While I wouldn’t call myself a “stain removal expert,” I have learned a lot about removing stains over the 9 years I’ve been writing this blog. I have researched, developed, and tested dozens of stain removal techniques, as well as other types of laundry solutions!
And due to the fact that I’ve written so extensively about removing stains over the years, I receive a fair amount of comments and emails from readers asking for help with a laundry problem they’re facing. Many of those questions have been about removing blood stains in particular, which are a laundry hurdle we all end up facing at one point or another!
So I thought it was high time that I addressed this topic thoroughly on the blog, and that’s exactly what I’ll be sharing with you today! By the end of this post, you’ll see that blood stain removal is not nearly as impossible as it seems (as long as you have the right tools, and a few tricks up your sleeve!) ;-)
How To Remove Blood Stains With Hydrogen Peroxide
You’ll need:
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Old toothbrush
- Dawn dish soap (optional)
- Baking soda (optional)
Directions:
Step 1 – Saturate & Scrub
Start by applying a generous amount of hydrogen peroxide to the blood stain. (And don’t worry, no one was harmed in the making of this post! My daughter Britta used the hand towel shown here to mop up a minor nosebleed, after which she made a full recovery.) ;-)
After saturating the blood stain with hydrogen peroxide, scrub the area with an old toothbrush. Scrubbing helps to work the peroxide deep into the fibers of the fabric so it can work its stain-removing magic.
Step 2 – Wait
After scrubbing, allow the peroxide to soak into the stain for about 10-15 minutes. You’ll probably seem some fizzing happening, which is the hydrogen peroxide breaking down the proteins in the blood. (Kind of cool, right?)
Step 3 – Rinse & Evaluate
Next, rinse the stain and the surrounding area thoroughly with cold water (not hot water), then evaluate your progress. If the stain has largely disappeared, you can skip ahead to Step 5, but if the stain isn’t quite gone, proceed to the next step!
Step 4 – Treat Again (Optional)
To help remove the remainder of the blood stain, put a drop of Dawn dish soap onto the stain and sprinkle a bit of baking soda over the top. Scrub the soap and baking soda into the stain with your toothbrush, then rinse the area thoroughly with cool water.
Step 5 – Wash
Toss the item into your washing machine and wash with cool water and your normal amount of laundry detergent. (In order to avoid any discoloration issues, make sure to do this promptly!) The item will come out of the wash looking clean, fresh, and most importantly, blood-free!
How It Works
Using hydrogen peroxide is one of the most effective ways to treat stains caused by organic matter like blood. When you apply peroxide to a blood stain, it will encounter an enzyme in the blood called catalase that triggers an oxidizing reaction.
This reaction breaks down many of the chemical compounds that cause blood stains to cling to fabric. This reaction is often so effective that afterward, you can rinse the majority of the stain out with just water!
(If you’re interested in learning more about hydrogen peroxide, be sure to check out my eBook Hydrogen Peroxide Magic! You can buy it in my shop, or download it for free if you’re an OGT Plus member!)
What Else Works On Blood Stains?
If you need to remove blood from clothes and don’t happen to have hydrogen peroxide on hand, try one of these alternatives instead:
Ammonia
Dab the stained area with a solution of equal parts ammonia and cold water, then launder as usual. Not only is this an effective way to remove blood stains, but it can also eliminate sweat stains and urine stains too.
Oxygen Bleach
Oxygen bleach products like OxiClean are great for removing blood stains and other organic stains like urine and food spills. You can add oxygen bleach to your washing machine to help eliminate a small stain, or follow the pretreat or soak directions on the package to tackle bigger or more intense stains.
Pet Stain Remover
Nature’s Miracle and other pet stain treatments may be marketed for pet stains, but these enzymatic cleaners can help treat many kinds of organic stain. To use Nature’s Miracle or another pet stain remover on blood stains, just spray onto the affected area, wait 10 minutes, then blot.
5 More Useful Tips For Blood Stains
Tip #1 – Treat ASAP
Always treat blood stains as quickly as possible, because fresh blood is always easier to remove than dried blood! If you notice a blood stain while you’re running late or otherwise occupied, at least soak the stained item in a bowl or sink of cold water to prevent the stain from setting.
Tip #2 – Use Cold Water
When it comes to blood stains, treating them with hot water can do more harm than good. The heat can cause blood to seep deeper into the fibers of the fabric fabric’s fibers (not to mention warp or shrink delicate fabrics!)
Tip #3 – Keep At It
Remember, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again! Sometimes you end up needing more than one pass to remove blood stains completely, or you may need to try something entirely different!
The important thing to remember is that if your first attempt to treat the stain isn’t entirely successful, all is not lost. Give it another shot, and when you’re done, be sure to reward yourself with your favorite treat. You earned it! :-)
Tip #4 – Wait To Dry
If your first stain removal attempt wasn’t as successful as you’d have liked, keep at it until it’s gone. Don’t put the item in the dryer until you’re satisfied that the stain is gone, or it will become much more difficult to remove!
Tip #5 – Use Soap For Carpeting
To remove blood stains on carpets or upholstery, stick with Dawn dish soap. Mix one tablespoon of Dawn with two cups of cold water, dip a clean white cloth into it, then use it to blot the stain until it disappears. Once it’s gone, repeat the process with clean, cold water and then blot dry.
What’s your best blood stain removal tip?
Removing Blood Stains (Step by Step)
Equipment
-
Toothbrush
Ingredients
- 1 cup hydrogen peroxide
- 1 tbsp dawn dish soap
- 1 tbsp baking soda
Instructions
-
-
After saturating the blood stain with hydrogen peroxide, scrub the area with an old toothbrush. After scrubbing, allow the peroxide to soak into the stain for about 10-15 minutes.
-
Rinse the stain and the surrounding area thoroughly with cold water (not hot water), then evaluate your progress. If the stain has largely disappeared, you can skip ahead to Step 5, but if the stain isn’t quite gone, proceed to the next step!
-
To help remove the remainder of the blood stain, put a drop of Dawn dish soap onto the stain and sprinkle a bit of baking soda over the top. Scrub the soap and baking soda into the stain with your toothbrush, then rinse the area thoroughly with cool water.
-
Toss the item into your washing machine and wash with cool water and your normal amount of laundry detergent. In order to avoid any discoloration issues, make sure to do this promptly!
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