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How to Clean A Wound
- Put on a new pair of non-sterile gloves.
- Use a clean, soft washcloth to gently clean your wound with warm water and soap. Your wound should not bleed much when you are cleaning it. A small amount of blood is OK.
- Rinse your wound with water. Gently pat it dry with a clean towel. DO NOT rub it dry. In some cases, you can even rinse the wound while showering.
- Check the wound for increased redness, swelling, or a bad odor.
- Pay attention to the color and amount of drainage from your wound. Look for drainage that has become darker or thicker.
- After cleaning your wound, remove your gloves and put them in the plastic bag with the old dressing and gloves.
- Wash hands again
How to Dress A Wound
- Put on a new pair of non-sterile gloves.
- Pour saline into a clean bowl. Place gauze pads and any packing tape you will use in the bowl.
- Squeeze the saline from the gauze pads or packing tape until it is no longer dripping.
- Place the gauze pads or packing tape in your wound. Carefully fill in the wound and any spaces under the skin.
- Cover the wet gauze or packing tape with a large dry dressing pad. Use tape or rolled gauze to hold this dressing in place.
- Put all used supplies in the plastic bag. Close it securely, then put it in a second plastic bag, and close that bag securely. Put it in the trash.
- Wash your hands again when you are finished.
When To Call A Doctor
- Worsening redness
- More pain
- Swelling
- Bleeding
- It is larger or deeper
- It looks dried out or dark
- The drainage is increasing
- The drainage has a bad smell
Also call your doctor if:
- Your temperature is 100.5°F (38°C), or higher, for more than 4 hours
- Drainage is coming from or around the wound
- Drainage is not decreasing after 3 to 5 days
- Drainage is increasing
- Drainage becomes thick, tan, yellow, or smells bad