What You Need in a First Aid Kit (And What to Skip)
Most people think a first aid kit is just a box with bandages and maybe some pain pills. But if you’re serious about handling minor injuries right, you need the right OTC first aid medications - and you need to know how to use them. Too many people grab hydrogen peroxide and pour it straight on a cut, or keep an old tube of Neosporin from 2020. That’s not just useless - it can make things worse.
According to the American College of Emergency Physicians, every home should have three core OTC first aid meds: antiseptics to clean wounds, antibiotic ointments to stop infection, and pain relievers to manage discomfort. Skip the fancy gadgets. Focus on these. They’re cheap, effective, and backed by decades of clinical use.
Antiseptics: Clean the Skin, Not the Wound
Antiseptics kill germs on the skin before they get into a cut. But here’s the catch: you’re not supposed to put them directly on open wounds.
Hydrogen peroxide (3%) and isopropyl alcohol (60-70%) are common. They foam or sting - that’s normal. But research from the Journal of Wound Care shows hydrogen peroxide kills about 92% of bacteria on skin, while povidone-iodine hits 99.8%. Povidone-iodine doesn’t sting as much and lasts longer, but it stains everything brown. That’s fine if you’re okay with a temporary tan on your knee.
Here’s what actually works: use a wipe or cotton pad soaked in antiseptic to clean the skin around the cut, not inside it. Pouring alcohol or peroxide into a wound kills healthy tissue, slows healing, and increases scarring. A 2023 Reddit user reported a deep cut took 10 extra days to heal because they used peroxide directly. Don’t be that person.
Store antiseptics in a cool, dark place. Once opened, hydrogen peroxide loses half its strength in 30 days. Check the bottle - if it doesn’t bubble when you pour it on a surface, it’s dead. Replace it.
Antibiotic Ointments: The Real Winner Is Not What You Think
Neosporin is everywhere. It’s in 68% of American households, according to IQVIA sales data. But it’s not always the best choice.
Neosporin contains three antibiotics: bacitracin, neomycin, and polymyxin B. That sounds powerful - and it is. A Mayo Clinic study found it prevented infection in 92.7% of minor cuts. But here’s the problem: 5.2% of people are allergic to neomycin. That’s 1 in 20 people. Allergic reactions look like redness, itching, or swelling that gets worse after a few days - not better.
So what’s better? A simple bacitracin-only ointment. It’s less likely to cause an allergy. It’s cheaper. And studies show it’s still 78% effective at preventing infection. If you’ve never had a reaction before, Neosporin is fine. But if you’ve ever had a rash after using it, switch now.
Apply it after cleaning the wound. Use a pea-sized amount. Cover with a bandage if the cut is in a dirty area - like your hand after gardening. Don’t leave it uncovered unless it’s a tiny scrape. Moisture helps healing.
And yes, it expires. Even if it looks fine, potency drops 15% every year after opening. University of Nebraska testing recommends replacing all antibiotic ointments every 12 months. Write the opening date on the tube with a Sharpie. It’s that simple.
Pain Relief: Not All Pills Are the Same
When your knee hurts after a fall, or your head throbs after a long day, you reach for a pill. But acetaminophen, ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen aren’t interchangeable. They work differently - and carry different risks.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is your go-to for headaches, fever, or minor aches. It doesn’t reduce swelling, but it’s gentle on your stomach. The max daily dose is 4,000mg - but if you drink alcohol regularly, stay under 3,000mg. Liver damage is real, and it doesn’t come with warning signs until it’s too late.
Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) is the king of inflammation. It’s the best choice for sprains, muscle pain, or post-surgery soreness. But it can cause stomach bleeding in 1.2% of regular users. Don’t take it on an empty stomach. Don’t use it daily for more than a week. And if you have high blood pressure or kidney issues, talk to a doctor first.
Aspirin is old-school, but it still has one life-saving use: suspected heart attack. If someone has chest pain, shortness of breath, or nausea - and they’re not allergic - chew one 325mg tablet right away. The American Heart Association says this cuts death risk by 30% if given within 30 minutes. Keep chewable aspirin in your car or bag, not just the medicine cabinet.
Naproxen (Aleve) lasts longer - up to 12 hours - but it’s harsher on your heart. Avoid it if you’re over 60 or have heart disease. It’s fine for occasional use, but not for daily back pain.
Princeton University’s 2022 data shows ibuprofen works better for swelling-related pain (68% effective), while acetaminophen wins for non-inflammatory pain like toothaches (73% effective). Know your pain type. Pick accordingly.
Storage, Expiration, and Common Mistakes
Medicines don’t last forever. And most people don’t check.
Surveys show 73% of home first aid kits have at least one expired item. That’s not just wasteful - it’s dangerous. Liquid pain meds lose 20-30% potency per year. Tablets last longer - sometimes 2-3 years past expiration - but heat ruins them. If your medicine sits in a hot bathroom or a car in summer, it’s already degraded.
Store your kit in a cool, dry place. A drawer in the bedroom is better than the bathroom. Keep pills in their original bottles. Don’t dump them into a plastic container unless you label them clearly.
Check your kit twice a year. When you change your smoke detector batteries. When daylight saving time starts or ends. Throw out anything expired. Replace anything used. Keep a small notepad inside the kit: write down what you used and when. That way, you know what to restock.
When to Call a Doctor
OTC meds are for minor stuff: small cuts, headaches, sunburns, muscle twinges. If it’s not improving in 3-5 days, or it’s getting worse - see someone.
Red flags: red streaks spreading from a cut, pus, fever over 101°F, numbness, or pain that doesn’t respond to any OTC painkiller. These aren’t things you can treat at home. Delaying care can lead to serious infections or permanent damage.
And never use OTC meds regularly. If you’re taking ibuprofen every day for back pain, or acetaminophen for headaches five days a week, you’re masking a problem. That’s not treatment - it’s avoidance. See a doctor. There’s likely a root cause you’re ignoring.
Building Your Kit: The Minimalist List
You don’t need a pharmacy in your drawer. Here’s what you actually need:
- One bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide OR povidone-iodine solution (for cleaning skin around wounds)
- One tube of bacitracin-only antibiotic ointment (or Neosporin if you’ve never had a reaction)
- One bottle of acetaminophen (500mg tablets)
- One bottle of ibuprofen (200mg tablets)
- One pack of chewable aspirin (325mg)
- 10-15 adhesive bandages (various sizes)
- 1 roll of medical tape
- 2 sterile gauze pads
- 1 pair of non-latex gloves
- 1 calibrated dosing spoon (not a kitchen spoon)
That’s it. Everything else is noise. Keep this in a small, waterproof container. Put one in your car. One in your work bag. One in your nightstand. You never know when you’ll need it.
Final Tip: Read the Drug Facts Label
The FDA requires every OTC medicine to have a Drug Facts label. It’s not decoration. It’s your safety guide.
Look at the Active Ingredients - that’s what the medicine actually does. Then check the Uses - does it match your symptom? Then the Warnings - any conditions you have? Then the Dosage - don’t guess. Use the spoon. Then the Expiration Date - if it’s past, toss it.
68% of OTC medication errors come from ignoring this label. Don’t be part of that statistic. Take 30 seconds. Read it. Then act.
Can I use hydrogen peroxide on a deep cut?
No. Hydrogen peroxide damages healthy tissue and slows healing. Clean the skin around the cut with it, but don’t pour it inside. Use mild soap and water to rinse the wound itself, then pat dry before applying antibiotic ointment.
Is Neosporin better than generic antibiotic ointment?
Neosporin is more effective at preventing infection, but it contains neomycin, which causes allergic reactions in about 5% of people. If you’ve never had a rash from it, it’s fine. If you have, switch to bacitracin-only ointment - it’s just as effective for most people and much safer long-term.
Which pain reliever is safest for daily use?
None. OTC pain relievers are not meant for daily use. If you need them every day, there’s an underlying issue - like arthritis, nerve pain, or chronic stress - that needs medical attention. Long-term ibuprofen can cause stomach bleeding. Long-term acetaminophen can damage your liver. See a doctor instead of relying on pills.
Do I need to replace my first aid kit every year?
You don’t need to replace the whole kit, but you should check it twice a year. Replace expired medications, used bandages, and any ointments opened more than 12 months ago. Liquid pain meds should be replaced every year. Tablets can last longer, but heat and moisture ruin them - so if your kit’s been in a hot car, toss it and start fresh.
Can I give aspirin to a child for fever?
Never. Aspirin can cause Reye’s syndrome in children and teens - a rare but deadly condition that affects the liver and brain. Use acetaminophen or ibuprofen instead for fever or pain in kids. Always check the label for age-appropriate dosing.
