Be it nosebleeds, cuts or any other injuries, knowing how to remove blood stains is something that is more important than you'd think — especially if you have young children running around. It’s always a nuisance when blood gets onto clothes (especially when wearing white), but learning how to remove blood stains from clothes could save you a fortune in cleaning bills.
Similar to how to remove oil stains from clothes, and how to remove red wine stains, shifting blood is not as tricky as it seems. But it’s always better to act quickly so you can remove the stain before it sets in and really becomes difficult to clean.
While it may seem a gruesome task, knowing how to remove blood quickly is easy to do in just four easy steps. What’s more, you don’t have to spend extra money on cleaning products, or end up replacing your favorite item of clothing. Our guide on how to remove blood stains will show you everything you need to do.
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How to remove blood stains from clothes
A microfibre cloth
Cold water
Dish soap
Baking soda
White distilled vinegar
Paper towels
— First, rinse the stain under running cold water to initially flush out the blood. Then, soak the stain in cold water in a basin as soon as possible. Never use hot water as this changes the structure of the blood and will only set into the fabric, making it harder to remove.
— Next, add a few drops of dish soap directly onto the stain, and gently rub into the stain with a clean damp cloth. Always work from the outside edges of the stain to the inside, and avoid rubbing too hard to avoid it spreading to other parts.
— Then, rinse stain with cold water and repeat if necessary. For stubborn stains, you can create a paste by mixing one part baking soda with two parts cold water in a bowl and dab onto the stain with a microfiber cloth. Leave on for 30 minutes before rinsing the solution off. Or you can buy a pre-treat stain remover like OxiClean Max Force Foam Laundry Pre-Treater ($8, Amazon) to help shift the stain.
— Once you’ve removed as much of the stain, put the garment into the washing machine to wash, preferably on a cool cycle. Always remember to read the care label instructions beforehand.
How to remove blood stains with white vinegar
— Pour white vinegar directly onto the stained area. Allow the vinegar to soak into the stain for about 10 minutes.
— Next, blot the area with a paper towel or clean cloth and repeat the process until the stain is completely removed.
— Then launder as normal following the washing machine care instruction label.
White vinegar is one of the most effective, natural methods to remove blood stains (or any other stain for that matter!). If you want to know more about the powers of white vinegar, find out what makes baking soda and vinegar so good at cleaning.
You can also check out how to remove grass stains from your clothes.
And for more home guides, check out how to clean a hat without ruining the shape and how to clean a mattress topper in six easy steps.
You can also check out how to make fake blood for Halloween!
