How to Remove Blood Stains.

Tips to Remove Blood Stains

When I was growing up, I was quite a tom-boy and was always running somewhere; biking, climbing, riding horses, you name it.

Of course, I sometimes tripped over things including my own two feet. I’d have me some blood stains weekly!

My Poor Mom!

After having 3 children (2 grown daughters and an 11 year old son), I’ve removed more blood stains than I can count and I’d say that qualifies me as a stain removal expert.

People spend millions of dollars each year on commercial stain removers unnecessarily. Don’t let that be you!

The truth is that old fashioned, tried and true remedies do the trick to remove blood stains on all the items below without having to use costly chemicals:

• Clothing
• Sheets
• Blankets
• Mattress or other bedding
• Other furniture
• Towels and washcloths

The good news is, I can help you with removing blood stains and you can become an expert stain remover too!

How to Remove Blood Stains

Important Facts to Remember

1. Time is of the essence. It’s always best to try to get the stain out before it dries and sets into the fabric. Dried blood stains are tougher to remove than fresh blood.
2. Always work to remove the blood stain with cold, cold, cold water. Got that? Hot water will cook the blood. The iron and hemoglobin (the red part) in the blood will bind to fabric fibers when heated and then we have a real problem.
3. Treat your garment or fabric gently. Let the cleaning solution go to work on the stain. Harsh treatment will only damage the fabric and won’t help to remove the blood stain at all.
4. Rinse a blood stain from the back side of the fabric.
5. Place an old towel or paper towels behind the stain you are working on to avoid spreading the stain to a clean piece of fabric.
6. Always be sure the stain is gone before putting an item in the dryer or it will be permanently set in.

Removing Blood Stains – Old and New – from Regular Fabric

Turn the garment inside out before working on it. Never try to remove a stain any other way. The object is to get the blood out of the fabric, not to force it deeper into the garment.

This stain removal method will work quickly and easily to save your clothing:

1. Let the tap run to get the water really cold.
2. Flush as much of the blood out of the clothing by holding it under the running faucet. This could take several minutes for older blood stains.
3. Close the stopper in the sink and fill the basin with cold water.
4. Put the garment in to soak for 15 minutes.
5. Remove the garment from the basin and wring out as much water that you can.
6. Using a circular motion gently rub one tablespoon of salt onto the stained area.
7. Without rinsing the salt add some shampoo onto the stain and work it in well.
8. When it starts lathering add the other spoonful of salt.
9. Work the salt and shampoo combination into the fabric.
10. Rinse the garment thoroughly with cold water.
11. Wash and check the item before putting it in the dryer.

Removing Blood Stains – Old and New – from Delicate Fabrics

This is a great cleaning tip to remove blood and avoid using harsh chemicals on delicate fabrics:

1. Soak the stained garment in cold water for 10 minutes to half an hour.
2. You can pre-treat the stain by dabbing it with shampoo or bubble bath but this usually isn’t needed if the stain is fresh.
3. After soaking, pour a little baking soda onto the stain and gently scrub with a nailbrush. This should  remove the stain.
4. Wash the garment as you normally would in the washing machine.

Removing Blood Stains in a Hurry

Here is a great technique for when you need to remove blood stains in a hurry or on the go:

1. Take two sheets of paper towels (the thicker the better).
2. Place one of the sheets underneath the stained area.
3. Take the other sheet and soak it in water.
4. Place the wet sheet on top of the stained area and blot the stain.
5. The water will pass though the blood stained area and be absorbed by the dry sheet that you placed underneath the stain.

Additional Blood Stain Cleaning Tips

• Windex: This method can work on regular fabrics. Spray Windex window cleaner liberally on the stain and let sit about 15 minutes. Lightly blot the stain. Launder as usual. If heavily stained, repeat the process again before drying garment.
• Hydrogen Peroxide: You can instantly remove blood from clothing by pouring hydrogen peroxide directly over the stain. This is used often in the veterinary and medical fields. Wash as usual. This method works best on fresh stains.
• Lava Soap: You can try using a bar of Lava soap. Gently rub it on the blood stain under running water. Wait for 20 minutes or so rinse, check the blood stain, repeat if necessary. When the stain is gone, wash as usual. Recommended for khakis and jeans because it won’t take the color from the fabric.
• Meat Tenderizer: Moisten the blood stain with cool water then apply unflavored meat tenderizer and gently rub on the stain. This should help break down the proteins in blood. Let this sit about a half hour, rinse, check, repeat if necessary, then launder as usual.
• Saliva: Try spitting on the blood stain and then putting it in a cold wash. There is an enzyme in saliva that helps break up your own blood. Treat the stain as soon as possible for the best results.
• Lemon Juice: Lemon juice can help break down the blood stain. Squeeze lemon juice over the stain and let it sit for a few minutes. Rinse, check the stain, and wash as usual.

Now that wasn’t so bad, was it? Now you have all the tips and tricks to be an expert blood stain remover too. Cold water and speed is the key.

Next time you have stubborn stains, you can get right on it.