family prepare for medical incidents with or without us. Read on to learn how to disinfect cuts and scrapes.

Disinfect Your Hands

This is the simplest step. Wash your hands for at least 30 seconds with soap and warm water. You can use hand sanitizer, but it’s best to wash your hands. If you want to take it a step further, cover your hands with gloves after cleaning them.

Gentle Pressure

If the wound is bleeding, apply gentle pressure with a clean cloth or sterile gauze until the bleeding halts. Then, elevate the part of the body that is bleeding. However, if the blood goes through the covering, leave it on the wound and put another clean covering on top of the other one. Then, continue pressure.

Rinse Off with Water

You’re probably wondering at what point you need to use hydrogen peroxide, but when it’s just a cut or a scrape, this isn’t necessary. Instead, rinse the cut with water to remove dirt. Then, use gentle soap and a soft rag or washcloth to clean around the perimeter of the wound. If there is still any debris in the wound after washing, get disinfected tweezers and pick it out of the cut.

Antibiotic Cream or Ointment

Apply skin antibiotics (over the counter), such as, Neosporin, to keep the skin hydrated and prevent infection. Although not always necessary, this step is helpful for large cuts and reducing the risk of scarring.

Bandage It Up

This is another step that isn’t always a must. If it’s a minor scratch or scrape, you can skip this step. Otherwise, you’ll cover the wound with a clean, nonstick bandage after it’s been cleaned. This helps block out specific bacteria that might cause infection. Switch out the bandage once or twice a day or any time it becomes wet or dirty.

If you notice things like continuous bleeding, a wound with jagged edges, the child is under a year old, the wound is from an animal’s mouth, or something else abnormal, you can consult Central Ozarks Medical Center. We want you have a safe and healthy rest of summer.

ow along with our blogs to get more health and lifestyle pointers to keep you out of our office more than once a year!

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