How to Clean Nose Piercing Correctly to Prevent Smells and Infections

Liputan6.com, Jakarta Getting a nose piercing is exciting, but knowing how to clean nose piercing properly is very important. A clean piercing heals faster and stays healthy. Without proper care, your piercing can get infected or take longer to heal.

Many people think cleaning a nose piercing is difficult. The truth is that it only takes a few minutes each day. Cleaning is important for two main reasons. First, during healing, proper cleaning prevents infections and helps your body heal faster. Second, even after your piercing heals completely, regular cleaning prevents bad smells and keeps your piercing healthy.

In this article, we will learn how to clean nose piercing correctly when it's still healing and after it has healed. We will also share some important things you should avoid to keep your nose piercing clean and safe. We gathered these information from various sources, Wednesday (24/9/2025).

New nose piercings need extra care and attention. The healing process takes 2 to 6 months depending on your body. During this time, you must clean your piercing twice every day. This prevents bacteria from causing infections and helps your skin heal properly.

What You'll Need

- Saline solution (salt water)

- Clean cotton balls or gauze pads

- Clean paper towels

- Antibacterial soap for washing hands

- Small cup or bowl

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Wash your hands completely with antibacterial soap. Clean hands are the most important step. Dirty hands can bring bacteria to your piercing and cause infections.

2. Make saline solution by mixing 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt with 8 ounces of warm water. You can also buy ready-made saline solution from the store.

3. Soak a cotton ball in the saline solution. Press it gently against your piercing for 3 to 5 minutes. This helps clean away dried blood and dead skin.

4. Clean the jewelry by moving the cotton ball around the nose ring or stud. Be very gentle and do not force anything. Clean both the inside and outside of your nostril.

5. Rinse with clean water to remove any leftover salt solution. Salt can dry out your skin if left on too long.

6. Pat dry gently with a clean paper towel. Do not use regular towels because they can have bacteria. Never rub the area hard.

7. Repeat twice daily - once in the morning and once at night. Do this every day until your piercing is completely healed.

Once your nose piercing has healed completely, cleaning becomes easier. You do not need to clean it twice every day anymore. However, you still need to keep it clean to prevent problems. Healed piercings can still get infected if not cared for properly.

What You'll Need

- Saline spray or gentle soap

- Clean cotton swabs

- Clean tissues

- Warm water

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Check if your piercing is healed by looking for signs. There should be no pain, redness, swelling, or discharge for at least three weeks. If you are not sure, wait longer or ask your piercer.

2. Clean your hands with soap and water before touching your piercing. This rule never changes, even for healed piercings.

3. Remove jewelry carefully if you want to clean it deeply. Only do this if your piercing is completely healed. Some people prefer to clean without removing jewelry.

4. Wash the jewelry with gentle soap and warm water if you removed it. Dry it completely before putting it back in your nose.

5. Clean the piercing hole with saline spray or gentle soap. Use a cotton swab to clean around the area gently.

6. Rinse well with clean water to remove soap or saline solution. Make sure no cleaning products stay on your skin.

7. Dry the area by patting with clean tissue. Put your jewelry back in right away if you removed it.

8. Clean weekly or when the area gets dirty. You can also clean it in the shower with gentle soap.

Many people make mistakes when caring for their nose piercings. These mistakes can cause infections, slow healing, or damage to your piercing. Here are the most important things you should never do.

- Don't Use Harsh Cleaning Products: Never use strong antiseptic products on your nose piercing. According to Healthline, you should not use products like Neosporin or hydrogen peroxide because they can irritate your piercing and make healing slower. These products are too strong and can hurt your healing skin. Stick to gentle saline solutions instead.

- Don't Touch Your Piercing with Dirty Hands: Keep your hands away from your nose piercing except when cleaning. Medical News Today explains that touching your piercing with unclean hands or playing with the jewelry can cause irritation and bring harmful bacteria to the area. Your hands carry bacteria that can cause infections. Only touch your piercing when you need to clean it.

- Don't Change Jewelry Too Early: Wait until your piercing is completely healed before changing jewelry. Bodyartforms warns that switching jewelry before proper healing can lead to irritation, infections, and painful bumps around the piercing site. Even if your piercing looks good, it might still be healing inside. Most nose piercings take 6 to 9 months to heal fully.

- Don't Sleep on Your Piercing: Try not to sleep on the side with your new nose piercing. This can cause pressure and slow down healing. Use clean pillowcases and change them often to prevent bacteria buildup.

- Don't Go Swimming: Stay away from pools, hot tubs, lakes, and oceans while your piercing heals. These places have bacteria that can cause infections. Wait until your piercing is completely healed before swimming again.

- Don't Use Cotton Swabs on New Piercings: Cotton swabs can leave small pieces of cotton in your piercing. These pieces can cause irritation and infections. Use cotton balls or gauze pads instead for new piercings. You can use cotton swabs safely on completely healed piercings.

- Don't Use Makeup on the Piercing: Keep makeup, lotions, and other beauty products away from your healing piercing. According to wikiHow, makeup and cosmetic products like sunscreen can block the piercing hole and cause infections. Wait until your piercing is healed before using products near it.