# Improvised disinfectant?

**URL:** <https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/improvised-disinfectant/10215>\
**Category:** The Drawing Board\
**Created:** [July 30, 2015, 10:53pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/improvised-disinfectant/10215 "2015-07-30T22:53:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![voskhod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e19b73/32.png) [@voskhod](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/voskhod)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 10:53pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/improvised-disinfectant/10215/1 "2015-07-30T22:53:18Z")

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Is there any plan to add improvised disinfectants to the game? In a pinch, pouring plain old vodka on a wound can disinfect it (but is extremely painful), the same goes for salt water. As of now, medical grade disinfectant in the game requires oxidizer powder and a working chemistry set to make, along with 5 cooking and having learned the recipe from a book. Which is…kinda late game to be honest. I suggest adding a “makeshift disinfectant” that requires few ingredients and no tools/skill to make, but burns like hell. Could probably be made out of vodka, or salt water, or bleach, or hydrogen peroxide (which for some reason cannot disinfect wounds, currently?)

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**Author:** ![EditorRUS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9fc29f/32.png) [@EditorRUS](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/EditorRUS)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 10:59pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/improvised-disinfectant/10215/2 "2015-07-30T22:59:37Z")

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Good ol’ wait-until-you-are-infected-and-eat-antibiotics.

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**Author:** ![voskhod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e19b73/32.png) [@voskhod](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/voskhod)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2015, 11:10pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/improvised-disinfectant/10215/3 "2015-07-30T23:10:53Z")

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> [@EditorRUS](#):
>
> Good ol’ wait-until-you-are-infected-and-eat-antibiotics.

Antibiotics tend to be a bit rare, though - and for people playing with 0.5 or 0.2 item spawn scaling, its even more rare. The ability to craft disinfectant early-game should still be an option,.

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**Author:** ![Rasip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Rasip](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Rasip)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 1:15am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/improvised-disinfectant/10215/4 "2015-07-31T01:15:58Z")

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> [@voskhod](#):
>
> or hydrogen peroxide (which for some reason cannot disinfect wounds, currently?)

They added that a few experimentals back.

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**Author:** ![Barhandar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ebca7d/32.png) [@Barhandar](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Barhandar)\
**Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 5:58pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/improvised-disinfectant/10215/5 "2015-08-01T17:58:05Z")

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If you want “hobo disinfectant” that isn’t alcohol (which should really be working as one, but needs separate 'a’ctivation and 'E’ating), there’s thyme oil: thyme + cooking oil.

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**Author:** ![voskhod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e19b73/32.png) [@voskhod](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/voskhod)\
**Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 8:43pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/improvised-disinfectant/10215/6 "2015-08-01T20:43:17Z")

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> [@Barhandar](#):
>
> If you want “hobo disinfectant” that isn’t alcohol (which should really be working as one, but needs separate 'a’ctivation and 'E’ating), there’s thyme oil: thyme + cooking oil.

Requires 4 survival, and thyme is actually very very difficult to come across. (about 1/103 chance of finding thyme when foraging)

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**Author:** ![i2amroy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/i2amroy/32/909_2.png) [@i2amroy](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/i2amroy)\
**Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 1:15am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/improvised-disinfectant/10215/7 "2015-08-02T01:15:24Z")

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As I (and several others) have noted recently, hydrogen peroxide is literally one of the worst things you can pour on a wound large than a small scratch. It worsens the chance of infection by at least a couple factors of magnitude, reduces heal time correspondingly, can cause enough pain to literally cause you to go into shock and die… there’s a reason why they don’t use it in medicine anymore. The fact that people still think its a good thing to use is just a remnant of the days when we went “oooh, it fizzes when mixed with blood and (somewhat) sanitizes flat surfaces, it must be a good disinfectant!”, combined with the force of a “home remedy” that we teach to our kids.

Don’t pour it on wounds larger than a scratch. Seriously, it’s bad for you. And it doesn’t even disinfect surfaces that well either, missing several key types of bacteria that can be very dangerous. (On the other hand it makes a great cleaner for bloodstains!)

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**Author:** ![Barhandar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ebca7d/32.png) [@Barhandar](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Barhandar)\
**Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 7:45am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/improvised-disinfectant/10215/8 "2015-08-02T07:45:52Z")

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> [@voskhod](#):
>
> Requires 4 survival, and thyme is actually very very difficult to come across. (about 1/103 chance of finding thyme when foraging)

That sounds ridiculous and needs to be changed.

> [@i2amroy](#):
>
> As I (and several others) have noted recently, hydrogen peroxide is literally one of the worst things you can pour on a wound large than a small scratch.

The point of peroxide was the fizziness - it washed contaminants (like, say, dirt) out of wounds more reliably than water does. It doesn’t do proper disinfection, but if it did, it would just be a side benefit.

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**Author:** ![Random\_dragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4da419/32.png) [@Random\_dragon](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Random_dragon)\
**Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 1:55pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/improvised-disinfectant/10215/9 "2015-08-02T13:55:56Z")

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We don’t have rubbing alcohol yet, do we? Unless that’s what generic disinfectant is supposed to be.

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**Author:** ![voskhod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e19b73/32.png) [@voskhod](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/voskhod)\
**Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 8:12pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/improvised-disinfectant/10215/10 "2015-08-02T20:12:35Z")

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[quote=“i2amroy, post:7, topic:10215”]As I (and several others) have noted recently, hydrogen peroxide is literally one of the worst things you can pour on a wound large than a small scratch. It worsens the chance of infection by at least a couple factors of magnitude, reduces heal time correspondingly, can cause enough pain to literally cause you to go into shock and die… there’s a reason why they don’t use it in medicine anymore. The fact that people still think its a good thing to use is just a remnant of the days when we went “oooh, it fizzes when mixed with blood and (somewhat) sanitizes flat surfaces, it must be a good disinfectant!”, combined with the force of a “home remedy” that we teach to our kids.

Don’t pour it on wounds larger than a scratch. Seriously, it’s bad for you. And it doesn’t even disinfect surfaces that well either, missing several key types of bacteria that can be very dangerous. (On the other hand it makes a great cleaner for bloodstains!)[/quote]

While this may be true, I still say it should be possible to disinfect wounds with plain old vodka/moonshine or other such hard spirits.

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**Author:** ![Sundaysmile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@Sundaysmile](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Sundaysmile)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 9:13pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/improvised-disinfectant/10215/11 "2015-11-25T21:13:10Z")

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Slightly offtopic, but Yarrow can be used as a coagulant to stem bloodflow.

I often mix Yarrow with Woundwort as a grand fix-me-up when doing my work outdoors. The Woundwort disinfects, and the Yarrow helps stem any bleeding.

I know that Yarrow grows in New England, I dunno about Woundwort though, maybe a local forager or botanist can fill you in on that one.

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**Author:** ![jedibob5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecccb3/32.png) [@jedibob5](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/jedibob5)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 9:34pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/improvised-disinfectant/10215/12 "2015-11-25T21:34:58Z")

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I mean, there IS a way to fix a deep wound without the use of disinfectant but with increased pain… Activate a knife near a source of flame (or with a lighter in your inventory) and you can cauterize it. I do think other means of disinfectant might be useful, though… Having vodka or other strong alcohols be able to clean up wounds would make sense, and it could be a middle ground of success rate and pain between using proper disinfectant and placing the flat of a really hot knife on your skin.

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**Author:** ![Vorchar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Vorchar](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Vorchar)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 5:32pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/improvised-disinfectant/10215/13 "2015-11-26T17:32:47Z")

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> [@voskhod](#):
>
> [quote=“EditorRUS, post:2, topic:10215”]Good ol’ wait-until-you-are-infected-and-eat-antibiotics.

Antibiotics tend to be a bit rare, though - and for people playing with 0.5 or 0.2 item spawn scaling, its even more rare. The ability to craft disinfectant early-game should still be an option,.[/quote]  
0.2 Item spawn here. 100 antibiotics, 0 disinfectants.

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**Author:** ![Zireael](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/zireael/32/956_2.png) [@Zireael](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Zireael)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 6:06pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/improvised-disinfectant/10215/14 "2015-11-26T18:06:32Z")

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> In a pinch, pouring plain old vodka on a wound can disinfect it (but is extremely painful), the same goes for salt water.

Some good ideas here.

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**Author:** ![Iosyn](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/iosyn/32/35_2.png) [@Iosyn](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Iosyn)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 11:32am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/improvised-disinfectant/10215/15 "2015-11-27T11:32:34Z")

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Pretty sure you can also use Urine to disinfect a wound.  
#nobodyfunctions

But seriously it’s a good idea. Especially since cauterizing in cata has a chance of failure.

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**Author:** ![G.E.C](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/g.e.c/32/324_2.png) [@G.E.C](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/G.E.C)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 4:45pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/improvised-disinfectant/10215/16 "2015-11-27T16:45:28Z")

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[quote=“i2amroy, post:7, topic:10215”]As I (and several others) have noted recently, hydrogen peroxide is literally one of the worst things you can pour on a wound large than a small scratch. It worsens the chance of infection by at least a couple factors of magnitude, reduces heal time correspondingly, can cause enough pain to literally cause you to go into shock and die… there’s a reason why they don’t use it in medicine anymore. The fact that people still think its a good thing to use is just a remnant of the days when we went “oooh, it fizzes when mixed with blood and (somewhat) sanitizes flat surfaces, it must be a good disinfectant!”, combined with the force of a “home remedy” that we teach to our kids.

Don’t pour it on wounds larger than a scratch. Seriously, it’s bad for you. And it doesn’t even disinfect surfaces that well either, missing several key types of bacteria that can be very dangerous. (On the other hand it makes a great cleaner for bloodstains!)[/quote]

Well crap, I have been using it to clean a rather large scratch on my hand… Am I going to die?

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**Author:** ![Coolthulhu](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/coolthulhu/32/2446_2.png) [@Coolthulhu](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Coolthulhu)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 3:10pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/improvised-disinfectant/10215/17 "2015-11-28T15:10:32Z")

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> [@G.E.C](#):
>
> Am I going to die?

We’re all going to die.

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**Author:** ![Random\_dragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4da419/32.png) [@Random\_dragon](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Random_dragon)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 4:55pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/improvised-disinfectant/10215/18 "2015-11-28T16:55:34Z")

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Unless you’re a highlander or some such thing, I would assume so. o3o

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**Author:** ![Valpo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/valpo/32/341_2.png) [@Valpo](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Valpo)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2015, 4:22pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/improvised-disinfectant/10215/19 "2015-11-29T16:22:52Z")

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I supose you would have noticed whether you had a bloodinfection shortly after treating your wound.

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**Author:** ![Litppunk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/litppunk/32/409_2.png) [@Litppunk](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Litppunk)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 2:27am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/improvised-disinfectant/10215/20 "2015-11-30T02:27:13Z")

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learn something new every day. anyhow +1 to this whole idea. Though cauterizing is slightly OP in my opinion, yea pain can get a bit annoying but usually not TOO bad, and fades farely quickly. And somehow you can use a single match to heat up a knife enough to cauterize it… or use one unit of butane lighter. I am all for nerfing cauterizing a little, (no more matchbook heated knife being a thing) and adding some improvised disinfectant that can be crafted fairly easily.

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