At one time or another you will stain some fabric with blood, so it’s good to know how to remove blood stains completely.
One thing is a fact, man or woman, if you’ve never stained a fabric or clothing with blood you still will. This is very common to happen, whether due to an injury while cooking, a scratch, a deep cut while shaving, a child’s injury or even menstruation. It’s inevitable and at some point you will need to know how to remove blood stains from fabric.
Regardless of the situation, a blood stain, whether on a new blouse, on the sheet, on the sofa or anywhere else, doesn’t need despair. Fortunately, nowadays there is a solution or several to get rid of any type of stain, even blood stains which tend to be a little more difficult to remove. The ideal is to act quickly, but even a dry stain can be removed.
Therefore, today we will learn how to remove blood stains with infallible and practical tips. Furthermore, with common ingredients, which everyone always has at home.
Bloodstain
Before moving on to how to remove blood stains, we need to talk about this very common type of stain. As previously stated, it is very easy to stain fabric with blood. In fact, a blood stain is a more difficult type to remove than a soda stain, for example. However, it is not impossible, by acting quickly and with the right method it is possible to completely remove the blood stain.
What explains the greater fixation of the stain on the fabric is that the blood dries very quickly when exposed to air. This way, it remains fixed to the surface, especially on fabrics, making removal a little more challenging.
The sooner you try to remove the stain the better. However, this does not mean that older stains cannot be removed. In the case of dry spots, they require a little more patience and adequate treatment, but nothing too difficult.
So, if you have a blood stain and don’t know how to remove it, don’t worry. Let’s learn how to remove blood stains below.
Preparation
Before knowing the tips on how to remove blood stains, it is important to talk about preparing to carry out this procedure.
The first and even obvious one is: clean the stain as soon as possible. That’s right, the faster you act to remove the stain, the easier it will come out of the fabric. So, even if you are not at home or in a place that is not suitable for this type of cleaning, use running water to facilitate complete removal later. This is because if you let the blood dry on the fabric, the stain will become embedded in the fabric fibers, making it difficult to remove.
And the other preparation tip is to always use cold water. This is because heat is the enemy of removing the blood stain. So, never, under any circumstances use warm water to try to clean a blood stain. The use of a dryer or iron is also prohibited until the stain is completely removed.
10 Tips on how to remove blood stains
Now let’s learn how to remove blood stains from fabric. And best of all, most of the tips include affordable ingredients that you always have at home.
1 – Cold water and coarse salt
To remove blood stains from fabric using this method, you first need to rinse the stain in cold water. This way, it is possible to remove most of the blood, especially if it is a recent stain.
After rinsing the stained fabric, prepare a paste by mixing coarse salt and cold water. Then, apply the paste to the stain and let it act for 15 to 20 minutes. During this period, the coarse salt dehydrates, causing it to evaporate the water and also the blood. Finally, just rinse the fabric again with cold water and wash the item normally as usual.
2 – White vinegar
If you are looking for a quick and effective method on how to remove blood stains, this is the best, ideal for new stains that have not yet dried. The tip is very simple, just apply a little white vinegar to the stain and let it act for about 10 minutes. After this time, just rub the stained area with another clean cloth and rinse.
3 – How to remove blood stains with cornstarch
In this case, cornstarch can be used in two ways. The first is to pour a generous amount of friend onto the blood stain, and let it sit for a few hours or overnight. Then remove the starch, using a cloth or vacuuming. If the stain is not completely gone, repeat the process one more time.
The second option is to make a paste of cornstarch and water. Once done, apply the mixture to the dried blood stain and gently rub the fabric. Then, place the stained fabric in a ventilated, sunny place to dry. After drying completely, remove the remaining starch and rinse the item. Repeat the process if the stain does not come out completely.
4 – Neutral soap
This is another surefire tip for new stains. First, leave the stained item to soak in cold water for 10 minutes and then rub well to remove excess blood. If the stain does not come out completely during this process, you can use salt and neutral soap. Apply the salt to the stain for another 20 minutes. Then, scrub the stain with neutral soap and rinse and let it dry naturally.
5 – Detergent
In addition to removing grease from dishes, detergent can also be used to remove blood stains. In this case, before using the product, try to remove as much blood as possible from the still dry tissue. Once done, mix a little neutral detergent in two cups of cold water and, using a clean, white cloth, rub the stain with this mixture.
In this way, repeat the procedure until the stain is completely removed from the fabric. If necessary, change the cloth or fold it to use a clean, color-free area so as not to transfer paint to the stained item. Finally, when you see that the stain is gone, rinse the item well to remove any trace of detergent and let the fabric dry naturally.
6 – How to remove blood stains with hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is one of the most common and efficient methods for removing stains, even those that have been dry for a while. However, depending on the color of the fabric, the product may discolor the item. So, leave this tip as last, if no other method has solved your problem.
If this is the best option, simply add a little hydrogen peroxide (10 volumes) to the blood-stained area. Wait a while and you will notice a foam forming. The more foam, the more the stain disappears. It is a very quick and effective process. If necessary, apply a little more hydrogen peroxide.
Then just use a clean cloth to absorb the blood. Finally, dampen a cloth in cold water and gently rub the stain to completely remove any trace of blood and let the item dry naturally.
7 – Bicarbonate
Another great ally for removing stains from fabrics is baking soda. This method is very easy and practical, even safer than hydrogen peroxide.
First, make a mixture, using one tablespoon of baking soda for two tablespoons of water. Then, dip a clean cloth into the mixture and rub the stain. Let the solution act for 30 minutes and then use a cloth dampened in water to remove excess product from the fabric. Finally let it dry naturally.
8 – Talc
You don’t have cornstarch at home, but do you have talcum powder? Great, the product is also very effective in removing blood stains. The procedure is practically the same, just mix a little talcum powder with water until it forms a thick paste. Then, apply the paste over the entire stain and let it dry. When it dries completely, brush the area, removing all the dust, which will take the dried blood stain with it.
9 – Conventional stain stripper
In the case of old bloodstains, don’t worry, all is not lost. There is a huge variety of stain removal products, some even professional ones that can be used to remove all types of stains, even the oldest and most resistant ones.
Therefore, you can mix bleaches based on hydrogen peroxide with washing powder, which are less abrasive and can also be used on colored fabrics. For more resistant stains, chlorine-based bleaches are more effective, but they are also aggressive and can damage colored and printed fabrics. So, be careful with the type of piece.
Then, dip the stained fabric in a water solution with the bleach of your choice and rub the stain. The older the stain, the more it will need to be scrubbed.
10 – How to remove blood stains with cold milk
It may seem a little unusual, but the enzymes in pure milk react with the blood. Therefore, if you have a piece of fabric stained with blood, you can use cold milk to remove it. To do this, simply dip the stained area in a container of milk, making sure that the liquid penetrates the fabric fibers.
Depending on the stain, the milk should reduce the blood’s adhesion to the fabric fibers within a few hours. Then, after a certain time, remove the milk and rub the stain with a clean cloth to remove any traces of blood that may be left. If necessary, repeat the entire process and then wash, letting it dry naturally.
Anyway, what did you think of this article? In fact, take the opportunity to also check out How to remove foundation stains and other makeup stains from clothes.
Sources: Women’s Tips Acqua Zero Lavemcasa
Imagens: VIX Lifestyle ao Minuto Cleanipedia VIX Cleanipedia Now Pix
