How to Make Saline Solution to Clean a Wound

If you are out camping or hiking, and one of your companions trips and suffers a wound, you will have to help clean it. Straight water can be harsh on wounds, but a simple saline solution can clean the wound, be soothing and help stave off infection. Read on to learn how to make saline solution to clean a wound.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1 tsp. salt
• Eye dropper
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• Heat/fire
• 8 oz. water
• Something to stir with
• Storage container
• Pot

Make the Solution

1. Start a fire or turn on a stove and place the pot on it.

2. Pour in the water and let it heat. Be very careful not to let the water boil over.

3. Take the pot off of the heat before the water boils, then pour in the salt and baking soda.

4. Stir until the salt and baking soda are diluted. When finished the solution should have a slightly cloudy color.

5. Take the pot off of the heat and let it cool to "room temperature."

6. Pour the solution from the pot into your plastic storage container. You should have approximately 1 pint (8 oz.) of saline solution.

Apply the Solution

7. Fill the eye dropper with some of the solution and drop it into the wound as needed. Don't worry about dropping too much. Use as much as necessary until the wound is clean and no longer bleeding.

8. Use a gentle touch to apply gauze to the clean wound. This will help it absorb the saline solution.

9. Seal the container as tightly as possible, so that the solution remains sterile and usable for a later time.

10. Dress the wound as needed, taking to care to re-clean and re-dress the wound when necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• The saline solution you are going to make is a 1 percent solution. Be careful not to let the water boil. If the water boils, the concentration of salt will be higher. It will still clean the wound, but it will be much harsher for the injured person.
• Don't use your homemade saline solution for any purpose other than to clean and dress wounds. Saline solution is also used as contact lens solution, and as fluid in nebulizers. However, your homemade solution should only be used in a pinch and for external injuries. Ingesting the solution could cause some serious problems.

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[billmiller26]

on 11/21/2009 Is the math right? A percent solution is grams(g)per 100 milliliter (mL). On my gram scale, 1/2 heaping teaspoon (tsp) of iodized salt (<1% iodine & fillers) is 10 grams. Add that to 1000mL (10 x 100mL)and you get a 1% solution approx. Your 1 tsp (20 g) in 8 oz (250 mL)is closer to a 10% solution. Please let me know if I am mistaken, as I'm a Political Scientist, so a mistake is possible!