How to Remove Blood Stains

Removing blood stains from fabrics is not easy. It’s best to bleach them before washing and drying, but there are a few ways to remove dried blood stains from clothes and fabrics. These ways are extremely simple and easy to do without the need for specialized bleach. Whether it’s blood on your favorite jeans or a silk dress, just follow these steps and you’ll have a clean outfit again.

Table of Contents

New Bloodstain Removal

Rinse clothes with cold water. This is the easiest way to remove fresh blood and works best when you can do it right after you’ve had blood on it. ^{[1] X Research Source} If the stain is on carpets, cushions, or heavy furniture that cannot be soaked in water, use a clean cloth or sponge to scrub away the stains. Do not use hot water as it can cause the blood stain to penetrate deeper into the fabric.

Use hydrogen peroxide. This method only applies to wet blood stains. Before deciding to use hydrogen peroxide you should be aware that it can bleach or stain some fabrics, and that hydrogen peroxide itself can cause stains on fabrics. So you need to be careful when using and remember to test first on a small and hidden corner of the item to be erased. Hydrogen peroxide can safely and effectively remove blood stains on porous and porous surfaces such as concrete.

Pour hydrogen peroxide on the stain. If you are bleaching on soft fabrics, dilute the hydrogen peroxide with water in a 1:1 ratio. Take care not to let the foam spread beyond the original stain area.
Continue adding hydrogen peroxide a few more times to slow down the chemical action and stabilize the foam.
Use a cloth to wipe away the foam and dab a little hydrogen peroxide on the stain several times until the stain disappears.
Wash soiled items with cold water and soap or detergent.
You can also soak soiled clothes in a tub of hydrogen peroxide and leave for 15 to 20 minutes. Then take the clothes out and wash them with cold water.

Use salt and water for soft fabrics. ^{[2] X Research Source} Do it fast. The faster you treat the stain with the salt and water mixture, the less time the stain has to soak into the fabric. It’s the best blood stain remover for non-washable items like cushions.

Rinse off stains with plenty of cold water. If possible, run the faucet continuously to let the water run over the stain. This will help remove a lot of blood. If the stain is on cushions or heavy items like furniture, mix some ice and water in a basin or bucket and wipe the stain with a napkin or sponge.
Rub the fabric together under water to remove any remaining stains. If you can wash them within 10-15 minutes right after they get dirty, you can remove them completely. However, if you still see traces of blood, wash it with a pinch of salt.
Mix some water with salt to make a brine mixture. To get enough salt to wet the stain, the amount of salt water mixture should depend on the size of the stain.
Rub the salt water mixture onto the stain. The corrosiveness of the salt and the dehydrating properties of this mixture will loosen any remaining blood stains and remove it from the fabric.
Once the stain is gone, wash the salt off the clothes with cold water.
When the stains are gone or you can’t wash them any more, wash them in the usual way with laundry detergent.
For items that cannot be washed normally, use plenty of cold water to remove blood and salt stains.

Dry Blood Stain Remover

Use toothpaste on clothes and towels. This method is used on fabrics that can be machine washed or hand washed. If you use this method on carpets, or furniture, there is a risk that the toothpaste smell will be permanently attached to the fabric.

Apply toothpaste to the bleeding area.
Let the toothpaste dry.
Rinse off the toothpaste with cold water.
Wash blood stains with soap and rinse with cold water. Repeat if necessary.

Use a meat tenderizer for tough fabrics. Both blood and meat are organic substances that can be broken down by the action of enzymes such as proteases, celluloses and lipases. Commercially, meat tenderizers are also effective when applied to dried blood stains. Dishwashing powder or capsules also often contain these enzymes.

This method is applicable to cleaning stains on hard fabrics such as jeans, not soft fabrics. Avoid allowing enzymes to work on linen, silk or wool. These enzymes break down proteins and can damage fabrics made from proteins such as silk, linen, and wool.
Pour a cup of cold water into a small basin.
Dip the blood stain on the cloth in water.
Sprinkle one tablespoon of the enzyme product directly onto the wet stain.
Leave for about 1 day. Every few hours, rub the mixture on the stain once.
Wash the clothes as you normally would.

Use saliva to clean soft fabrics. Using saliva is also an effective way to remove blood stains, as enzymes in saliva not only help digest food, but can also break down the protein structure in hard-to-clean blood stains. Note that this method is only effective on small stains.

Take some of your saliva.
Apply on blood stains.
Rub to clean stains.
Soak the fabric in cold water.

Stain Removal on Special Surfaces

Remove blood stains on hardwood floors. Hardwood has a wax, urethane, and ppyurethane-like finish to protect hardwood floors from moisture, wear, and most stains. In most cases, blood stains can be wiped off with a rag and water or a common household cleaner.

Remove blood stains on satin fabrics. Satin is a thin, smooth fabric and needs to be handled with care. Using gentle cleaning agents like salt and cold water can often be quite helpful, especially when the blood stain is still fresh.

Remove blood stains from mattress. Cushions are not washable, so cleaning methods should be minimized as much as possible. Using a paste is the best way to remove blood stains without getting your mattress wet.

Remove blood stains from carpet. There are several methods used to remove blood stains from carpets. You should first use water and then proceed with stronger cleaning methods for stubborn blood stains.

Remove blood stains on concrete surfaces. Concrete has a porous surface so blood tends to penetrate deeper, making cleaning very difficult. Special solutions such as chemical methods are an effective way to remove blood stains from concrete.

Remove blood stains from jeans. Cold water treatment is an effective way to remove fresh blood stains from jeans, while dried blood stains can be removed using common household products such as salt, ammonia, and baking soda.

Remove blood stains on silk fabrics. Only use mild cleaning agents such as salt, saliva, and dish soap when removing blood stains from washable silk fabrics. Avoid using ammonia or chemical cleaners. These substances can damage the fabric.

Advice

The sooner the blood stain is treated, the faster it will clean.
The only way to know for sure that a blood stain is completely clean is to look at the stain on a dry cloth.
Besides peroxides like hydrogen peroxide, and soap, you can use soda water. Soak the stain in soda water for 30 minutes. If there is any stain left, it will be light yellow. You can then treat these yellow stains with a cleaning solution.
Liquid soap is also pretty good. You can also use oil-based soaps. It’s important to choose authentic soaps and not just regular petroleum-based cleaners.
For stubborn stains on durable fabrics, soak the stain remover before putting it in the washing machine. Then wash with regular detergent with cold water. This will remove hard-to-see blood stains from clothing and remember to do it as quickly as possible (preferably before the blood has dried). However, if you don’t have time to apply this solution to the stain right away, you can use cold water to wet it first.
Peroxide works to clean blood stains on everything but the bed.
For hard non-porous surfaces, it is more effective to use 10% bleach to wet the blood and then wipe it off. This will help disinfect and clean at the same time.
The enzymatic digestion process brings about unimaginable effects. A TV show in the UK demonstrated how a few dishwashing tablets can decompose pig’s feet into liquid and bone in just a few weeks!

Warning

Never mix ammonia and chlorine bleach as it will result in toxic fumes.
Do not use warm or hot water – the stains will stick more firmly, as hot water will cause the blood proteins to turn into filaments. If you want to wash your clothes in warm water, you need to remove the stains in cold water first.
Do not breathe in ammonia gas as it is very dangerous.
Always handle blood stains very carefully. Having blood from another person puts you at risk for blood-borne diseases such as HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. Avoid touching other people’s blood with bare hands, and always wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap after contact with blood.

Things you need

Cold water
Hydrogen peroxide
Salt
Toothpaste
Meat tenderizer
Soap
Ammonia
Saliva

Steps