"We found now that there are a couple of studies that tell us that certain kinds of soap are irritating to skin tissue when it's been cut," he told CTV's Canada AM on Wednesday. In older guidelines, the Red Cross recommended using soap and water to clean cuts, but new evidence shows that soap could actually cause irritation, Marentette said. "It's one of those procedures in first aid that's sort of been in and out, but now the latest research we're seeing out of Afghanistan and Iraq is that (tourniquets) are in fact saving lives," said Don Marentette, the national director of first aid and program development at the Canadian Red Cross. Now, however, the organization says a tourniquet is appropriate to use when simply applying pressure won't stop the bleeding. In the past, the Red Cross recommended applying pressure to stop bleeding, but said only "properly trained" professionals should attempt to use a tourniquet to constrict blood flow to the wound. Here's a look at some of the changes the organization recommends: John Ambulance Service, Lifesaving Society and Canadian Ski Patrol earlier week. The organization released the guidelines together with the Heart and Stroke Foundation, St. The updated guidelines are based on recent research and medical consensus, and "reflect new techniques and approaches with proven benefits," the Red Cross says. The Canadian Red Cross has released new guidelines to help Canadians deal with head injuries, severe allergies, cuts, bleeding and other potentially life-threatening emergencies.