How to Get Glass out of Your Foot

Ouch! Stepping on a piece of glass can be both scary and painful, but there’s no need to panic. While it might sting a little bit, glass pieces and splinters are easy to remove as long as you have tweezers and a sewing needle on hand. We’re here to walk you through all your frequently asked questions, so you can patch up your foot quickly and safely.

Question 1 of 7:

How do I remove a chunk of glass?

Download Article
  1. How.com.vn English: Step 1 Clean around the wound with soap and water.
    Before you get started, wash your hands for at least 20 seconds; this way, you won’t introduce any germs or dirt to the wound.[1] Then, dip a cloth or paper towel into warm, soapy water and clean around the injury.[2]
  2. 2
    Pull out the glass with tweezers. Clean off a set of tweezers with rubbing alcohol. Then, carefully pinch the glass with the tweezers, removing it from your skin. If the piece of glass is really small, view it through a magnifying glass as you remove it with the tweezers.[3]
  3. Advertisement
Question 2 of 7:

How do you remove a glass splinter under the skin?

Download Article
  1. How.com.vn English: Step 1 Lightly pierce the skin with a clean sewing needle.
    Wipe down the needle with rubbing alcohol and figure out exactly where the splinter is. Then, gently prick the skin on top of the splinter. Use the needle to lift up 1 side of the splinter, so it’s easier to remove.[4]
    • If one end of the splinter is already sticking out, you may not need to pierce your skin. Just grab the end with your tweezers and carefully pull it out.
  2. 2
    Remove the splinter with a clean pair of tweezers. Wipe down your tweezers with rubbing alcohol and pinch the raised tip of the glass splinter. Then, carefully lift and remove the splinter from your foot.[5]
  3. Advertisement
Question 3 of 7:

Can you soak a splinter out?

Download Article
  1. How.com.vn English: Possibly, but it’s not a replacement for a needle and tweezers.
    Before pulling out a glass splinter, some experts suggest soaking the splinter in warm water for a couple minutes, so the skin is soft and easier to work with. Ultimately, it’s the needle and tweezer that will help you get the splinter out.[6]
Question 4 of 7:

What do you do once the glass is removed?

Download Article
  1. How.com.vn English: Bandage the wound and apply antibiotic ointment.
    Once you’ve removed all the glass, clean off the wound again with soap and warm water. Then, gently rub an over-the-counter antibiotic ointment like Polysporin around the injury.[7] Throw out the glass shard or splinter once you’ve removed it.
    • To be safe, cover any leftover cuts or wounds with a clean bandage.
  2. Advertisement
Question 5 of 7:

Should I get medical assistance?

Download Article
  1. How.com.vn English: Yes, if the wound is severe.
    Minor splinters and shards are one thing, but you shouldn’t try to handle any major injuries on your own. If the glass is embedded really deep, call emergency services or visit an urgent care facility right away.[8]
    • Before getting help, wrap the wound with gauze, and place padding around the glass. Then, gently but carefully wrap a clean bandage or cloth around the injury.
Question 6 of 7:

Can I leave glass in my foot?

Download Article
  1. How.com.vn English: Yes, if the glass sliver is tiny and not causing any pain.
    If the sliver isn’t lodged that far in the skin, it’ll eventually fall out as your skin sheds naturally. You might also notice a small pimple form where the glass sliver used to be—this is totally normal, and just your body’s way of getting rid of the sliver.[9]
  2. Advertisement
Question 7 of 7:

Can you use baking soda to get glass out of your foot?

Download Article
  1. How.com.vn English: Possibly, but there’s not much evidence to support it.
    The only places that really advertise this method are blogs, forums, and life hack sites. Unfortunately, no medical sources or experts officially back these claims.
    • Similarly, there’s no concrete medical evidence that vinegar or an Epsom salt bath will help, either.

Expert Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    Does this also work with fingers too?
    How.com.vn English: Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS
    Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS
    Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner
    Luba Lee, FNP-BC is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Emergency Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Team Building, and Critical Care Nursing. She received her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from the University of Tennessee in 2006.
    How.com.vn English: Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS
    Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner
    Expert Answer
    Yes. You can apply the above recommendations for removing glass out of your foot to removing glass out of your fingers or hands.
  • Question
    I'm a 58-year-old diabetic. Is it safe for me to remove it at home myself?
    How.com.vn English: Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS
    Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS
    Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner
    Luba Lee, FNP-BC is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Emergency Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Team Building, and Critical Care Nursing. She received her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from the University of Tennessee in 2006.
    How.com.vn English: Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS
    Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner
    Expert Answer
    It might be perfectly ok to use the above recommendations as first aid if your injury is minor and you have good blood sugar control. A few important things for you to remember: 1) clean your hands and the area really well before attempting the glass removal, 2) remove the glass completely, 3) clean off and dry the area of the cut after glass removal, 4) apply an antibiotic ointment over the area, 5) apply a bandage or a band-aid, 6) and watch the area for healing or signs of infection in the next 1-2 days. If you notice worsening of pain, swelling, pus, or redness in the area, you will need to go for a follow up with your healthcare provider. To improve chances of a quick recovery, stick to a high quality diet of lean protein and low-glycemic foods, as elevated blood sugar impairs wound healing.
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      Tips from our Readers

      • Strange but works: Soak bread in milk, squeeze out the excess liquid, and bandage it over the injury overnight. The bread can help draw out any remaining glass fragments!
      • If you can't remove the glass yourself, get medical care, even if you lack insurance or money. An untreated wound could get way worse.
      • If bleeding keeps happening after removal, hold the wound under cold water — the cold encourages clotting to make it stop.
      • If it's bleeding heavily, apply direct pressure to slow it down. If you feel faint at all, lie down and elevate the injury.
      • Once the glass is out, try not to walk on that foot. This prevents further damage and lets it start healing.
      • After getting the glass out, clean the area really well so no one else gets hurt. Safety first!
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

      About This Article

      How.com.vn English: Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS
      Co-authored by:
      Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner
      This article was co-authored by Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS. Luba Lee, FNP-BC is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Emergency Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Team Building, and Critical Care Nursing. She received her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from the University of Tennessee in 2006. This article has been viewed 1,101,378 times.
      11 votes - 52%
      Co-authors: 26
      Updated: August 25, 2021
      Views: 1,101,378

      Medical Disclaimer

      The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.

      Article SummaryX

      Before you can get glass out of your foot, you'll need to gently force it to the surface by soaking your foot for 20 to 30 minutes in warm water and epsom salts. Alternatively, you could try taping a cotton ball soaked in castor oil over the area, and leave it to soak for as long as you can. When you're ready to extract the glass, disinfect both your foot and tweezers with a cotton ball soaked in an antiseptic, like alcohol. Using the tweezers, gently tug the glass to remove it, then bandage the area. If you're having trouble removing the glass, don't insert the tweezers into your foot, or you could cause further damage. Instead, have a doctor remove the glass professionally. For more advice, including how to use glue to get glass out of your foot, keep reading!

      Did this summary help you?

      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,101,378 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • How.com.vn English: Kevin Koecher

        Kevin Koecher

        Nov 19, 2016

        "This worked really well. I had a centimeter wide piece of glass stuck in my foot, all I had to do was the massage..." more
      Share your story

      Did this article help you?

      ⚠️ Disclaimer:

      Content from Wiki How English language website. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License; additional terms may apply.
      Wiki How does not encourage the violation of any laws, and cannot be responsible for any violations of such laws, should you link to this domain, or use, reproduce, or republish the information contained herein.

      Notices:
      • - A few of these subjects are frequently censored by educational, governmental, corporate, parental and other filtering schemes.
      • - Some articles may contain names, images, artworks or descriptions of events that some cultures restrict access to
      • - Please note: Wiki How does not give you opinion about the law, or advice about medical. If you need specific advice (for example, medical, legal, financial or risk management), please seek a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in that area.
      • - Readers should not judge the importance of topics based on their coverage on Wiki How, nor think a topic is important just because it is the subject of a Wiki article.

      Advertisement