TCP Antiseptic Liquid > Reviews (19)

Even before kids, I have always had a bottle of this tucked away somewhere in the house for emergency use. Coming in a bit of an old fashioned brown glass bottle with a white plastic screw top lid, we seem to get through this quite quickly in our house because it is so good at killing germs and preventing infection in the skin. The only thing that I find hard to bear with it is the distinctive medicated smell that is a dead giveaway that you have used it.

TCP is a clear yellow liquid that is a mild antiseptic, which makes it ideal to stock in your first aid supplies. I find the best way to apply this is using a clean bit of cotton wool to cleansed skin.

It can be used to treat cuts and grazes. I firstly make sure the area is cleaned up a bit, using a wipe or a bit of savlon diluted in water and then wiped over with some cotton wool. Then I apply very gently a small amount of this liquid. The kids do not like me doing this as they don't like anything that smells strange, and it also stings a fair bit when you apply it. I always think this is a good sign it is working.If you are feeling kind you can also dilute it 1:1 with water to ease the stinging.

I mainly use it myself to treat spots on my face, which are the red and tender variety. Firstly I will cleanse my skin using my normal cleanser, and then dab some of this on before bed. or even during the day if I am not going out anywhere.

It can also be applied neat to mouth ulcers, and gargled to treat sore throats in a 1:5 ratio with water. I'm a bit reluctant to try either of those methods myself as I am too scared I might swallow some, and also if it smells that bad, how must it taste? I would rather just use salt water, or bonjella that is less toxic.

I have also had to administer first aid on my cats a few times due to stuff like tick bites, and little cuts on their pads when they are wandering about. This is one that I would never use on them though as it is toxic to cats, and they are likely to lick it off when they are grooming and be poisoned by it.

I mostly buy the 200 ml bottle which is £3.29 from shops like Boots. I have also bought a smaller 50ml bottle before to take away with us in a small first aid kit when we go away on holiday. That ran out fairly quickly, but I just top that one up from a cheaper big bottle rather than buy a new one.

High points for me is that you know it will help to prevent infection, or help ease existing infection in your skin. The definite lows are that it stings and stinks. My dad hates the smell of this, with 3 daughters all applying it to teenage skin, he had to put up with it a lot. While I am not fond of it, there are worse smells, and it does fade when you wash your skin later.

An inexpensive item that is pretty essential for your first aid supplies.