Everyone knows that the first thing you do with an open wound is clean it and disinfect it. But out adventuring or in emergency situations, you may not have access to your normal Neosporin or other antiseptic. Here are a few unconventional ways to achieve a similar result in a dire situation.
Water and Bleach
Water should always be used to initially clean a wound. Getting debris and dirt out of the cut is the first and most important way to mitigate infection. But water by itself doesn’t have any disinfecting qualities to actually kill bacteria and in many cases can introduce new bacteria if it’s not sterile. Look to our Water Purification Methods post for a full run down of options, but one common way that also helps with disinfection is adding bleach. For drinking, you want to add about 8 drops of bleach for each gallon of water, but for use to disinfect you can do as much as 1 part bleach for every 10 parts water. This isn’t the most thorough disinfectant, but is better than nothing in a pinch.
Sugar
When you put sugar directly on a clean wound, it lowers the pH level in and around the wound which helps limit bacteria growth and infection. It can also act as an anti-inflammatory and promotes tissue growth. Who ever said that sugar couldn’t be good for you?!
Alcohol – The Rubbing Kind
Made up of about 65-75% Isopropyl alcohol, Rubbing Alcohol works well as a disinfectant. To be clear, anything with alcohol in it will sting something fierce, but that burning is killing the bacteria in the treated area.
Alcohol – The Drinking Kind
Liquor is shown as an antiseptic in basically every movie with a gun shot victim… and that’s partially because it can actually work. Similar to rubbing alcohol, hard liquors have high alcohol content which kills bacteria in the wound. Clear, high-proof drinks with no additives like Vodka will help, Beer and Margaritas will not.
Mouthwash
Really? Yep. In addition to Alcohol, most mouthwashes contain Chlorhexidine and Cetylpyridinium Chloride. These are two active ingredients that take out bad breath and plaque by killing bacteria, and they’ll do the same in an open wound… kill the bacteria, I mean.
Honey
In the hospital, my son had an IV that broke the vein in his ankle and burned the surrounding tissue. The wound care nurse used Medihoney instead of other antiseptics because of the naturally occurring antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties found in honey. Look for pure, raw honey for the best results when Medihoney isn’t available.
Remember to dress all wounds with a non-stick covering after disinfecting and always seek professional help as soon as possible if needed. Stay safe out there and make sure to keep those wounds clean!