Cleaning and dressing a small wound
Machine translation from Dutch, not yet checked by a clinician.
Cleaning and dressing wounds properly prevents infection, even without sterile supplies.
What to do
• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before treating
• Rinse the wound for at least 5 minutes under clean running water
• Carefully remove visible dirt with a clean wet cloth
• Dry the wound with a clean cloth
• Cover the wound with a sterile plaster or dressing
• Change the dressing daily and whenever it is soaked through
Do not do
• Do not use iodine or hydrogen peroxide on open wounds — it damages tissue
• Do not cover the wound with cotton wool that leaves fibres behind
• Do not close deep wounds with tape — this increases the risk of infection
Warning signs
• Redness, swelling, warmth or pus after 24 to 48 hours — signs of infection
• Red streaks spreading out from the wound — serious infection
Get help if
• The wound is deeper than 1 cm or the edges gape apart
• The wound does not stop bleeding after 10 minutes of pressure
• There are signs of infection: fever, red streaks, pus
Why this matters
In an emergency without antibiotics, wound infections can escalate into life-threatening situations. Early cleaning is the best prevention.
Source: Rode Kruis EHBO Richtlijnen · reviewed 2025-01-01