Discovering blood stains on your sofa is disheartening, simply because they are a challenge to remove. A blood-stained leather couch brings on even more problems. Learn how to remove blood stains from a couch, whether it is the result of a nosebleed or other mishap.
Blood seeps into porous materials with ease, which makes it a difficult stain to remove. It contains hemoglobin, which causes clotting when exposed to air, binding it to anything it contacts.
There are several important factors to consider when cleaning up blood stains from upholstery. How much blood has caused the stain, and how long has it been there? What material is the stained surface? Once you learn the answers to these questions, cleaning the blood stains is easier than you think.
- What to Know Before You Clean Blood Off a Sofa
- How to Remove Blood Stains from a Couch
- How to Pre-Treat a Sofa Blood Stain
- How to Get Blood Stain Out of a Couch
- Removing Blood Stains on a Couch with Lemon Juice
- Clean Sofa Blood Stains with Hydrogen Peroxide
- Cleaning Blood Off a Fabric Upholstered Couch
- Removing Blood Stains from a Leather Sofa with Hydrogen Peroxide
- Clean Leather Couch Stains with White Vinegar
- Removing Couch Blood Stains with Hairspray
- Removing Blood Stains on Removable Couch Seat Covers
- Machine Washing a Sofa Cushion Cover
What to Know Before You Clean Blood Off a Sofa
An essential first step in cleaning blood from a sofa is to get to it as soon as possible, but cleaning a bloodstain is not enough. We’ll show you not only how to clean away the stain but sanitize it as well using a variety of different techniques and cleaning solutions.
How to Remove Blood Stains from a Couch
Before you clean blood off a sofa, there are several essential things you need to know to ensure that you do not damage the upholstery. It’s also vital that you prepare fresh blood stains before cleaning to prevent spreading.
The first step to take when you discover blood on your sofa is to remove as much of it as possible before it spreads and dries. Put on a pair of gloves and use a paper towel to blot up the blood. Discard the used towels and use fresh ones until the blood is soaked up.
If the bloodstain is old, remove dried blood from the surface of the material with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Wipe away the loosened particles with a paper towel. Before moving to the next step, check your sofa for a care label.
A couch marked with a ‘W’ is safe to clean with water-based cleaners. If there is an ‘S,’ clean it with a solvent-based cleaner. For couches marked with ‘SW,’ use either cleaning solution. A sofa label marked with an ‘X’ on it means to dry clean only by a professional.
How to Pre-Treat a Sofa Blood Stain
After you determine which type of cleaner is best for use on your couch, pre-treat the stain for easy cleaning. Here is how to get blood stain out of a couch marked with an ‘SW’ on the care label.
Get a white cloth wet with cold water and dab at the bloodstain to get the area damp. Pour a little isopropyl alcohol on the rag and continue to blot the stain to saturate the area.
Use paper towels to dab away all of the excess moisture and loosened blood. Do not use a scrubbing action to prevent pushing the stain inward and outward.
How to Get Blood Stain Out of a Couch
Baking soda is a useful ingredient to use for removing blood from a couch. It’s an alkaline substance that soaks up and lifts away stains from linens, delicate fabrics, and couch upholstery.
Pour the water into a container and add the baking soda. Mix the two ingredients and dip a clean cloth into the solution. Blot the bloodstain with the wet portion of the rag.
Dunk the rag back into the cleaner and dab at the couch again, each time using a clean section of the rag. After the stain is gone, dab at the area with a dry cloth to remove all residue.
Removing Blood Stains on a Couch with Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is a mildly acidic solution that breaks up blood stains for easy removal. The lemon, in combination with salt, works as a team to dissolve dried blood. For cleaning the entire sofa, try the best DIY upholstery cleaner recipe.
Pour lemon juice into a bottle sprayer and spray it onto the blood-stained area of the sofa. Sprinkle a pinch of salt onto the stain and use a soft sponge to gently work out the blood. Make sure you do not rub the fabric too hard or push the stain outward as you clean.
Clean the sponge by rinsing with cold water and wring out all of the salt water and lemon juice. Wipe the residue away with the clean sponge and pat it dry with a paper towel.
Clean Sofa Blood Stains with Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide reacts when it comes into contact with blood. Once applied, it kills the bacteria and bubbles the stain away. Use hydrogen peroxide to clean stains from a microfiber couch.
Fill a bottle sprayer with hydrogen peroxide and label it for convenient future uses. Spray the peroxide directly onto the bloodstain and allow it to sit while it works. The bubbling reaction means that it is breaking up bacteria from the blood and is no cause for alarm.
Use a cloth to soak up the foamy peroxide and give it a good rinsing under cold water. Wring the cloth to remove water and wipe the stained area with the damp cloth. Pat the couch dry with paper towels.
This remedy is also a great way to remove blood from mattress surfaces, whether it is new or old. Follow the same procedure and repeat the application as necessary to completely eliminate the stain.
Cleaning Blood Off a Fabric Upholstered Couch
The easiest way to get blood out of fabric on your sofa is to use an enzyme laundry detergent and cold water. This soap breaks down the stain while the cold water removes it.
Pour water into a bowl and add the laundry or dishwashing detergent. Swish the liquid around to mix and dab the corner of a soft sponge into the soapy water.
Blot the stain gently to loosen and pull it up from the fabric. Dunk a clean edge of the sponge into the cleaner and repeat until the stain is gone. Dry the area by patting with paper towels.
Removing Blood Stains from a Leather Sofa with Hydrogen Peroxide
Leather sofas are tricky to clean and maintain, but it is not impossible. Use a small amount of hydrogen peroxide to lift away blood stains from leather.
Get a soft cloth wet with cold water and wring it out so that it is damp. Apply several drops of hydrogen peroxide on the rag and dab the bloodstain off the sofa. Do not rub the stain to prevent spreading. Wait until the stain begins to bubble and then use a dry cloth to wipe the residue away.
Clean Leather Couch Stains with White Vinegar
White vinegar is a mildly acidic solution that not only breaks up grease, oil, and food stains but blood stains as well. When diluted with water, vinegar is safe to use for cleaning your leather sofa.
Combine the water and vinegar in a bottle sprayer and shake well to mix. Spray the surface of the stain and use a soft sponge to blot up the dissolved blood from the surface. Rinse the sponge in water and repeat if necessary. Dry the area thoroughly with a clean cloth.
Removing Couch Blood Stains with Hairspray
If you think that hairspray is only for keeping your hair in place, you are wrong. This handy product makes an excellent tool for removing blood stains from a sofa.
Hairspray works at removing blood stains due to its alcohol content, so test this solution on an inconspicuous area of your couch first. Get a soft cloth wet with cold water and wring it out so that it is damp.
Spray the hairspray onto the surface of the cloth and then use it to blot the blood-stained area with a little bit of pressure. Do not rub the stain, or it will spread. Rinse the cloth with clean water and repeat until the stain is gone.
Removing Blood Stains on Removable Couch Seat Covers
If the bloodstain is on the sofa seat and the cushion has a removable cover, pre-treat the stain and launder in the washing machine. Make sure to check the care label first for proper care instructions, since some sofas require a dry cleaner.
Machine Washing a Sofa Cushion Cover
Remove the sofa cover from the cushion and set the cushion aside. Turn the cover inside out and hold the stained area under a faucet of cold water. Rinse as much of the stain down the drain as possible. Do not use hot water to prevent setting in the stain.
Place the cushion cover into the washing machine and add an enzyme laundry detergent. While it’s tempting, do not add any bleach to the washer, or the cushion cover could get damaged. After washing, check to make sure that the bloodstain is gone and then hang the cushion cover up to air dry.
The key is knowing the correct way to remove blood stains from your couch by using the right cleaning solution for your sofa’s upholstery.
Not following the cleaning codes on your sofa and using a cleaner on leather meant for fabric only makes stubborn stains worse. Blotting away fresh blood stains and using a proper cleaner saves you money and keeps your sofa looking like new.
Now that you learned how to remove blood stains from a couch, we’d love it if you’d share our tips for cleaning blood off a sofa with your friends and family on Pinterest and Facebook.