dryer sheets inbetween dressings?????

mattsmom81 · Aug 24, 2005

Has anyone ever heard of placing those fabric softener dryer sheets inbetween dressings on a wound with a very foul odor? I had a pt with an tendon exposed and was attempting all kinds of dressing changes to control the odor as well as prevent infection. this was a hospice pt so healing it was not an option. anyway, someone suggested a dryer sheet inbetween the telfa and kerlex. Sounds a little fishy to me.

Hmm. Something with activated charcoal would probably work better..it would absorb the odor, right?? Or something along the lines of those tabs we put in colostomy bags?

Hey entrepeneurs....maybe we should invent something...!

I suppose the dryer sheet would mask it a bit. I know sometmes those necrotic wounds smell horrendously...

Gompers, BSN, RN · Aug 24, 2005

Since it's a hospice patient, I would think anything would be fine, as long as it made the patient and family more comfortable.

Now me, I love to get creative. If it was my patient...I'd make sachets filled with baking soda, using either telfa pads or thin cloth, with thick tape holding the edges shut.

elkpark · Aug 24, 2005

I would think that, if it were a very dry wound and you could be sure that the dressing wasn't going to get wet, it wouldn't hurt to try it. My only concern would be that, if the dressing got wet (either from "above" or absorbing moisture from the wound), that would provide a pathway for whatever chemicals are in the dryer sheet to leach down into the wound ...

I agree,though that charcoal or baking soda, which would absorb the odor rather than just "mask" it, might be a better choice all 'round.

Hey :idea: -- what about those "odor-absorbing" sanitary napkins that have baking soda in them? They are absorbent, too ... Might be worth a try.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Aug 24, 2005

Or it's possible that the dryer sheet perfume might mix with the odor of the wound, and create a worse smell.

Only way to find out is try.

suzanne4, RN · Aug 24, 2005

Some people have actually been putting pieces of the dryer sheet in a colostomy bag as well, to help with the odor.

hrtprncss · Aug 24, 2005

but but but it's not sterile, if it stinks that bad, open a bottle of mint oil i forgot what they're called, they're basically saturated gauze infused with mint, trust me the whole place is gonna smell like it

Sadie04 · Aug 24, 2005

but but but it's not sterile, if it stinks that bad, open a bottle of mint oil i forgot what they're called, they're basically saturated gauze infused with mint, trust me the whole place is gonna smell like it

The OP stated that pt was on hospice...

hrtprncss · Aug 24, 2005

so we should just let a source of infection foster then because this patient is on hospice?

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Aug 25, 2005

Wouldn't mint oil burn if it accidently got into the wound (for example, if too much was applied to the dressing, and seeped though)?

Gompers, BSN, RN · Aug 25, 2005

I personally think the odor-absorbing pantyliner or sanitary napkin idea is genius!

beochicken · Dec 7, 2005

There are a lot of good absorbent bandages on the market , and a couple of them also have a charcoal filter (smith and nephews carbonet for example). Why dont you try that before you bandage the wound with something you know is not sterile and dont know the chemical makeup of?