15 Best Ways to Clean Blood Stains

*Overview of the best according to the editors of Healthy Food Near Me. About selection criteria. This material is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

It is quite difficult to remove blood stains from clothes or upholstered furniture, especially old ones. Even expensive household chemicals cannot cope with this task. Apparently, therefore, there are many alternative “folk” methods for removing bloody traces from different types of fabrics and other surfaces. The staff of our magazine found more than a dozen recipes that use inexpensive improvised means, and tested the effectiveness of each of them. Also appreciated the effect of shop stain removers. The results of the examination and tips for removing fresh and old blood stains are presented below.

General rules

If there was a nuisance that caused bleeding, and there were traces on clothes or bed linen, you should not panic and consider the thing hopelessly damaged. Blood can most often be washed off, but for this you need to know a few features.

It is best to remove blood stains immediately after contamination (or within the next 2-3 hours). The chances of a positive result of saving things are much higher until the blood has had time to dry and soak into the fabric fibers.

Clothes stained with blood should not be washed in hot water. Blood is an organic substance, which includes hemoglobin protein, therefore, at high water temperatures (more precisely, above 42⁰C) She turns around. After that, it will be almost impossible to remove the stains – the only hope is dry cleaning.

The place of contamination should not be rubbed with a rag or sponge, otherwise the blood will penetrate deep into the fibers of the fabric, and it will be more difficult to get rid of its traces. It is best to rinse the thing under the pressure of cold water from the tap. Remove stains from upholstered furniture or mattresses with light soaking movements.

When removing blood from the sleeves or trouser legs, put a cotton napkin or cotton pad between them. This will prevent the mark from being printed on the other side.

Our experts guarantee that knowing these rules will half solve the problem of removing blood stains from wardrobe items or furniture. Now let’s figure out how and what is the best way to remove them.

How to get a fresh stain out

Fresh stains are the easiest to get rid of. That is why we do not recommend postponing washing things indefinitely. If possible, you need to start removing the blood immediately.

If clothes or bed linen are soiled

To remove traces of blood from tissue, the algorithm of action is as follows:

1. Rinse the soiled item under strong pressure of cold water.

2. Soak in a basin by adding washing powder to water or lathering with laundry soap.

3. Leave the thing to soak for 30-60 minutes, periodically washing the place of contamination with your hands.

4. After a while, carefully wash the item by hand or in a washing machine.

5. As a rule, after such actions, the blood from the clothes is washed off without a trace.

If there is no opportunity to quickly wash the item, one of the following compositions should be applied to a fresh stain:

1. hydrogen peroxide;

2. gruel from soda and water;

3. toothpaste;

4. dishwashing detergent or window cleaner.

This will prolong the drying time of the blood, partially destroy its composition. The stains will go away much easier even after a few hours.

Saliva removal

We found one unusual way to remove fresh blood, which at first seemed dubious to our experts – with the help of saliva. It contains enzymes that dissolve protein molecules, so that the stain disappears before our eyes. We decided to check – the result exceeded all expectations.

Saliva is an effective method of getting fresh blood out of clothes that really works. It can be used immediately after contamination and in almost any circumstances. The only drawback is the use on soiled areas of small size.

How to remove blood stains from upholstery or carpet

If a mattress, sofa or carpet is stained with blood, then you should do this:

1. apply a thick mixture of washing powder with cold water to the stain with a sponge, rag or cotton wool or drip dish detergent (or stain remover);

2. wait 30-60 minutes;

3. pour clean water into a basin, wash until the contamination is completely removed.

If yellowish marks still remain on furniture, carpet or clothes, we recommend using one (or more) of the methods below.

How to remove dried and old blood stains from clothes

Old contaminants are much more difficult to remove. Ordinary powder or toilet soap will not work to remove them. In the piggy bank of folk recipes, there are several ways to remove old blood stains. Our experts have tested them: some are really effective, others are not.

Below are the most popular methods with instructions for use in descending order of stain removal effect. They can be used to clean clothes, upholstery of upholstered furniture and carpets.

Hydrogen peroxide 3%

Peroxide is the most popular stain remover among the people. It has oxidizing and bleaching properties, so it effectively removes many types of dirt.

To remove blood you need:

1. generously pour hydrogen peroxide on the stained area;

2. wait 15-20 minutes;

3. rinse the item with water or wash;

4. repeat if necessary.

The tool shows the wonders of removing stains, so it is unlikely that you will need to repeat the procedure.

The fact that peroxide is really good at removing blood is also evidenced by the reviews of doctors (especially emergency room and surgeons). This is their favorite method for removing blood stains from white coats.

If peroxide was not at hand, but there is a liquid for storing contact lenses, it can also be used to get rid of stains – it contains hydrogen peroxide.

Ammonia

Ammonia or ammonia (ammonium hydroxide solution) is the second most popular remedy for removing old blood stains. The bottle should have the inscription “Ammonia 10%”.

Ammonia (ammonium chloride) used to fertilize plants, in the form of a white crystalline powder, is not suitable for removing stains from clothes.

We recommend diluting 1 tbsp. ammonia in 1 cup cold water and apply with a cotton pad to the stain. Or dissolve it in the same proportion and soak dirty clothes for 1 hour in a basin. After that, you need to wash it in the usual way (hand or machine wash).

To combat the effects of bleeding on clothing, you can use a window cleaner – it contains a large proportion of ammonia.

Laundry soap

Laundry soap is now less common in the kitchen or bathroom in modern families, however, our experts advise keeping at least one bar at home for various household purposes. Including to remove dried blood.

There are two ways to remove blood stains:

It is good to wet the contaminated place, generously lathering it, leave for 20-30 minutes.

Grate the soap on a coarse grater (1/4 piece) and dissolve it in 3 liters of water, in which to soak the soiled item for 1-2 hours.

After these steps, clothes or linen should be thoroughly rubbed with your hands and washed by hand or in a machine.

We checked: blood stains after treatment with laundry soap really go away.

Soda

Baking soda can be used to remove stubborn blood from clothes, mattresses, or upholstery. It must be diluted in water in a ratio of 1: 1 and applied to the soiled area for 20-30 minutes. After that, the gruel on the surface of the fabric should be rubbed with a toothbrush, left for another 10-15 minutes. Then rinse thoroughly under running cold water and wash with powder.

Soda is able to remove dried traces of blood, but it does not remove old stains.

Starch (corn or potato)

If you need to remove dirt from silk, wool, viscose or microfiber, it is best to use starch. It gently removes stubborn blood without disturbing the structure and color of the tissue.

To save things you need:

1. dilute starch with water in a ratio of 1: 3;

2. apply to stained fabric;

3. wait for complete drying;

4. clean off the starch with a dry cloth;

5. wash in the usual way.

Traces of blood lighten, but it may take several such procedures to completely remove them.

Expert Conclusion: Starch is the best way to remove stubborn blood for delicate tissues.

Lemon acid

Citric acid powder is also used to remove blood marks, but it is only suitable for white things. Citric acid has good bleaching properties, it effectively removes many types of dirt.

Disadvantages:

1. concentrated acid can cause irritation of the respiratory tract and skin (it is recommended to work with gloves);

2. can only be used for white cotton fabrics.

10 g of powder must be diluted in a tablespoon of cold water and applied to the gruel on the fabric. After 15-20 minutes, carefully rub the stained area with a toothbrush. After washing and drying the product, the stains become invisible.

Toothpaste

Our employees have tested another way to get rid of things from fresh and old bloody traces:

1. applied toothpaste to the stained area;

2. moistened the toothbrush with water and carefully rubbed it;

3. left until the paste dries completely;

4. washed the thing.

As a method of dealing with chronic pollution, toothpaste turned out to be ineffective. But with fresh bloodstains, she coped perfectly.

Glycerol

In the piggy bank of some hostesses there is another remedy for removing stubborn blood stains – glycerin. It is recommended to heat it before use up to 40⁰C in a water bath and apply with a cotton pad on the soiled area.

We tested this way:

1. the stain was treated with warm glycerin;

2. waited 10-15 minutes;

3. rubbed with a cotton pad;

4. dripped some more glycerin;

5. repeated the procedure several times.

The spot gradually dissolved, decreasing in size. After washing, the thing acquired pristine purity.

Warm glycerin can be used as a blood stain remover (especially if you need to wash delicate fabrics), but it is better to use more effective means.

Salt

Our experts have also tested table salt as a cleansing agent. Its undoubted advantages are availability, safety and low cost. But does it get rid of bloody traces?

According to the folk recipe you need:

1. dilute 5 tbsp. salt in two liters of hot water until the crystals dissolve;

2. cool to room temperature;

3. soak clothes for 8-10 hours;

4. wash in the car.

Salt did not cope with the task – the soiled thing had to be saved by other methods.

Vinegar

There are recipes that use vinegar as a means of removing organic contaminants. We dripped a small amount on an old stain – there was no result. Traces persisted after several hours. The effect was zero and after several attempts to wash the fabric with a toothbrush. The yellowness remained even after washing with powder.

Vinegar does not remove old traces of blood, but makes it easier to remove fresh stains using other means.

Removing traces of blood with commercial stain removers

As it turned out, not all specialized industrial household chemicals can get rid of traces of stubborn blood. Let’s review the most common store-bought stain removers and find out how effective they are.

Vanish Oxi Action Liquid Stain Remover

One of the most common household chemicals on the market and a popular stain remover.

Stain remover “Dr. Beckmann” from protein stains

The active formula based on German stain remover enzymes quickly breaks down and removes protein-based stains from the fabric. You need to pour a few drops of the product on the stain or soak the item in cold water with a stain remover.

Our experts recommend Dr. Beckmann” to remove both fresh and old blood stains from any fabrics and surfaces.

Stain remover Ecover Ecological Stain Remover (Belgium)

Ecological stain remover based on enzymes and citric acid. Equipped with a brush for washing things.

The environmental stain remover failed the test against blood stains.

Stain remover ACE Oxi Magic

Non-chlorine bleach. After soaking soiled clothes for 30 minutes and washing with powder, traces of fresh blood do not remain, and old stains become slightly less noticeable.

Conclusion: ACE Oxygen Bleach does not remove stubborn stains.

Expert opinion

1. Removing traces of fresh blood is not difficult if you have cold water and ordinary soap on hand. If not, then a small stain can be treated with saliva.

2. After testing ten traditional methods and four store-bought household chemicals, our experts came to the following conclusions:

3. The best way to remove old blood stains from light-colored clothes is hydrogen peroxide and stain remover “Dr. Beckmann”;

4. colored items or upholstery of upholstered furniture should be cleaned with laundry soap or soda;

5. clothes made of delicate fabrics will be saved by starch or glycerin.

6. It was these methods that showed the best results and were safe for tissue and health.

Attention! This material is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.