How to Remove Blood From Tissues and Surfaces (and What Not to Do)
If you’re looking for ways to remove blood stains from clothes, walls, or any other surface you might find them on, we’ll give you the benefit of the doubt on any misbehavior and jump right into the solutions because there are quite a few. However, some are better than others, so you also need to be aware of what won’t help with this stain. Also, blood is no ordinary stain: it can also be a biohazard, so you need to know how to do it to be as safe as possible. Put on your gloves, don’t touch the blood directly, and let’s get to it.
What works to remove blood stains?
First, you need to blot the stain as quickly as possible. Here, the faster the better. Using a mixture of salt water and a sponge or rag, blot the offending mark. To prevent it from ingraining into the fabric, try using water from the colder side. If you’re really fast, you can skip the salt water and place the fabric directly under cold running water. Add a drop of dish soap directly to the cloth, then gently rub the cloth against each other to remove the blood.
If you take the cloth out of the cold water and find that it still has a mark, take some hydrogen peroxide . Test a little fabric first to make sure it’s not bleached, then apply some peroxide with a clean rag. You can also replace the hydrogen peroxide with white vinegar, or make a paste of cornstarch and cold water, leave it on the stain for 10 minutes, and shake it off. After repeated rinsing with cold water, it is ready for washing.
If there is blood on a painted wall, according to Hunker , you will smear it with soap and water with a rag or sponge, but if it is still visible after that, take a melamine sponge or Magic Eraser. If, God forbid, you have blood on the concrete, scrub it hard with a bristle brush to loosen the particles, then add a solution of one-component dishwashing detergent to three parts water and keep scrubbing, according to Love My Stone . . If this is not enough, pour 3% hydrogen peroxide on it and leave for 15 minutes, then blot with a towel.
What should not be done when removing blood stains?
Avoid hot water so that the stain does not penetrate deeper into what you are working with. You can use ammonia, but don’t apply it directly to the stain . Instead, apply a few drops to a damp cloth or sponge and then blot. Finally, avoid using bleach while you’re cleaning a visible stain, according to Aftermath , as it can be corrosive, and if you’re involved in a multi-step process, you run the risk of mixing cleaners, which is a big no-no bleach. . There are enough options that you don’t need to use bleach, so just don’t.
You still have to disinfect
Congratulations on removing the blood stain. Unfortunately, your work is not completed. You have to disinfect now because, well, it’s blood . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that’s where your bleach comes in, at least if you’re working on surfaces: disinfect with bleach that’s diluted 1:10 with water. Make sure your area is well ventilated and read all the instructions on the bleach bottle, but let the area stay damp for about four minutes before rinsing it out .
For fabrics, the New York City Department of Health says they can be machine washed with detergent and water. Use high heat and if you can’t get to laundry immediately after a bloodshed incident, keep these fabrics isolated in a separate plastic bag.