A thorough but gentle cleaning with soap and water is usually all that's immediately required to treat most minor household wounds. All cuts should be kept clean and dry and should be covered with gauze or an adhesive strip for a few days. Most cuts will heal without incident. Using a first-aid ointment is advised for the first day. Products such as alcohol or hydrogen peroxide can delay healing. Do not squeeze any wound in an attempt to force bleeding — this is not a helpful way to draw out germs.

It can be hard to judge a wound's severity by the amount of bleeding. Even minor cuts to the face and scalp tend to bleed a lot because there is a strong blood supply in that area. Conversely, puncture wounds tend to bleed outwardly very little, but internal bleeding can be severe in such injuries.

If the cut is on an arm or leg, apply direct pressure and try to elevate the injured body part above the level of the heart to slow or stop bleeding.