Remove blood stains
Edited by Ephraim, Charmed, Sadelape, Eng and 7 others
Bloodstains are notoriously difficult to remove on porous materials such as fabric, upholstery and carpeting, especially once they've dried and set in. Blood is protein-based and best removed with an enzymatic cleaner that helps break down the proteins. If you don't have one available, there are several other products and methods that can help break down bloodstains, so they don't ruin your property. Many of these items are inexpensive, and you probably already have at least one of them in your home. It's important to note that once you've dried a bloodstained item in the dryer, the stain will set and become much more difficult to remove. When you're dealing with a tough stain, it might take more than one attempt for complete removal, and don't be afraid to try another method if one isn't working to your satisfaction.
Common Household Items that Remove Blood Stains
If you're dealing with a fresh bloodstain, quick action is the key to preventing the stain from setting in. If the item is washable, immediately rinse it under cold running water for several minutes to remove as much of the stain as possible. Hot water sets the stain, so remember to use cold water. After rinsing with cold water, you can try one or more of the following to further break down the proteins in the stain before washing the item in cold water with laundry detergent. For an extra boost of stain-fighting power, spray the stain with an enzymatic cleaner or a fabric stain pre-treatment before washing.
- 1Pour 3 % hydrogen peroxide directly onto the stain, and let it sit for a few minutes. Rinse the item again before washing. Hydrogen peroxide is the active ingredient in Tide-To-Go pens. Keep in mind that hydrogen peroxide can have a mild bleaching power on some fabrics so test in an inconspicuous location first. After evaporating, hydrogen peroxide leaves no residue so there is no need to rinse it out. If you are familiar with Tide-To-Go pens, and have one handy, use that.Hydrogen Peroxide.
- 2Most types of bar or hand soap, laundry detergent and dish detergent are effective at removing the majority of fresh bloodstains, especially if you don't have anything else on hand. Apply the soap directly to the stain, and rub the fabric together to produce lather. Rinse with cold water and repeat this process until the stain is gone.Soap.
- 3Vinegar works wonders as a natural cleaner for most surface and fabrics, including delicate silks and satins. Pour enough white vinegar to soak the stain. Let it sit for a few minutes, and repeat if necessary.Vinegar.
- 4After rinsing the stain with cold water, sprinkle it with a liberal amount of table salt, or you can even saturate the stain with bottled saline solution for contact lenses. Blot the stain with a damp cloth, or soak the item in cold salt water for several hours before washing.Salt.
- 5Cornstarch used as a poultice to extract fresh bloodstains from fabrics. If you don't have cornstarch, you can substitute it with cornmeal or talcum powder. Combine cornstarch and cold water to make a thick paste, and apply the paste to the stain. Place the fabric in a dry, ventilated location until it dries. Brush off the cornstarch, or use a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment to remove the dried residue. Examine the fabric. If the stain is still there, repeat the process. This method especially works for items you wouldn't want to soak in water, such as furniture or a mattress. Blot any remaining stains with a damp cloth and allow the item to dry.Cornstarch.
- 6WD-40 is surprisingly effective at treating blood stains. Spray the stain until it's fully saturated, then wash the item as instructed above. It helps prevent the stain from setting into the fabric, so it's best to use it as soon as possible after the stain occurs.WD-40.
- 7Cola has tons of household uses, including removing bloodstains from fabrics. It's also a good option if you're on the go and don't have access to any of other items. Just pour a small amount of cola onto the stain, and allow it to sit for at least five minutes before rinsing. The acid in cola helps dissolve the stain and prevent it from setting into the fabric.Cola.
- 8Mix equal parts ammonia and water. Blot the stained area of the fabric with this solution. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes, then rinse and wash the item as usual.Ammonia.
- 9Crush a few aspirin tablets and combine them with enough cold water to make a paste. Rub the paste into the stain and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. Wash the item as suggested above.Aspirin.
- 10Combine baking soda with enough cold water to make a paste. Rub it onto the stain and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. Wash the item as suggested. You can also replace the water with vinegar for even more stain-fighting power.Baking soda.
Special Material Considerations
Upholstery
In most cases, furniture upholstery has very specific care requirements, making it risky to use certain types of chemicals and cleaning products to remove bloodstains. In many cases, the following steps should be enough to remove the stains. If the stain persists, you can follow up with the cornstarch or talcum powder method listed above.
Items You'll Need
- Clean cloths
- Towel
- Dish detergent
Procedure
- 1Dampen a cloth with cold water, and blot up any excess residue.
Carpet
Removing blood from carpeting requires extra care, since flooding it with moisture can result in mold or mildew growth, and it will likely do little to remove the stain from deep within the fibers. This method works best for fresh stains, but it's also effective on dried ones.
Items You'll Need
- Paper towels or cloths
- Plastic knife
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Dish detergent
- Hydrogen peroxide (3 percent)
Procedure
- 1Scrape up and dispose of any dried residue with a plastic knife.Blot the stain with paper towels or a cloth.
- 2If the stain remains, continue onto the next step.Dampen a cloth or paper towel with isopropyl alcohol and blot the stained area to absorb as much of the stain as possible.
- 3Dip a cloth into the solution and wring it out. Blot the stain with this solution. Rinse it by blotting with a clean, damp cloth. If the stain still remains, continue to the next step.Mix a few drops of dish detergent with 1 quart of cold water.
- 4Let it sit for 1 hour, then blot it with a clean, damp, cloth. Examine the carpet. If the stain remains, repeat this process.Apply 3% hydrogen peroxide to a clean cloth and dab the stained area.
- 5Soak up any excess moisture by pressing down on the damp area with paper towels or a dry cloth or towel.
Mattress
Mattresses are tricky to clean because you can't just soak them with water or cleaning products. If you have a blood stain on your mattress, you can remove it by blotting as much of the stain as possible with a damp cloth, then following the cornstarch or talcum powder methods listed above.
Hardwood Floors
Removing bloodstains from hardwood floors ranges in varying degrees of difficulty depending on whether the floor is unfinished, waxed or coated with polyurethane. Unfinished wood is so porous that any stains tend to absorb more deeply into the wood fibers. Waxed wood floors have some protection against stains, while polyurethane-coated wood floors have the most protection against staining.
Items You'll Need
- Paper towels
- Cloths
- Hydrogen peroxide (3%)
- Bleach
Procedure
- 1If the stain is fresh, soak up as much of the blood as possible with paper towels or a cloth.
- 2Blot at the stain repeatedly and rinse until you remove as much as possible.Dip a clean cloth in cold water and wring it out.
- 3This should completely remove the rest of stain. If not, move on to bleach.Dampen a clean cloth with 3% hydrogen peroxide and dab at the remaining stain.
- 4Using bleach on darker wood floors will most likely lighten them, so take that into consideration before moving forward.Rinse the stained area with a clean, damp cloth.
- 5of bleach in 1 cup of cold water and dip a clean cloth into it. Wring out the cloth and blot only the stained area. Allow it to sit until the stain disappears, then rinse with a clean, damp cloth.Mix 1 tbsp.
- 6Soak up any excess moisture with a dry cloth.
Concrete
Concrete is porous, so it tends to soak up anything spilled onto it. However, it is possible to clean up a bloodstain from concrete with the right tools and cleaning products.
Items You'll Need
Garden hose 3% hydrogen peroxide or powdered oxygen bleach Stiff-bristled scrub brush
Procedure
- 1Rinse the concrete surface thoroughly with a garden hose to remove as much of the blood as possible.
- 2Alternatively, sprinkle the surface of the stain with a thin layer of powdered oxygen bleach and let it sit for a few minutes.Pour enough hydrogen peroxide onto the concrete to completely saturate the stain and let it sit for a few minutes.
- 3Scrub the surface of the concrete with a stiff-bristled scrub brush.
- 4Repeat the process if the stain remains.Rinse the concrete thoroughly with the garden hose.
Silk
Silk is a delicate, protein-based material, so you'll need to use gentler methods to remove bloodstains. If possible, rinse the item in cold water immediately. Then you can spot treat it with mild dishwashing liquid or salt. Allow it to sit for at least an hour. Then wash as suggested above. Either hand-wash the item (recommended) or toss it into the washer, set on delicate cycle. Use laundry detergent especially for delicates, such as Woolite. Roll the item in a dry towel to remove excess moisture and hang it up (out of direct sunlight) and allow to air dry. Stay away from ammonia, bleach, enzyme-based cleaners or any other special cleaning products other than mild dishwashing liquids or detergent. Using the wrong product can break down the fabric, causing permanent damage.
Satin
Satin is also a very delicate material, and it should be handled as carefully as possible. If the blood is fresh, rinse it with cold water and spot treat it with salt or dishwashing liquid. Let it sit for an hour, then wash as usual with cold water and mild laundry detergent. Roll the item in a towel to absorb any excess moisture and lay it flat on another dry towel to air dry.
Tips & Reminders
- If you're using more than one cleaning product or method, rinse the item or area before applying the next product to avoid mixing chemicals. Never mix bleach with ammonia or other chemicals.
- Always use cold water when cleaning up bloodstains.
- It is wise to treat the blood as being infected, as a precaution, especially if you have no idea who the blood belongs to. Use gloves to protect yourself at the very least.
Questions and Answers
Can blood seep through concrete?
Yes, blood can seep through concrete. As a material, concrete is porous, and thus it can absorb any fluids, including blood. If the blood settles into the concrete for hours, it can dry up and become very difficult to remove. The longer the blood settles in, the harder it will be to remove. The first recommendation is to clean the area using a scrub brush, bleach and water as a stain removal. Also, you can try pouring hydrogen peroxide on the stained area. Let is soak in for 15 minutes, then rinse it with plain water.
If you are referring to a more compact concrete, then the answer is no because of these two factors:
1. The composition of blood.
- The different composition of blood, the platelets, cells and other blood elements, makes it harder for the blood to seep through compact concrete. Unlike ordinary water or other fluids that are composed of smaller particles, larger particles present in the blood make it more difficult for the blood to be absorbed into the compact concrete.
2. Blood clotting factor.
- Another reason why it's difficult for blood to seep into compact cement is because the innate ability of blood to undergo a process known as coagulation (blood-clotting). Blood usually clots in about 2 to 6. Sometimes it takes longer. Because of the presence of the clotting factors in the blood, the blood will eventually form a clot, which makes it difficult to seep through compact concrete.
Can you remove a fresh bloodstain on a mattress with toothpaste?
Yes, you can remove a fresh bloodstain on a mattress with toothpaste, but you have to work quickly while the stain is still fresh. Wet the stain and add a generous amount of toothpaste to it and rub it in. You have to rinse it off afterwards, but only rinse the stained part. If the first step fails, repeat the procedure until it gradually fades to white. Colgate Intense Whitening toothpaste works best to fade bloodstains. It has active ingredients that not only whiten teeth, but bloodstains as well. Do not use colored toothpaste, as it can cause a lot more stains on your mattress. Also, only use toothpaste on light-colored fabrics, in order to avoid too much discoloration.
1. Blot the area with a damp cloth
2. Blot the area with a dry cloth to pick up moisture and some blood
3. Repeat the above steps till stain is no longer being absorbed with just water
4. If the stain has not been completely removed, mix a tablespoon of dish washing liquid detergent with 2 cups of water.
5. Soak a rag with cleaning solution and blot the area again
6. Next scrub the area carefully and gently with a brush of some kind. A toothbrush or something similar will work just fine
7. Blot area again with a clean wet cloth to help rinse solution
8. Lastly, blot the area thoroughly with a dry cloth.
9. Repeat above 4-8 if stain has not been completely removed.
Dried Blood on wooden floors set for approximately 2 months. How can I remove the blood?
Blood droplets in a 4x4 area, and on painted wall and floorboard. What is the best way to remove? I also have a floor cleaner by a floor dealer like bissell, however, no one in the chat seems to recommend an appliance, they lean more toward manual application. What do you recommend?. I have tried: Vinegar sprayed on lightly. I think it was caused by: Tenants
Dried blood on floorboards are set into the wood or finish. You can try using a floor cleaner, but if it doesn't remove the stain, a steam or hot water-based appliance might actually further set the stain. Try a hardwood-safe enzymatic pet stain cleaner. The hydrogen peroxide method listed in the article above is quite effective for bloodstains on hardwood floors. To remove dried blood from white or light-colored painted surfaces, dab the stains with hydrogen peroxide on cotton balls, then rinse with lukewarm water and a few drops of dish detergent. For darker painted walls, combine equal parts unseasoned meat tenderizer and water, then apply this paste to the stains. Let it sit for 20 minutes, then rinse with lukewarm water and few drops of dish detergent.
Dried blood stains on cotton sheet?
I have soaked for 2 hours in vinegar water & stain is lighter but remains. I have tried: Enzymatic spray (Nature's Miracle); rinse then vinegar soak for 3 hrs. I think it was caused by: I didn't see blood stain for 3-4 days
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