IRRICLENS WOUND CLEANSER

Cleaning a wound properly at each dressing change is one of the most consistent ways to support healing. Loose debris, surface bacteria, and wound exudate residue at the wound surface need to be removed, and the quality of the solution used to do this matters. Sterile physiological saline, sodium chloride at a 0.9% concentration, is the standard wound cleansing solution recommended in NHS and NICE wound care guidance. Irriclens is a sterile 0.9% sodium chloride wound irrigation spray from ConvaTec. Preservative free. Delivered as an aerosol spray. 240ml. No prescription required.

Irriclens is a sterile 0.9% sodium chloride solution packaged in a 240ml aerosol can. The aerosol format delivers the solution as a continuous spray when the can is inverted and the nozzle pressed, allowing controlled irrigation of the wound surface with a consistent pressure and flow. The solution is preservative free, it contains no preservatives, antiseptics, or active pharmaceutical ingredients of any kind.

The 0.9% sodium chloride concentration of Irriclens matches the sodium chloride concentration of the body's own extracellular fluids. This is described as physiological or isotonic saline. Because the concentration matches that of the tissues it contacts, the solution does not cause osmotic stress to the wound tissue. It neither draws water out of wound cells by being hyperosmotic, nor forces water into them by being hypoosmotic. This makes physiological saline the least disruptive wound cleansing fluid available and the one recommended for routine wound cleaning in NHS and NICE guidance.

Irriclens does not contain any antiseptic agent. It cleans the wound by the physical action of irrigation, the pressurised spray dislodges and washes away debris, surface bacteria, exudate, and loose wound material from the wound surface. This is mechanical cleaning, not chemical or antimicrobial cleaning. The sterile nature of the solution means the cleansing process does not introduce additional contamination to the wound.

Available in a single 240ml size.

Irriclens contains no antiseptic or antimicrobial agent. It is not a treatment for wound infection. If the wound shows signs of infection, spreading redness, fever, increasing pain, swelling, or purulent discharge, seek clinical assessment rather than continuing to irrigate with saline. Irriclens cleanses; it does not treat. For infected wounds, clinical assessment and appropriate antimicrobial management are required. Do not spray near the eyes or into the face. Keep away from open flames, the can is pressurised.

Mechanical Wound Irrigation

The aerosol mechanism delivers the sodium chloride solution under consistent pressure. When the wound surface is irrigated, the flowing saline physically dislodges loose material from the wound bed and wound margins. This includes loose fibrin and slough that has not been debrided, surface bacteria that are not yet deeply embedded in biofilm, exudate residue from the previous dressing period, and particles of debris from the wound environment. The material is carried away from the wound surface by the flowing solution and removed with the irrigant.

Why 0.9% Sodium Chloride

Sodium chloride at 0.9% concentration is isotonic with wound tissue fluid. Isotonic means the solution has the same osmotic pressure as the body's cells and fluids. When wound tissue is irrigated with an isotonic solution, no net movement of water occurs across the cell membranes in the wound. The cells and tissue integrity are undisturbed by the contact with the irrigant. Hypotonic solutions, with lower salt concentration, cause cells to swell. Hypertonic solutions, with higher concentration, cause cells to shrink. Neither is appropriate for wound irrigation. Isotonic 0.9% saline avoids both risks.

Preservative Free Formulation

Irriclens is formulated without preservatives. Preservatives are added to many liquid preparations to prevent microbial growth in the container during storage and after opening. In wound care, preservatives can be cytotoxic to wound healing cells at low concentrations, they may damage the fibroblasts and keratinocytes needed for tissue repair. By removing preservatives from the formulation, Irriclens delivers physiological saline to the wound without the potential cell-damaging effects of a preservative-containing solution. The sterility of the contents is maintained by the sealed aerosol packaging rather than by chemical preservative action.

Aerosol Spray Delivery

The aerosol format allows Irriclens to be delivered as a controlled, consistent stream without the user needing to hold the can at a specific angle or squeeze a pump mechanism. The continuous spray is useful for flushing cavities, irrigating wound surfaces at dressing changes, and softening dried exudate or wound dressings before removal. The can is used by inverting and pressing the nozzle, directing the spray onto the wound from an appropriate distance.

Wound Cleansing at Dressing Changes

• Wash hands and use gloves before wound management.
• Remove the used dressing from the wound.
• Invert the Irriclens can and press the nozzle to direct the spray onto the wound surface.
• Irrigate the wound surface and wound margins thoroughly.
• Allow the wound to drain and pat surrounding skin dry.
• Apply the new dressing.

Softening Adherent Dressings

• Before removing a dressing that may be adherent to the wound, spray Irriclens gently around and beneath the dressing edges.
• Allow the saline to penetrate for a brief period.
• The moisture reduces dressing to wound bonding and makes removal less traumatic.

Wound Irrigation Distance

• Hold the can at approximately 3 to 5cm from the wound surface for effective irrigation.
• For cavity wounds, direct the spray into the cavity opening and allow the irrigant to flush through.

Irriclens is for external wound irrigation only. Do not spray directly into the eyes. Do not use in body cavities or closed wounds. Keep the can upright during storage, invert only during use. Do not store near heat sources or in direct sunlight. Do not puncture or incinerate the can even when empty.

Irriclens 240ml

Irriclens is available in a single 240ml aerosol can. The 240ml volume provides a substantial supply for ongoing wound irrigation across multiple dressing changes. For a typical wound requiring irrigation at each dressing change one to three times per week, the 240ml can provides multiple weeks of use. The pressurised aerosol format delivers solution consistently throughout the useful life of the can.

Do Not Use Irriclens If

• The wound is in a body cavity requiring internal irrigation - Irriclens is for topical wound surface use only.
• Known sensitivity to sodium chloride or any can component.

Precautions

• External use only.
• Do not spray into eyes or onto mucous membranes.
• Keep away from flames and heat sources - the can is pressurised.
• Do not pierce or incinerate the can.
• Keep out of reach of children.
• Seek clinical advice if the wound is not healing or shows signs of infection.

Adverse Effects

• No adverse effects are expected from the isotonic saline formulation in normal topical wound use.
• Discomfort on application to fresh or raw wound surfaces - brief and expected with any irrigation.

Suitable Uses

• Wound cleansing at dressing changes for acute and chronic wounds including surgical wounds, pressure ulcers, leg ulcers, traumatic wounds, and minor burns
• Softening wound dressings before removal to reduce trauma to the wound surface
• Cavity wound irrigation to flush the wound space at dressing changes
• General wound irrigation as part of a wound management plan where sterile physiological saline is the specified cleansing agent
• Adults and children

Irriclens vs Antiseptic Wound Sprays

Irriclens and antiseptic wound sprays such as Elastoplast Wound Spray serve different purposes. Irriclens is sterile physiological saline, it cleanses by physical irrigation without any antimicrobial agent. Its value lies in its compatibility with wound tissue and the absence of any potentially cytotoxic agent. Antiseptic wound sprays contain an active antimicrobial ingredient such as chlorhexidine and reduce bacterial load at the wound surface through chemical action. NHS and NICE guidance supports the use of sterile saline as the routine wound cleansing solution. Antiseptic sprays may be appropriate for specific situations where antimicrobial action at the wound surface is indicated.

Irriclens does not require a prescription. The 240ml aerosol is available from Pharmacy Planet without a clinical consultation.

Our pharmacists can advise on wound cleansing products and on the role of saline irrigation within a wound management routine.

For wounds showing signs of infection, wounds not healing as expected, or complex wound management, seek clinical assessment from a GP, practice nurse, tissue viability nurse, or district nurse.

• Store upright in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and heat sources.
• Do not store above 25°C.
• Keep away from flames - the can is pressurised.
• Do not puncture or incinerate the can even when empty.
• Keep out of reach of children.
• Check the expiry date before use.

Pharmacy Planet is a GPhC registered online pharmacy. Irriclens is a genuine ConvaTec product stocked through regulated UK supply chains.

Our pharmacists can advise on wound cleansing products and on building an effective wound management routine.

References

1. ConvaTec. Irriclens Wound Cleanser — Product Information. ConvaTec. https://www.convatec.com. Accessed June 2026.
2. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Wound care: wound cleansing. https://www.nice.org.uk. Accessed June 2026.
3. NHS. How to treat minor cuts and grazes at home. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cuts-and-grazes. Accessed June 2026.
4. Wounds UK. Best Practice Statement: Wound cleansing and debridement. https://www.wounds-uk.com. Accessed June 2026.