Removing blood stains from cloth can be a pain in the neck, especially if it dries. Blood is gross and messy, not forgetting that it stains everything it lands on. Accidents happen, but if you act fast, the bloodstains won’t be much of a problem. Want to know how to get blood out of clothes? Read along for some simple-to-do techniques. You might be surprised!
- Run your cloth under cold water
If your cloth features a lightweight fabric, using cold water will work perfectly. Hold the stained area and place it under cold running water. Believe it or not, cold water might be the only thing you need to get rid of that stain. However, this technique only works if you are dealing with fresh blood.
- Try blood-removal products
Regularly dealing with bloodstains is reason enough to familiarize yourself with a few blood removal products. There are numerous laundry products on the market, but enzymatic cleaners and oxygenated bleaches will work wonders on your stained clothes. You can also use hand soap or laundry detergent to clear residual bloodstains.
- Use saline solution or salt.
It’s possible to stain your cloth when you are away from home with no access to laundry products. Fortunately, salty water will save you considerable time. Mix plain table salt with cold water and rub it on the stain. If you have saline water, do the same and watch the stain fade away.
- Pour lemon juice or hydrogen peroxide on the stain.
Hydrogen peroxide and lemon juice are excellent options for cleaning blood stains on light-colored clothes. These solutions can, however, cause color change on dark-colored garments. To be on the safe side, test on a hidden area before soaking the whole cloth. For older and stubborn bloodstains, try other stronger products.
- Meat tenderizer
Sounds weird, right? You will be surprised that it works. If you are dealing with set-in or older stains, an unseasoned meat tenderizer is a great choice. Sprinkle some tenderizer powder on the stain and add water to form a paste. Let the paste work on your cloth for 30 minutes, then rinse your cloth with cold water.
- Soak and blot to remove stains
You need a different approach when dealing with clothes with thick fabric, such as jeans. Blot the bloodstain from the inside using an absorbent washcloth. Repeat the process until you can’t spot any blood on the washcloth. Don’t rub the stain- otherwise, you will spread the blood. After the blotting process, soak your cloth in cold water for 30 minutes, then toss it in a washing machine or hand wash.
- Always treat blood stains when still fresh.
Fresh blood stains are easier to remove compared to dried stains. Whenever you see a bloodstain on your cloth, treat it immediately. If it’s not possible to deal with it right away, the least you can do is to soak the fabric in cold water. It will be much easier to clean it later since it didn’t dry.
- Use baking soda or aspirin.
Crush several aspirin tablets. Prepare a cleaning paste using a mixture of water and aspirin powder. Follow the same procedure with baking soda- mix a reasonable amount with water. When your cleaning paste is ready, apply it on the stain and let it sit for approximately 30 minutes or even overnight, depending on the size of the stain. Finish by washing your cloth with cold water as usual.
- Don’t use hot water.
Hot water is highly discouraged as far as blood stains are concerned- it will do more damage. Warm or hot water heats the stain making the blood flow deeper into the material. Also, hot water warps and shrinks delicate fabrics.
Conclusion
Bloodstains can be pretty stubborn. It would be best if you were patient as you try the different techniques. If one doesn’t work, try the other. Happy washing!
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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