The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that povidone-iodine would inhibit the recovery of tensile strength in a healing wound. Clean, incised dorsal wounds in rats were soaked in 1% povidone-iodine solution for 15 minutes; control wounds were soaked in lactated Ringer's solution before closure. Tensile strength measurements and histologic studies were conducted at 1, 2, and 6 weeks. No statistical differences in the rate of gain of tensile strength or histological appearance were noted between control and experimental wounds.It is concluded that brief irrigation of clean incised wounds with povidone-iodine solution does not affect factors important in the recovery of tensile strength during wound healing, such as fibroplasia and collagen cross-linking.