Whether you’ve had an unexpected nosebleed or have suffered from a paper cut, blood can cause unsightly stains that can ruin your clothes and other fabrics like your sheets. Fortunately, blood stains don’t mean you have to get rid of your favorite garment or bedding. Here’s how to get blood out of clothes with simple, everyday products.
Bloodstain removal is relatively simple with the right preparation and techniques. There are several fast and easy ways to remove these kinds of stains from the comfort of your home.
When working to remove blood stains from various kinds of fabrics, it is imperative that you only use cold water when applying the following techniques. Using hot water will cook the blood, causing the iron and hemoglobin to bind to the fabric, creating a stain that is even more challenging to remove.
Getting Blood Out of Sheets and Clothes
You also want to act fast when dealing with a blood stain, because the quicker you deal with the stain, the easier it is to remove.
If you get blood on your sheets and clothes, you don’t have to resort to the expensive commercial blood stain removers that you can buy at the store.
Instead, utilize these tried and true methods for how to remove blood stains from sheets and other fabrics.
Removing Fresh Blood Stains
Removing blood stains starts with rinsing the affected garment with cold water. This technique to get blood out of sheets and clothing works well if you can catch the blood stain right away.
The purpose of running the stained fabric under cool water is to ensure that the blood doesn’t dry and become more challenging to remove. If you have a large stain, you’ll want to soak it in a bowl of cold water.
Next, apply dish soap or a small amount of liquid laundry detergent directly to the stain. With your fingers, gently work the soap into the stain. Use cold water to rinse the soap from the fabric.
Continue the process until the stain begins to fade. Once the stain has disappeared, apply a stain remover, like the one below, to the stain, then wash as usual.
Pre-Wash Stains
There are many different recipes you can use to clean blood off the couch or clothing. Here’s a popular one.
In a small bowl, combine the warm water and baking soda and stir until the baking soda is dissolved. Pour the mixture in a large spray bottle. Add the ammonia and the dish soap.
Replace the lid and shake the bottle to mix the ingredients. Spray the stain and allow it a few minutes to soak into the fabric. If you’re dealing with stubborn stains, use an old toothbrush to work the stain remover further into the material. Wash as usual.
Use Hydrogen Peroxide as Natural Blood Stain Cleaner
Hydrogen peroxide works well on both wet and dried blood. It is also one of the best base home remedies to clean suede and carpet. However, before using this technique, it is essential to test a small section of fabric for colorfastness. If the fabric fades or becomes stained, do not use this method.
Start by pouring hydrogen peroxide directly onto the stain. If you are removing blood from delicate fabrics, dilute the peroxide with 50 percent water. Make sure the foam doesn’t spread outside the original stain. Using a paper towel or clean cloth wipe away the foam.
Continue to pour hydrogen peroxide over the stain until it becomes extremely faint or disappears. Wash the item in the washing machine using your regular laundry detergent.
Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, stir to combine. Apply the mixture directly to the stain and gently rub it into the stain using your fingers or an old toothbrush. Allow the solution to sit for at least 15 minutes. Wash as usual.
Removing Dried Blood Stain
If you don’t happen to catch the blood stain before you throw it in the laundry, you can end up with a dry, set-in blood stain that is difficult to remove. Before you throw the item out because you think it’s ruined, try these simple cleaning tips to remove set-in blood stains.
Toothpaste for Dried Blood
This method works best when dealing with blood stains on fabric that can you can wash in the washing machine or by hand. Don’t use this method on furniture, rugs, or carpet because the smell of toothpaste will permanently permeate into the fibers of the fabric.
Start by applying the toothpaste directly into the blood stain. Allow the toothpaste to dry. Using cold water, rinse the toothpaste and wash with soap. Thoroughly clean the area with cold water and repeat if necessary.
Use Meat Tenderizer on Heavy Fabric
If you want to remove blood from sturdy fabric like jeans, try unseasoned meat tenderizer. The enzymes found in meat tenderizer work to break down the organic material found in blood. Here’s how to get blood out of jeans with a commercially-made meat tenderizer.
Fill a bowl with one cup of cold water. Place the blood-stained piece of fabric into the shallow water. Sprinkle one tablespoon of the meat tenderizer product directly onto the stain.
Allow sitting for at least 24 hours. During the 24-hour period, you want to massage the paste further into the stain every couple of hours. Finally, wash the garment as usual with your regular laundry detergent.
Use Lemon Juice
This bloodstain removal technique requires sunlight to complete the process, so you’ll want to try this technique when the weather is sunny. It can also harm delicate fabrics, so avoid using this method on silk, satin, and other fragile material.
Fill a bowl with cold water. Submerge the stained fabric in the water and allow it to soak for several minutes. Remove the material from the cold water and gently wring out the excess water. Place the garment in the resealable plastic bag.
Add the lemon juice and salt to the bag and seal it. With the bag closed, work the lemon juice and salt mixture into the fabric by gently massaging the material between your fingers. Let sit for ten minutes.
Remove the garment from the plastic bag and squeeze out the excess liquid. Hang the fabric on the clothesline and allow it to dry in the sun.
If you don’t have a clothesline, you can lay the garment flat in a sunny area. If the stain is gone, rinse the fabric with cold water to remove the lemon juice and salt mixture.
How to Remove Period Stains from Fabric
It’s bad enough that women have to deal with leaking blood during their menstrual cycle, but add to it the necessary task of removing blood not just from their undergarments but their sheets and, often, mattress, makes getting your period even more of a nuisance.
Here are some awesome life hacks that can help you get rid of period stains and move on with your life.
Rub Salt on the Stain
If you happen to have a period accident while you’re on the go, your stain removal options are limited to what you have on hand. If you can get your hands on some salt, you can add it to some water to form a paste and efficiently tackle the stain.
You can also use the saline solution for your contacts with the same results. Pour the solution over the stain and gently rub it in with your fingers. Then run the area under cold water and watch the stain disappear.
Use an Enzymatic Cleaner
If you are continually trying to get period stains out of your undergarments every month, you may need to up your laundry game. Several commercial products are good at eliminating ugly blotches caused by blood.
Bothenzymatic cleaners, like Nature’s Miracle, andoxygen-based bleach, like OxiClean, are all-purpose stain removers that tackle tough blood stains.
If you happen to get blood on your clothing and other fabrics, you don’t have to panic and throw your favorite outfit away. Now you can remove blood stains from all your materials with simple, inexpensive ingredients that you can find at home.
Knowing how to get blood stains out of fabric is a necessary skill. Learn how to use these simple techniques and never again throw out clothing that has blood stains.
We hope you enjoyed learning how to get blood out of clothes and other fabrics. If you found the information in this article useful, please feel free to pass it on to your friends and family.