How to Remove Blood Stains From Cotton

Being prepared to properly handle a blood stain can mean the difference between successful stain removal and causing a permanent stain to set. The main trick is to remove the blood stain as soon as possible, and do whatever you can to remove it by hand before you run it through the washing machine or dryer. This will ensure that you have gotten all of the stain out of the fabric before it gets inadvertently set more permanently by hot water or the heat from the dryer.

Things You'll Need

• Ivory bar soap
• Shampoo
• Enzyme-based laundry detergent

Instructions

1. Rinse out, in cold water, as much of the stain as possible.

2. Take a section of the stained fabric in each hand and rub the stained fabric against itself vigorously while holding it under cool water.

3. Apply a quarter sized dollop of detergent or shampoo directly to the stain. If you are using the bar soap, rub it onto the entire surface area of the stain. Rub the fabric together again as described in step two.

4. Rinse the fabric under cool water while rubbing the fabric against itself.

5. Continue to repeat steps three and four as many times as it takes to remove the stain. If a faint stain remains, allow the area to soak in an enzyme based laundry detergent for a few hours, then repeat steps three and four again.

6. Launder the item when the stain is fully gone to remove any remaining soap residue.

Tips & Warnings

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References

• Stain removal tips