There is no reason to worry that the swaps are not sterile. They are what one might call a “clean” product. They are produced under clean conditions, any bacteria that might have contaminated the tip of the swap, really does not have any organic food source to grow and multiply.

When the povidone iodine or lidocaine/Benzalkonium Chloride ampoule is broken and the fluid absorbed into the tip, any remaining organisms would be killed. I use the lidocaine/Benzalkonium Chloride swaps all of the time for minor cuts and abrasions. They are nicely packaged in a plastic case to reduce the chance of snapping the swap.


Pete