How To Remove Blood Stains

Most householders have often wondered how to remove blood stains from fabric, wood or leather. It is certainly not an easy task to remove blood stains from most surfaces (other than glass) once they have set in. However, it is possible to remove blood stains with some basic knowledge.

To remove blood stains from acetate, burlap, fiberglass, rayon, silk or wool, one must treat the stain as soon as possible. It is important that one does not give the blood stain time to set. Use a dampened cloth to sponge the stain with cold water, using light strokes and working outward from the stain’s center. This works well if the blood is still wet. In case of any remnant stains, one can apply a wet pad with a few drops of ammonia. However, one should not use ammonia on silk and wool. After this, one should cover the sponged area with an absorbent pad dampened with the ammonia-suffused pad. This poultice needs time to work on the blood stain and one should change it as often as is required. After this, one can flush the area thoroughly with cool water, ensuring the removal of all ammonia.

One can generally remove blood stains from acrylic, cotton/linen, nylon, polyester or similar fabrics laundering them in cold water. One can soak any remnant stain with a solution consisting of a quart of warm water, half a teaspoon of dishwashing or liquid laundry detergent and a tablespoon of ammonia for fifteen minutes. One should scrape off any excess solid or caked-on stains and blot occasionally with an absorbent pad. Repeat this process as long as it takes to remove the stain. Afterwards, rinse the area well with water, once again ensuring that no ammonia remains. One can then dry or launder the fabric.

To remove blood stains from aluminum, asphalt, brass, bronze, ivory or linoleum, one can wipe up the blood stain with a sponge or cloth soaked in cool or warm, soapy water. Then one can dry the area with a clean cloth. To treat blood stains on alabaster or marble, one should wipe the blood stain with a sponge dipped in cold water and apply a poultice of water, powdered detergent and chlorine bleach on any remaining stain. One must apply this poultice thickly and cover it with a damp cloth to discourage premature drying.

To remove blood stains from synthetic or woolen carpets, one needs to spray a product such as Stain-X Carpet Stain Remover on the affected area. One can also mix a teaspoon of mild, non-alkali detergent with half a pint of lukewarm water, apply some of this to the stain and blot the liquid. It is important not to rub the stain further into the fibers. The blotting process continues until the stain vanishes. If any stains persist, one can add a tablespoon of ammonia to a cup of water and sponge the stain with this mixture, blotting it afterwards. Placing an absorbent pad over the damp area and weighing it down will draw out all excess liquid.

To remove blood stains from natural or synthetic fur, blot up the blood, soak a cloth in mildly soapy water laced with a few drops of ammonia and rub this solution into the stain carefully. Then rinse by dipping a cloth in cool water, wringing it partially dry and stroking the area with this carefully. The area should dry naturally, with no artificial heat.