How to Clean a Minor Wound
Wash your hands., Apply pressure to stop the bleeding., Wash the cut., Use an antibiotic cream., Put a bandage over the cut.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Wash your hands.
If you are going to be putting your hands near an open cut, whether on you or someone else, your hands should be clean.
Wash with soap and water, and dry off before handling any bandages or ointments.If you don’t have water, antibacterial cleanser will do the trick in a pinch.
Water is better, but the important thing is to keep your hands clean to avoid infecting the wound.
If disposable protective gloves are available, go ahead and use them.
They aren’t necessary, but anything to help prevent infection is a good idea. -
Step 2: Apply pressure to stop the bleeding.
Make sure the cut isn’t bleeding anymore before you start to put on any ointments or bandages.
Hold a sterile bandage or clean cloth on the cut until it clots and the bleeding stops.If the cut is really small, a tissue might be enough to soak up the blood.
If you can get a clean cloth, though, that is better.
Don’t pull off the cloth or gauze to check on the wound until the bleeding has definitely stopped.
That can cause the bleeding to restart.If blood starts to seep through, and the cloth or gauze has gotten soaked, don’t remove it from the cut.
Simply add more on top, and keep up the pressure. , Use water to rinse out the cut, and use soap to help clean the area around the cut.
Try to keep soap out of the cut.
Washing the cut is also important because it will let you see how big it is.
If it is especially large or deep, contact a doctor before trying to apply a bandage on your own., Spread a thin layer of antibiotic cream over the cut to help prevent further infection.
Something simple like Neosporin or Polysporin should be more than enough.
Some people are allergic to certain ointments, which cause a mild rash to appear on the skin.
If the person starts to get a rash, stop using the ointment. , You can either apply a band-aid, or hold a piece of gauze there and wrap with medical tape or a larger bandage.
This will help keep the wound clean and keep bacteria out.Make sure your bandage covers the entire wound.
If there are parts that the bandage can’t cover, use another one.
If the wound is a scrape or scratch, and hasn’t broken the skin or drawn blood, you don’t need to apply a bandage. -
Step 3: Wash the cut.
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Step 4: Use an antibiotic cream.
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Step 5: Put a bandage over the cut.
Detailed Guide
If you are going to be putting your hands near an open cut, whether on you or someone else, your hands should be clean.
Wash with soap and water, and dry off before handling any bandages or ointments.If you don’t have water, antibacterial cleanser will do the trick in a pinch.
Water is better, but the important thing is to keep your hands clean to avoid infecting the wound.
If disposable protective gloves are available, go ahead and use them.
They aren’t necessary, but anything to help prevent infection is a good idea.
Make sure the cut isn’t bleeding anymore before you start to put on any ointments or bandages.
Hold a sterile bandage or clean cloth on the cut until it clots and the bleeding stops.If the cut is really small, a tissue might be enough to soak up the blood.
If you can get a clean cloth, though, that is better.
Don’t pull off the cloth or gauze to check on the wound until the bleeding has definitely stopped.
That can cause the bleeding to restart.If blood starts to seep through, and the cloth or gauze has gotten soaked, don’t remove it from the cut.
Simply add more on top, and keep up the pressure. , Use water to rinse out the cut, and use soap to help clean the area around the cut.
Try to keep soap out of the cut.
Washing the cut is also important because it will let you see how big it is.
If it is especially large or deep, contact a doctor before trying to apply a bandage on your own., Spread a thin layer of antibiotic cream over the cut to help prevent further infection.
Something simple like Neosporin or Polysporin should be more than enough.
Some people are allergic to certain ointments, which cause a mild rash to appear on the skin.
If the person starts to get a rash, stop using the ointment. , You can either apply a band-aid, or hold a piece of gauze there and wrap with medical tape or a larger bandage.
This will help keep the wound clean and keep bacteria out.Make sure your bandage covers the entire wound.
If there are parts that the bandage can’t cover, use another one.
If the wound is a scrape or scratch, and hasn’t broken the skin or drawn blood, you don’t need to apply a bandage.
About the Author
Joyce Wells
Enthusiastic about teaching DIY projects techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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