The Best Cleansing Wipes for Your First Aid Kit

Dynarex Sterile Alcohol Prep Pad

Simple and affordable

These basic alcohol prep pads sterilize the area quickly to prevent infection.

Best Overall

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The simple choice is often one of the best, which is why these alcohol prep pads from Dynarex are such a good option. They’re small and very affordable, allowing them to easily fit into any first aid kit, big or small. They’ve been gamma sterilized and soaked in 70% isopropyl alcohol, ensuring they are safe and can help prevent infection. The pads themselves are soft and easy on the skin, as well. As a bonus, they’re folded up tightly and individually packaged for your convenience.

Pros:

• A box of these pads is very affordable
• They are also a great way to clean your hands or sanitize your phone, cards, or keys
• The large packages include enough pads to stock several first aid kits

Cons:

• Isopropyl alcohol stings a bit while cleaning an open wound
• They dry out very quickly once opened

Care Touch Alcohol Prep Pads

Soft and saturated

These hefty cleansing wipes do an excellent job of removing debris with less pain.

Thickest

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There are lots of alcohol prep pads available, but they are often small and thin, which can make using them a bit inconvenient. That’s not the case with these pads from Care Touch. They’re made to be thick and soft, which minimizes your discomfort while cleaning any open wounds. Each one is completely saturated with isopropyl alcohol to ensure it stays wet the whole time you’re using it. They’re all individually wrapped in a four-layer wrapper that’s airtight for safety, preventing them from drying out over time.

Pros:

• Two-layer design is more comfortable to use than typical single-ply pads
• The wrappers are notched for easy opening
• They stay wet for longer than the average pad

Cons:

• The price is a little higher than the average alcohol pad
• They’re too small for most uses other than cleaning minor cuts

Curad Alcohol Prep Pads

Great value

You can get more for less when you choose these effective cleansing wipes.

Best Bulk Buy

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For a great price on a fantastic alcohol pad, we turn to this bulk pack from Curad. These pads are not very wide, but they are super thick and soft, making them much more comfortable to use than almost any other isopropyl pad. We appreciate how saturated they are because they make it easy to clean cuts, sanitize electronics, and even remove glue and residue from different materials. For example, we’ve used them to get the label residue off of jars so that we can recycle them. They’re an excellent choice for first aid kits, and at this price, you can use them all around the house, too.

Pros:

• Each pad is individually wrapped and small enough to fit into any first aid kit
• This set comes at a great price
• They’re sterile and safe to use for most injuries

Cons:

• These pads are small compared to similar options
• They dry out quickly

Dynarex BZK Antiseptic Towelettes

Sting-free

Remove the burn from your first aid kit by choosing these gentle cleansing wipes.

Best Alcohol-Free

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Although alcohol prep pads are known for being sterile, they can also sting and leave you or your child in more pain. That isn’t what you want when you’re trying to calm down your crying kiddo. That’s why you may want to check out the Dynarex BZK antiseptic wipes. They’re made with benzalkonium chloride for a pain-free application that still does a great job of preventing infection and cleaning up wounds. These wipes are also unscented and perfect for sensitive skin.

Pros:

• Each wipe is in its own packaging for convenience
• These are larger than most other first aid wipes
• They are especially helpful for cleaning up kid’s cuts and burns

Cons:

• They’re on the pricey side
• While they are antiseptic, they aren’t as sanitizing as alcohol wipes

Natural Essentials Ouch-Eez First Aid Wipes

Bye-bye, booboos

Clean your kiddo's cuts and send them on their way with these pain-free wipes.

Best For Kids

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Do you prefer to go the natural route whenever possible? Are you looking for a simple option for everyday scrapes and cuts? If so, Natural Essentials’ Ouch-Eez wipes could be just what you’ve been searching for. They smell like apples and are saturated in witch hazel and aloe, which is great for cleaning up minor, everyday scrapes. We also love that they’re made of super-soft cotton and large enough that you won’t end up needing more than one at a time for your child’s booboos.

Pros:

• These wipes are biodegradable and flushable
• They’re affordable
• You can pack them into your first aid kit, stash them in a diaper bag, or leave them in the car

Cons:

• These wipes aren’t available in bulk packages
• They aren’t suitable for killing viruses

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do you need cleansing wipes in your first aid kit?

First aid kits are designed to take care of medical emergencies until medical professionals can take over. The first step to taking care of any wound is cleaning it up so you can see what you’re dealing with. That’s where the cleansing wipes come in. They clean off any dirt, blood, and bacteria so you can get a good look while helping to prevent infection.

What type of wipe is the best for a first aid kit?

There are lots of options when it comes to which wipe you want for your first aid kit, and frankly, we feel it’s best to have more than one. Alcohol is generally the best for killing bacteria and viruses, while BZK is good for cleaning without the pain and sting. Other formulas, like those containing peroxide and witch hazel, are great choices for minor situations where sanitation isn’t a priority and infection isn’t as big of a risk.