The invention relates to a method for dissolving the components of gel forming materials suitable for use in wound care comprising the steps of admixing said components with an ionic liquid. The ionic liquid may be selected from the group of tertiary amine N-oxides, N,N-dimethyl formamide/nitrogen tetroxide mixtures, dimethyl sulphoxide/paraformaldehyde mixtures and solutions of limium chloride in N,N-dimethyl acetamide or N-methyl pyrrolidone.