How to get blood out of clothes

In this article we will go over How to get blood out of clothes. Of all the stains that could damage your clothes, bloodstains are one of the worst. Due to the oxidative process, the protein-based bloodstains can turn from a bright red shade to a dark brown shade within minutes. While cleaning them may be quite a challenge, the good thing is that there are many tricks available in the market to clean blood marks out of your clothes. Regardless of how big the stains are, how fresh or stale they are and the color of clothes that the stains are found on, you will find a few time-tested tips and tricks in this article to get your clothes clean and stain-free again.

• Using soap and water – the simplest method

All you need for this is soap of any kind (bar soap, liquid detergent, shampoo, or any other cleaning solution) and a steady supply of running water. First, you need to wash off the stains properly by showing the back of the cloth under running water. If the blood marks are fresh or new, water will be enough to get rid of them.

After flushing the stains, apply a generous amount of soap or liquid to the stained portions. Spread the soap well on the clothes with your fingers, and rub the fabric against itself until the stain marks have gone. If the stains remain, apply some more soap and run the fabric in running water.

• Using hydrogen peroxide

If you are looking for an effective cleaning method to get rid of fresh and settled blood marks on clothes, you can try using hydrogen peroxide. Since this is a strong bleaching chemical, it can lead to color loss in your clothes. So before using this, please test the chemical on a small patch of cloth.

Apply hydrogen peroxide on the stains directly. You can use a cotton ball or a spray bottle for this application, depending on the size of the blood marks. The chemical properties of hydrogen peroxide will make bloodstains vanish from your clothes. After the removal of stains, you should always remember to wash your clothes in clean water to remove all traces of hydrogen peroxide from them.

• Using stain cleaners that contain enzymes

Another effective method to get blood marks off your clothes is to use a stain cleaner with enzymes (known as enzymatic cleaners). Flush the stains from your cloth by showing them in running water. Then, apply some enzymatic cleaner directly on the stains. The enzymes help to break down the marks and bring back the shine in your clothes. It is highly recommended to use a stain-cleaning brush to spread the cleaner well on the blood marks. After a while, you will notice that the blood marks are gone completely! If some stains still remain, repeat the process until you see no stain marks. Wash your clothes thoroughly in clean water to remove all traces of these enzymatic cleaners.

• Using oxygen bleach

This is the best method to get rid of blood marks that have settled in your clothes for a long time. Fill about 60% of a large sink, bucket, or bathtub with hot water. Add oxygen bleach to the hot water and wait until the contents have completely dissolved. Follow the dosage as mentioned on the label of the oxygen bleach.  Soak your blood-stained clothes in this solution. Use both your hands to submerge the clothes completely inside the solution.

If the stains are not very old, you can allow the clothes to soak in this solution for about 2 hours. However, if the blood marks have settled in the clothes very well, allow the clothes to soak for an entire night before you wash them off thoroughly.

Other simple home remedies to get rid of blood from your clothes

• Mix water and white vinegar in a ratio of 2:1. Let the blood-stained clothes soak in this solution for about 30 minutes. Rinse well after half an hour to get rid of all the blood marks.
• Table salt, the most common kitchen ingredient, is very useful for cleaning blood marks from clothes. Make a thick paste of table salt and cold water. Apply this paste directly on the clothes, and allow it to sit there for about 2o to 30 minutes. Before washing the clothes, scrape the salt paste completely to see that there are no more blood stains on your clothes! In this tip, you can also use baking soda, saline solution, or crushed aspirin instead of table salt.
• Saliva contains amylase, an enzyme that helps to break down protein-based stains like blood. So, if you don’t have access to any of the above-mentioned cleaning options, you can simply spit on the blood stains, rub the fabric against itself and wash off the stains. This method is most effective for fresh blood marks only.
• If you have meat tenderizers (the unseasoned ones) at home, you can use that as well to get rid of blood from your clothes. Make a paste with meat tenderizer powder and water. Apply this paste on the stain, and let it sit for about half an hour. Wash off with cold water to get stain-free clothes.
• To get rid of blood marks from thick clothes like jeans, you should first blot the stain from the inside of the cloth, using a washcloth soaked in cold water. Never rub the stains, as it may cause them to spread all over the fabric. Blot the stains thoroughly before soaking the thick fabric in cold water for a minimum of 30 minutes. After the soaking process is complete, you may proceed to use one of the above-mentioned cleaning tips on the stain marks to clean your clothes. However, refrain from using bleaching agents like hydrogen peroxide on dark-colored jeans, as these agents will lead to color loss from the fabric. If the tough stains remain, soak your jeans again in a bucket containing a mixture of cold water, 1 spoon of detergent and 1 spoon of ammonia. Soak for 4 to 5 hours, and rinse the clothes thoroughly. This way, you can get rid of all the blood marks from your favorite clothes.