How to Store Dressings & Bandages

First-aid kits always include dressings and bandages.

Dressings and bandages are a part of any well-equipped household's first-aid kit. They may be used for post-surgery care, burns and other wounds. Bandages are placed on the wounded area or are used to bind the dressing to the wound. Dressings are absorbent cloth-like pads of various sizes that are placed directly on wounds. As medicine has improved over the years, so have medical products such as dressings and bandages. Proper storage is important to making sure that the materials being used are safe.

Instructions

1. Store dressings and bandages in multiple places in your home and car in case of emergencies.

2. Keep dressings and bandages in a first aid-kit in a closet in your home. Make sure the closet is kept cool and dark to avoid spoiling ointments in the first-aid kit. Also, make sure that the first-aid kit cannot be reached by children in the house.

3. Avoid storing dressings and bandages in a bathroom with a bath or shower in the room. The moisture from the bath or shower can damage the adhesive that keeps the bandages secure.

4. Store a first-aid kit with dressings and bandages in the trunk of your car in case of emergencies while traveling. If your vehicle does not have a trunk, place it in an area where the temperature will not vary too much, as this could damage bandages and other items in the kit.

5. Store specialized dressings such as collagen and biosynthetic dressings according to their package instructions. If the dressings were received at the hospital, make sure the nurse provides instructions regarding proper storage.

6. Read the expiration dates on all products in the first aid-kit and other storage areas regularly. Throw out items that have expired, including dressings and bandages.

References

• Encyclopedia of Surgery: Bandages and Dressings
• Red Cross: Anatomy of a First Aid Kit