How to Remove Blood Stains from Fabric

There are a lot of different ways one can stain his or her clothes by accident, and one of the toughest ones to get out is a blood stain. If you get blood on your clothing, don't worry. With patience and diligence, you can remove any trace.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Laundry detergent
• Bucket
• Salt
• White paper towels
• Ammonia
• Sponge
• Stain Remover

Initial Treatment

1. Blot the stain immediately with paper towels. If it is a dry clean only garment make sure you do not pretreat the stain and get it as fast as you can to the cleaners. Pretreatment of the stain can cause irreversable damage and the dry cleaner may not be able to remove the stain.
2. Combine 1 teaspoon laundry soap or pretreatment (or dish soap, like Dawn) and 1 cup hydrogen peroxide in a small bowl. Soak a clean sponge in the mixture, squeeze it halfway dry, then gently blot the stain.
3. Review the washing instructions on the label of the fabric. Heed any special care instructions.
4. Wash in cool water and air dry if the fabric is machine-washable. Using a laundry additive such as Oxy Clean may help.
5. Wash gently in the sink with a mild detergent like Woolite if the fabric is hand-wash only.
6. Air dry. Do not use your dryer. The heat can make the stain set in if it does not come out the first time you try to clean it. If you air dry it and it does not come out you still have the option to take it to your cleaners because the stain has not set in.

Persistent stains: Washable fabrics

7. Sponge the stain lightly with a solution of equal parts ammonia and water.
8. Apply a laundry pre-treatment, such as stain remover or detergent.
9. Launder as usual.
10. Air dry.

Persistent Stains: Dry-cleanable fabrics

11. Sponge stain lightly with a solution of equal parts water and ammonia.
12. Rinse fabric in cool water.
13. Brush spot with a dry towel from the center of the stain out, using light strokes, blending wet into dry. Force moist area to dry from outside in, using a hairdryer or dry towel.

Tips & Warnings

• Try not to subject the stain to heat until it is completely lifted.
• Do not use ammonia on silk, wool or linen. Never mix ammonia and bleach!
• Do not attempt this process if your clothes are linen, silk, or wool. Wetting these fabrics with any liquid especially with water can leave water spots that are almost impossible to remove. With any dry clean garment one can never be sure how a fabric was pretreated or colorfast. If you try to clean these garments yourself you may end up with shrinkage, color bleeding or odd spots on the fabric. Always consult your dry cleaner if you have a question.