Saline solution is used for cleaning wounds, and can be easily prepared at home. Here are instructions for making it at home.
Saline solution is a solution of sodium chloride (salt) and water. It is used as an intravenous (IV) infusion to treat dehydration. It is also used for cleaning wounds, after injury or piercing. Making this solution at home is quite simple.
How to Make Your Own Saline Solution
The solution is made using simple ingredients like distilled water and non-iodized salt. The water should be de-ionised and de-mineralised, or in short, sterile. You can also check the package and label of water to find pure and plain water. You can go for table salt that does not contain iodine. However, you will need to check the labels to make sure that there are no traces of iodine found in the salt. Lastly, the storage containers and the utensils used for making saline solution should also be clean and sterilized.
Ingredients
- 8 oz of water (with specifications mentioned above)
- 1 teaspoon of salt (with specifications mentioned above)
- 2 teaspoons of baking soda (Optional)
Method of Preparation
Bring the water to boil for about 5-10 minutes. Let it stand until it cools, and is warm enough to rinse. Now add salt slowly in the water. Keep stirring continually so that the salt is dissolved completely in the water. As an optional method, you can also put baking soda and continue stirring until it dissolves. Your homemade normal saline solution is ready. You can pour it in a pot or a neti pot and use according to given instructions.
When the saline solution is used as intravenous (IV) and given to treat dehydration, it is mixed with glucose or sugar. This helps in immediate treatment of dehydration. However, it should be noted that the saline solution used for medical purposes like IV should not be made or administered at home. The solution used for clearing sinuses should be poured in sterilized neti pots, nasal sprays or bulb syringes and used directly.
Saline Solution for Piercings
Using saline solution is one of the most important aspect of body piercing aftercare. It helps in the prevention of infections caused due to piercing. The following is the method on making saline solution for piercing.
Ingredients
- 1 coffee mug of water (with specifications mentioned above)
- ½ teaspoon of salt (with specifications mentioned above)
Method of Preparation
Heat the water until it reaches boiling point. Set it to cool. Now, add salt and stir till it completely dissolves. When the water cools down completely, soak your piercing in it. You can also use cotton swabs to clean the piercing. Dip the cotton swabs in the saline solution and clean off any dirt or fluid around the piercing. Lastly, once you use the solution, you should wipe off the area just be dabbing with a soft towel. Do not scrub or wipe harshly, or it can lead to irritation.
Lastly, an important tip, the saline solution made at home should be used immediately. It should not be stored, and the left over solution should be disposed off immediately. Take care!