How to Get Blood Stains Out of Clothes
Blood stains on clothing can be difficult to remove, especially if they have soaked into the fabric. Fortunately, there are several ways to get rid of them. Here’s what you need to know.
How to remove blood stains
While there are many ways to get blood stains out of clothes, all methods have one thing in common: act as quickly as possible. The more time the blood sets, the more difficult it will be to remove the stain. Here are a few techniques you can try:
Soap and cold water
If you can get to work on the blood stain right away, a little soap and cold water can help. Hold the stain under a cold faucet, then turn it over and rinse the stain with cold water on the other side.
Then rub the stain with a damp bar of soap or a few drops of liquid hand soap or dishwashing liquid. Then rub the cloth against you to remove as much of the stain as possible. Finally, rinse both sides of the stain with cold water. Repeat the process if necessary. Once the stain is gone, wash the item as you normally would.
Other Methods
If soap and water don’t work, there are a few other ways you can try. Regardless of which one you choose, rinse the blood stain on both sides with cold water first. Then try one of these:
- Hydrogen peroxide : Peroxide can bleach some fabrics, so do a small test on the inside of the garment first. If everything is in order, pour some peroxide on a white or light-colored cloth, and then apply it on the blood stain until it disappears. Rinse with cold water, then launder as usual.
- White Vinegar : Pour a small amount of white vinegar over the blood stain and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then blot the stain with a paper towel. Rinse the area with cold water, repeat if necessary, then launder as usual.
- Cornstarch : Make a paste of cornstarch and cold water , then apply a thick layer over the blood stain. Let the clothes dry – ideally in the sun. When it dries, shake off the cornstarch, rinse with cold water, repeat as needed, then launder as usual.
- Enzymatic stain treatment : Pre-treat the stain with enzymatic stain treatment , using a laundry brush to clean it. Then wash as usual.
Check the stain (or, ideally, where it was) after washing the garment, but before letting it dry. If the stain remains, try another of the above methods: putting the item in the dryer will set the stain and make it even harder to remove.