Get a sample of Dakin’s Wound Cleanser
For acute, chronic, and complex wounds, confident care starts with Dakin’s.
Kills MRSA, VRE, and more within 30 seconds
Effective against biofilm
FDA-cleared medical device
Compatible with Negative Pressure Wound Therapy
Works without antibiotics, alcohol, or steroids
Available in multiple strengths
Wound care is rarely straightforward
We know you want to help every patient heal as quickly and comfortably as possible. But factors like infection, skin sensitivity, and limited patient mobility can make it hard to care for advanced wounds.
These chronic or complex wounds—like pressure ulcers, burns, or non-healing injuries—are especially difficult to manage because many of the cleansers and dressings used for them can prove to be too harsh, expensive, or complicated for ongoing treatment.
When you’re under pressure to find a solution that really works, without adding unnecessary cost, antimicrobial resistance, or patient discomfort, Dakin’s Solution meets hard-to-heal wounds head-on.
Build a treatment plan you’re confident in
With simple, accessible, and proven Dakin’s Solution
Dakin’s Solution is specially formulated to help you care for acute, chronic, and challenging wounds—without compromising on safety or performance. It’s an affordable, flexible option for healthcare professionals looking for both potent antimicrobial power and low cytotoxicity, to help wounds properly heal.
By disrupting biofilm, debriding necrotic tissue, and fighting against infection risks, Dakin’s helps you care for even the toughest wounds through every stage of healing.
Whether you’re changing burn injury dressings, irrigating a diabetic ulcer, or simply washing a non-healing injury, Dakin’s four formulations let you easily adapt your treatment plan as the wound progresses, so you can offer confident, comfortable care.
See—and sample—the Dakin’s difference
Request a complimentary sample of Dakin’s Wound Cleanser. We’ll ship it straight to your healthcare facility.
Why reach for Dakin’s?
Help Treat & Prevent Infection
Our wound cleansing solution is proven to kill 99.9999% of resistant bacteria, including MRSA and VRE, within 30 seconds of contact.
Offer Cost-Effective Care
With Dakin’s, effective healing doesn’t have to cost a lot. Our flexible formulations are affordable, accessible, and stable for up to two years.*
Heal with Gentle Strength
Our non-irritating, non-sensitizing solutions work without antibiotics, alcohol, or steroids—and don’t require rinsing.
*Dakin’s Solution® Full Strength (Sodium Hypochlorite 0.50%) is our highest strength of Sodium Hypochlorite available, and has a one-year shelf life.
Over a century of helping patients heal
Doctors and nurses have trusted Dakin’s Solution for three generations and counting
Originally devised on WWI battlefields to combat life-threatening infections, Dr. Henry Dakin’s sodium hypochlorite-based wound solution has helped save countless lives for over a century.
Today, under third-generation family leadership, Century Pharmaceuticals manufactures four specialized formulations, including two classified as FDA-cleared medical devices, that honor Dr. Dakin’s legacy of safe, simple, and affordable wound care—so healthcare professionals everywhere can treat even the toughest wounds with confidence.
Frequently-Asked Questions
#1—It’s pronounced, “Day-kinz”. Find more answers below!
When and how should I use Dakin's?
Dakin’s wound healing products may be used in any situation where a dressing solution, irrigant, or wound wash formula is needed. That’s what makes Dakin’s wound care solutions an effective Puracyn Plus Pro or Vashe wound cleanser alternative.
Dakin’s has been used for all types of acute and chronic wounds, including:
- Burns, Cuts, and Skin Abrasions
- Pressure Ulcers
- Diabetic Foot Ulcers
- Venous Stasis Ulcers
- Pre- and Post-Surgery Wounds
To use Dakin’s as a wound cleanser, flush the wound or affected area until clean. For wound management, use as an irrigant, cleanser, or as a wet-to-dry wound dressing solution.
Apply once daily for 5-10 minutes for a wound with light or moderate discharge. Apply twice daily for 10-15 minutes for a wound with heavy discharge.
Are Dakin's wound wash products available over the counter?
Yes, all of our products are available over the counter (OTC) and do not require prescriptions. View our list of current wholesalers here. For other sales inquiries please contact us.
Additionally, anyone can buy Dakin’s online through our store and through Amazon.com. Dakin’s can also be requested for pickup at any CVS Pharmacy or Walmart Pharmacy, as well as many other pharmacies across the US.
How are stability and expiration monitored and set?
Typical Sodium Hypochlorite Solutions deteriorate quickly, especially when exposed to light, heat, or contamination with metallic ions. The United States Pharmacopeia, current revision, states that Sodium Hypochlorite Topical Solution has a shelf life of seven (7) days after the day on which it was compounded.
In contrast to typical Sodium Hypochlorite solutions, our wound wash solutions use high quality, purified water with low metallic ions, and the products are manufactured with special equipment, under current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP). Due to this extra care, the stability of our Dakin’s® and Di-Dak-Sol® (Diluted Dakin’s Solution®) products is much longer than typical Sodium Hypochlorite Topical Solutions.
Our product shelf life is based on thousands of stability studies performed in the past:
- Dakin’s Full Strength® (0.50%) — 12 months
- Dakin’s Half Strength® (0.25%) — 24 months
- Dakin’s Quarter Strength® (0.125%) — 24 months
- Di-Dak-Sol® (0.0125%) — 24 months
According to cGMP, at least one lot of each drug manufactured shall be tested annually, until its expiration date, in order to verify the expiration date of the product. In contrast, every single lot of Dakin’s® and Di-Dak-Sol is monitored and tested until its expiration date; and not only once, but many times per year.
While it is costly to perform several stability tests throughout the life of each lot of Dakin’s® and Di-Dak-Sol®, Century has decided to monitor these products for total customer satisfaction.
We do not recommend further dilution of our Dakin’s® and Di-Dak-Sol® products, due to the fact that we cannot control the process, nor the quality of the water used for the dilution. Although we are aware some facilities dilute our products, we cannot guarantee the diluted product’s effectiveness, nor its stability. If dilution is necessary, the final product should be used immediately.
How long does Dakin's by Century Pharmaceuticals last once opened?
Dakin’s products are rated for a two-year expiration, even when opened. The exception to this is Dakin’s Solutions Full Strength (0.5%), which lasts a year. For these products to last until expiration, simply keep the cap closed when not in use and store at room temperature (20-25° C /68-77° F), ideally in a medicine cabinet protected from light.
How is Dakin's price set?
Dakin’s is sold mainly to wholesalers at a competitive and consistent price, and you can order from us directly. We cannot control the pricing of Dakin’s from a pharmacy or a third-party online store. For a study on cost-effectiveness, please see the medical study here.