Read the targeted literature review:

Dakin’s Clinical Outcomes Report: A Sodium Hypochlorite Wound Care Literature Review

An in-depth review of 27 full-text publications and two decades of research on the efficacy of sodium hypochlorite in wound care.

What is the role of sodium hypochlorite in real clinical practice?

Sodium hypochlorite has been used in wound care for more than a century, yet clinicians have had few resources that bring the research together and clearly evaluate its efficacy, ideal use cases, and limitations.

This targeted literature review compiles historical and recent evidence on sodium hypochlorite in chronic wound care, offering an organized overview of its clinical outcomes across different wound types, study designs, comparators, and care settings.

Inside the report:

A review of 27 sources covering sodium hypochlorite and related hypochlorous acid formulations in both clinical and in vitro settings.
Evidence on how these solutions perform in relation to infection burden, wound closure, granulation, biofilm reduction, and healing progression.
Safety findings for a range of treatment approaches, including cleansing, dressings, soaking, and instillation.
Comparisons with other wound-care strategies, including saline, povidone iodine, NPWT alone, and mafenide.

Tap below to receive the full research review and summary of findings:

See the Report

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3 Key Findings for Wound Care Clinicians

Young Ross Deardorff working as a pharmacist

Two Decades of Unique Datasets

Sodium hypochlorite has been successfully used in wound care for over a century and published efficacy data goes back over two decades.

Shorter Hospital Stays

Multiple studies attribute shorter hospital stays (4–10 day reduction) to Dakin’s Solution, when compared with povidone iodine or standard negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT).

Effective Alongside Supporting Therapies

Sodium hypochlorite is shown to be effective in severely infected wounds when paired with supporting therapies, like debridement and NPWT with instillation.

According to the report, sodium hypochlorite is shown to improve healing in:

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Diabetic Foot Infections

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Skin Grafts

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Biofilm-Protected Wounds

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Fournier’s Gangrene

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Deep Sternal Wound Infections

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Burn Wounds

Making the connection between concentration and use case

Another key finding in the Dakin’s Clinical Outcomes Report is the impact of concentration on safety, bactericidal activity, and ideal use case. As clinical results show, lower concentrations of Dakin’s Solution are gentler and more compatible with healing tissue, while higher concentrations are more useful in heavily infected wounds.

As the report highlights:

Very low concentrations of self-mixed sodium hypochlorite may be too weak to be effective against established biofilms.
A slightly higher 0.125% concentration (Dakin’s Wound Cleanser Pro) balances antimicrobial activity with low cytotoxicity for routine wound care plans and ongoing treatment.
A 0.5% concentration was successfully used in severe diabetic foot infection protocols where immediate antimicrobial benefit was required.

How can clinicians match concentration to wound context? Download the full targeted literature review to see the findings:

See the Report

Dakin’s Wound Cleanser & Dakin’s Wound Cleanser Pro

Available as cost-effective, FDA-registered medical devices.

Dakin’s makes a step-therapy approach possible with two pre-mixed sodium hypochlorite concentrations for a range of application methods.

Bottle of Dakin's Wound Cleanser 16oz with cap

Dakin’s Wound Cleanser
Original Bottle, 16oz
HCPCS: A6260

Bottle of Dakin's Wound Cleanser Pro 16oz with cap

Dakin’s Wound Cleanser Pro
Original Bottle, 16oz
HCPCS: A6260

Dakin’s Wound Cleanser
Spray Bottle, 16oz
HCPCS: A6260

Dakin’s Wound Cleanser Pro
Spray Bottle, 16oz
HCPCS: A6260

Dakin’s Wound Cleanser
Irrigation Bottle, 16oz
HCPCS: A6260

Dakin’s Wound Cleanser Pro
Irrigation Bottle, 16oz
HCPCS: A6260

Sodium hypochlorite is a data-supported solution for acute, chronic, and complex wounds

With over two decades of clinical research and a century of ongoing use.

Sodium hypochlorite-based solutions, when used alongside debridement and/or NPWT, consistently improve wound healing, reduce hospital stays, and lower the infection burden in severely infected chronic wounds, compared to povidone iodine, normal saline, and standard NPWT alone.

According to clinical studies and in-vitro testing, sodium hypochlorite is useful against biofilm-forming and resistant bacteria, including:

Pseudomonas and pseudomonal biofilms
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
Planktonic Staphylococcus aureus
Acinetobacter baumannii

If you treat chronic, complex, or infected wounds and want a more complete view of the evidence behind sodium hypochlorite, tap below to review the research:

How to Order Dakin’s Wound Care Management Products

We work with every major medical supply wholesaler in the United States.

Talk to your purchasing department about ordering Dakin’s for your patients.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Don’t see yours below? Tap here to talk to our team.

Q: What is Dakin’s Solution used for?

There are many reasons a doctor may recommend you use Dakin’s wound care solutions. Dakin’s Solution can be used to treat ulcers from diabetes or other causes, prevent infection around surgical sites, aid in the healing of cuts, skin abrasions, and burns, and to kill various viruses and bacteria. Washing away debris or dirt from wounds is also a key benefit, which helps treat and prevent infection. Always refer to your healthcare provider before using Dakin’s wound care products.

Q: How do I use Dakin's?

Flush wound or affected area until clean. For wound management, use as an irrigant, cleanser, or as the wetting agent for a wet-to-moist dressing.

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.

Q: What type of wounds is Dakin's used on?

Anything from a scrape to a surgical wound! Additionally, Dakin’s can be used for ulcers and 1st or 2nd degree burns. Dakin’s Solutions also helps prevent and treat topical infections.

Q: What makes Dakin's by Century Pharmaceuticals, Inc. so unique?

While there are many Youtube tutorials and online guides on how to make Dakin’s Solution, no one has been able to replicate our process. We’ve buffered (which is not the same as diluting) Dakin’s so that it is pH balanced for use on the skin. No other version of Dakin’s is as stable or long-lasting. Homemade solutions may last for two days, but our products last a year or two, depending on the strength. We follow cGMP standards when manufacturing, and have been serving the medical industry as a company since 1966.

Q: Are Dakin's 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.

Q: 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 (0.50%), 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.

Any version of Dakin’s that is homemade or home-diluted will not be as stable, and we cannot speak to its effectiveness.

Q: Can I dilute Dakin's?

We do not recommend further dilution of our Dakin’s 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 stored in a poly bottle, protected from light, and used immediately.

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 days after the day on which it was compounded.

In contrast to typical Sodium Hypochlorite Solutions, Dakin’s products 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 products is much longer than typical Sodium Hypochlorite Topical Solutions.

Q: What is the return policy for Dakin's products?

If you’ve purchased Dakin’s Solution from a pharmacy or website other than ours, please contact them directly. At this time, we do not offer returns or refunds directly.

Q: 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 [WARNING: Graphic imagery of wounds].

Q: How do you dispose of Dakin's?

No special disposal requirements needed- Dakin’s can be poured down the drain and flushed with water.