Description

There are a number of reasons you may need to sterilize needles at home, such as for the removal of shallow wood, metal, or glass splinters.

If you wish to sterilize a needle of any type at home, keep in mind that disinfecting and sterilizing are not the same thing.

Disinfection reduces infection risk, but doesn’t eliminate it. That’s because disinfection can greatly reduce the amount of bacteria on an object, but does not remove it completely.

When done correctly, sterilization procedures can completely remove all types of bacteria and other potentially harmful microorganisms from needles.

Keep in mind that the air found in homes is not sterile. For a sterilized needle to remain sterile, it must be kept in an air-tight container, which has also been sterilized.

Never use a needle, sterilized or not, to pop a pimple or boil. And if you have a deep splinter, see a doctor instead of trying to remove it yourself. That can help reduce your risk for infection or additional injury.