Blood Stain Removal

Written by Amy Gordon (last updated April 25, 2016)

Blood on clothes or carpet can be tricky to get rid of, and hiding an ugly brown spot is an unappealing choice. (Dripped blood on the carpet? Here, we can just move the coffee table over a few inches.) Here are a few tips to getting rid of unsightly bloodstains for good.

Bloodstains will spread if you soak a stained garment in water right away. If the blood is still wet, and the garment is white or colorfast, a common solution is to put the garment in a sink and pour hydrogen peroxide straight on the stain. (Be careful not to have the fabric folded—make sure the hydrogen peroxide and the blood go through the fabric and down the drain, not right back onto a fold in the fabric). Because blood is organic, it reacts to hydrogen peroxide, and the blood and peroxide will fizz on contact. Often, hydrogen peroxide works so well that the blood just disappears.

Another method for still-wet bloodstains, and evenly slightly dried blood, is to turn the garment inside-out and run cold water through the back of stain. You can remove any remaining blood by washing the garment with laundry detergent and water in the sink. Apply a paste of dry laundry detergent and water to the stain, and allow the paste to sit for five or ten minutes. Then brush away the blood and scrub gently at the stain, or, at this time, apply an enzyme solution if you own one. An enzyme solution works because blood is an organic material. Wash the garment or linen normally in the washing machine, but do not let the stained item go into the dryer without checking the stain. If the stain is not gone, apply a stain remover or another paste, wait, and wash again.

If the bloodstain has dried, brush it gently to remove any blood that has not actually stained the fabric, but has dried onto it. Repeated brushing in the direction of the "grain" of the fabric will remove more of the blood, but be careful not to damage the fibers of the cloth. Once you've removed as much of the mark as possible, turn the fabric over and run cold water through the stain. Leave the fabric to soak in liquid laundry or dish detergent and water for about 10 to 15 minutes, or, if the fabric is colorfast, pour a few drops of hydrogen peroxide over the stain. Dried blood can be harder to get out, but once you've completed this pretreatment, it should come out in the normal wash cycle with regular laundry detergent. It will help to pre-treat the fabric with a paste of laundry detergent and water, let the paste sit on the stain for 10 minutes, and leave it on when the garment is thrown into the washer.

Bloodstains are not as difficult to remove as many people may think; a little bit of time and care will make them disappear for good.

Author Bio

Amy Gordon

Amy Gordon loves keeping things simple, natural, and safe so she can spend more time having fun. Every day she learns new things about making life at home easier and she loves to share it with you! ...

MORE FROM AMY

Clean and Deodorize Your Wood Cutting Board

Wood cutting boards, especially those used for meat, can build up bacteria and stains quickly. Lemon juice is a huge help ...

Discover More

Best Flowers for Shady Spots

Not all plants need lots of sunshine, so there are plants you can grow in shady parts of your yard as well. Perennials ...

Discover More

Getting Rid of Mushroom Rings

Lawns that are rich in nutrients will attract mushrooms. These unsightly plants will do no harm to your lawn, but are ...

Discover More

Tough Cleaning Jobs Require Brawny! Brawny paper towels provide the versatility you need: the strength for demanding jobs and the softness to clean up your child's messy face. This 24-roll pack of pick-a-size sheets can handle just about every cleaning task in your home. Check out Brawny 24-Pack Giant Paper Towels today!

More Cleaning Tips

Removing Salt Stains

While the snow and ice of winter can be a beautiful sight, the salt that generally comes out at the same time can create ...

Discover More

Remove Grease Stains

Grease stains happen easily and may go unnoticed for some time. To treat an old grease stain, spray on WD-40 and then ...

Discover More

Remove Soil or Mud Stains with Vinegar

Mud and soil are gross and unfortunately just happen sometimes. Sometimes those stains however are impossible to remove ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is one more than 9?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.