Doing things to prevent infection with an open wound

I never get wounded, I have never broken a bone or needed stitches in my life so I don’t really know what im doing here. And I know I won’t shut up but it hurts like shit and it’s on the forefront of my mind. Sorry.

O kay, I have an open wound and its like on the line of needing stitches. Just a little bit bigger and I would have needed stitches.

So I have to keep it clean and change the dressing on of course.

I am so paranoid about it getting infected. Here’s what I do, I keep it wrapped with gauze and medical tape with RX antibiotic ointment and change that twice a day or I change it when it starts bleeding. Feet bleed very easily so if I walk too much or step wrong it will gush blood.

At night I unwrap it and wash my whole foot with soap and water.

Question though, should I be opening up the cut and cleaning.. the inside? I did that the night it happened but I’ve kept it closed first of all because it’s damn painful to pull it open and on top of THAT it will start bleeding profusely again if I mess with it.

Another question: should I be taking the bandaging off sometimes and letting the wound breathe?

It freaking hurts. My entire foot hurts like an elephant stepped on it. I don’t even know what signs of infection are and I’m having anxiety 😭

I didn’t specify what I did.

I cut my foot on mirror, sliced it right open.