Things You'll Need:
- clean water
- mild soap
- hydrogen peroxide
- in some cases, tweezers
- in some cases, bandages
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Step 1
Take a careful look at the injury to ensure that it is, in fact, minor. Look, too, for signs of any foreign objects, such as dirt, gravel, or broken glass. Having accessed the situation thoroughly, you are now ready to move on to the next step.
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Step 2
Now that you know exactly what sort of situation you are dealing with, you are ready to assemble your supplies. You'll need clean water and a mild soap to wash the wound, some hydrogen peroxide to use as an antiseptic and anti-bacterial to help prevent infection, tweezers if you need to remove something from the wound, and bandages if the wound needs protection.
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Step 3
Wash the wound with clean running water and a mild soap. If you do not have running water available, you can pour clean water over the injury. Take care to use a mild soap. If the only soap available is one that is heavily perfumed, it is going to sting significantly and probably should be avoided. The water will be sufficient to rinse the wound.
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Step 4
Pour hydrogen peroxide over the wound, letting it bubble over the surface. The bubbling action of hydrogen peroxide is an important part of how it is able to help prevent infection. The bubbles help move bacteria and other potential agents of infection up and out of the wound site.
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Step 5
If there is a foreign object inbedded in the wound, like gravel from a playground scrape, use the treezers to carefully remove it. You'll want to pour a little peroxide over the tweezers before using them on the injury. Once the wound is free of debris, clean it with the peroxide again.
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Step 6
Most minor cuts and scrapes do better if exposed to air. It quickens the clotting and healing process. However, there are other minor cuts and scrapes that may be better covered for a short while. For example, a cut on the bottom of the foot may be better with a light gauze bandage for a little while in order to help keep it clean. A scrape on an area that will be exposed to potentially harmful substances, as is the case often when a minor injury is experienced at work, should also be covered to prevent infection. Gauze is a good choice because it allows airflow while offering a bit of protection for the cut or scrape.
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Step 7
The final step is to keep an eye on the scrape or cut, making sure that it is not showing signs of infection. Signs of infection include reddening, swelling, an unpleasant odor, and the appearance of pus. Often, a sensitive nose can detect the slight change in smell that indicates the potential of infection. Infections can be very serious and may require professional health care services.
