How to Make a Fake Blood Stain

A fake blood stain is the perfect adornment for that slightly gruesome Halloween costume. The best fake blood for clothes doesn't have to be something you bought at a costume shop; instead, make some yourself with common pantry items. There's a good chance you already have what you need in one of your kitchen's cupboards.

The best fake blood for any adult or child costume uses only materials that are non-toxic. Fake blood also has to look a bit like real blood in the way that it flows and its color once it dries on the costume clothing. The nice thing about DIY fake blood is that you can tailor it a little to make it thicker or thinner, depending on whether you want it to look like it's dripping from your head or spattered all over your medical scrubs costume. The color can also be tailored to be bright red or a darker red. Keep in mind that food coloring stains things, so be careful where you apply the fake blood.

Make the best fake blood for clothes by mixing 1/4 cup water with 3/4 cup corn syrup in a bowl; if you need a lot of fake blood, just double or triple the recipe. Add a few drops red food coloring, stirring until the ingredients are well blended and the color is even throughout. Stir in 1 teaspoon or so cocoa powder to thicken the mixture, adding more cocoa powder or red food coloring to achieve the desired redness and consistency.

Test your fake blood on an old white T-shirt or a white rag by taking the blood and the fabric outside. Either splat the blood onto the fabric with an old inexpensive paint brush, or drip it over the fabric by tilting a spoon over the area you want to stain. When the fake blood starts to dry, you'll see whether it needs to be darkened or thinned. A single drop of green or blue food coloring gives the fake blood a darker red hue, but add as little as possible at a time or you may end up with the wrong color entirely. Thin the faux blood by adding more water, just a few drops at a time, stirring it into the solution.

Depending upon your costume, you may want the fake blood on the stain to look a little thicker or more disgusting. To make the blood look like it's coagulating, stir in a little chocolate syrup; you'll see the mixture getting darker and more syrupy. Start with just a little, as too much may turn the mixture dark brown. If that happens, add a little more red food coloring.

To give the blood a little texture and debris, mix in 1/2 teaspoon or so of coffee grounds. This makes the spot look a little coagulated as if the blood is scabbing over. You can pour your fake blood into smaller, separate cups and add thickeners or more water to some cups to achieve different consistencies for different parts of your costume. Be sure to "stain" your costume over a plastic tarp or in a washtub so you don't make a mess in the house.