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Basic Wound Care: Cleaning and Bandaging Small Cuts and Scrapes

Red Cross check-call-care first, then how to stop, clean, and cover a minor cut or scrape, when to change the bandage, and signs it needs a doctor.

4 min read · Crew role: Sawbones · Shelf: First Aid

Not medical advice. This page covers minor cuts and scrapes only, from Red Cross and Mayo Clinic public guidance. Take a first-aid class. For heavy bleeding or any serious wound, call 911.

What it's for

Most camp and chore injuries are small: a nick from a knife, a scraped knee, a splinter. Cleaning and covering them right helps keep them from getting infected. The Sawbones handles these, and knows when a wound is more than a bandage job.

Before you need it (practice)

  • Take a Red Cross first-aid class. Their public guides are a refresher, not a substitute.
  • Know the danger signs (below) so you can tell a small cut from an emergency.
  • Stock the kit: gloves, gauze pads, adhesive bandages, tape, antibiotic ointment, tweezers, and clean water.

Step by step

First: check, call, care (Red Cross)

  1. Check the scene for safety, get the person's consent, and put on gloves.
  2. Look for life-threatening signs. The Red Cross says these need immediate emergency care:
    • Blood flowing continuously or spurting
    • Blood loss equal to about half a soda can (less in a small child or infant)
    • Signs of shock: rapid, weak heartbeat; rapid breathing; pale, gray, or cool moist skin; less responsive; excessive thirst
    • A blue or very pale, swollen, rigid limb, or a tender, swollen, or rigid area
  3. If you see any of those, call 911 and get equipment. Apply firm, direct pressure on the wound with a dressing (Red Cross). See When to Call 911.
  4. If not, give care for a minor wound, below.

Minor cuts and scrapes (Mayo Clinic)

  1. Wash your hands. It helps avoid infection.
  2. Stop the bleeding. Small cuts usually stop on their own. If needed, press gently with a clean bandage or cloth and raise the area until it stops.
  3. Clean the wound. Rinse it with water; running water lowers the risk of infection. Wash around the wound with soap, but keep soap out of the wound. Mayo says don't use hydrogen peroxide or iodine, which can irritate it. Remove dirt with tweezers cleaned with alcohol. If you can't get all the debris out, see a health care professional.
  4. Put on a thin layer of antibiotic ointment or petroleum jelly to keep the surface moist. If a rash develops, stop using the ointment.
  5. Cover it with a bandage, rolled gauze, or gauze held with paper tape. A minor scratch can be left uncovered.
  6. Change the covering at least once a day, or whenever it gets wet or dirty.

Holding pressure on a bleeding wound (Red Cross)

  • Press steady and firm directly over the wound, with the injured part on a firm, flat surface.
  • If blood soaks through, don't remove the first gauze pad. You can put another pad on top; replace that top pad as needed, but don't stack multiple pads.
  • Once bleeding stops, a roller bandage over the dressing holds it in place. Check circulation beyond the injury (skin color, warmth, feeling) before and after.

When to see a doctor

Mayo Clinic says get medical care if:

  • You see signs of infection: spreading change in color, increasing pain, drainage, warmth, or swelling.
  • The wound is deep or dirty and it's been more than five years since the person's last tetanus shot.
  • You can't get all the debris out.

Common mistakes

  • Pouring hydrogen peroxide on it. Mayo says it can irritate the wound. Use clean running water.
  • Soap in the wound. Wash around it.
  • Pulling off the first gauze when blood soaks through. Leave it and add on top (Red Cross).
  • A wet, dirty bandage left on. Change it daily or when it's wet or dirty.
  • Treating a serious wound as minor. Check for the danger signs first.

Care & storage

  • Restock gauze, bandages, and ointment after use (see Your First-Aid Kit).
  • Check ointment and wipe dates at each rotation.
  • Keep a little clean water in the kit area for rinsing.

Related gear

Sources

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