Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Remove new blood stains
• Method 2 of 3: Remove dried blood
• Method 3 of 3: Cleaning the mattress and bedding
• Tips
• Warnings

Everyone has blood stains in their sheets from time to time, and that really doesn't always indicate a crime. It can happen if you get a nosebleed at night, scratch a mosquito bite in your sleep, bleed through a plaster or leak your sanitary napkin. This doesn't mean you have to throw out your bedding right away. Remove the blood from the sheets by working immediately when you see blood stains before the blood soaks into the fabric.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Remove new blood stains

1. Rinse the stain from the back of the fabric with cold water as soon as possible. Remove the sheets from the bed and then rinse the stain with cold water. Do not use warm water as this will cause the stain to set permanently into the fabric. Follow this step with each stain removal method described below.
2. Treat stubborn stains with hydrogen peroxide. Pour hydrogen peroxide directly onto the blood stain. Wait 20 to 25 minutes and then lightly blot the residue with a paper towel. If you don't have hydrogen peroxide at home, you can also use club soda.
   • White vinegar also works if you don't have anything else at home.
   • Hydrogen peroxide can turn into water by light. If it is very bright in your room, cover the treated area with plastic wrap and cover it with a dark towel. The towel will keep light from reaching the area, and the plastic wrap will keep the towel from absorbing the hydrogen peroxide.
3. Try an ammonia-based glass cleaner. Simply spray the glass cleaner on the stain. Wait 15 minutes and then rinse it from the back of the fabric with cold water.
4. Try diluted ammonia for stubborn stains. Fill a spray bottle with a tablespoon of ammonia and 1 cup of cold water. Close the spray bottle and shake it to mix everything together. Spray the mixture on the stain and wait 30 to 60 minutes. Blot up any residue with a clean cloth, then wash the sheets in cold water.
   • Be careful with colored sheets. Ammonia can fade or bleach colored fabrics.
5. Try baking soda. Mix one part baking soda with two parts water to make a paste. Wet the stain with water and then rub the paste onto the stain. Let the fabric dry, preferably in the sun. Brush off the baking soda residue and wash the sheets in cold water.
   • Talcum powder and cornstarch also work.
6. Try salt and dish soap to pretreat the sheets. Mix two tablespoons of salt and one tablespoon of dish soap together. First, wet the stain with cold water and then soak it with the mixture. Wait 15 to 30 minutes and then rinse the stain with cold water.
   • You can also use shampoo instead of dish soap.
7. Make your own stain remover with baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and water. Fill a spray bottle with one part baking soda, one part hydrogen peroxide and half a part cold water. Close the spray bottle and shake it to mix everything together. Spray the mixture on the stain, wait five minutes, then rinse it off. Repeat this twice more and then wash the sheets in cold water.
   • This works best with sheets that are part cotton and part polyester.
8. After removing the stain, wash your sheets with cold water in the washing machine. Use cold water and a mild detergent. Set the washing machine to the washing program that you normally use. Remove the wet sheets from the washing machine immediately after the wash cycle has finished. Do not put them in the dryer, but let them air dry by hanging them on a clothesline or clothes rack. Preferably hang them in the sun.
   • Treat the blood stains again if they are not completely removed after washing in the washing machine. You will have to keep treating and washing the sheets until the blood is no longer visible.When the blood is completely out of the fabric, you can dry the sheets as you normally do.
   • Consider using bleach on white sheets.

Method 2 of 3: Remove dried blood

1. Remove the sheets from the bed and soak them in cold water for several hours to overnight. Soaking in cold water will help loosen the dried up blood. You can also wash the sheets in the washing machine with cold water and a mild detergent. This will not necessarily remove the stain, but it will help loosen the blood. Follow this step with each stain removal method described below.
   • Keep in mind that the stain may be permanent in the fabric, especially if you tumble-dried the sheets. Due to heat, stains are permanently absorbed into the fabric. So if you put your stained sheets in the dryer, the heat may have drawn blood into the fabric.
2. Try white vinegar. If it is a small stain, fill a bowl with white vinegar first and then soak the stain in the bowl. If the stain is larger, put a towel or cloth under the stain first, then pour vinegar over the stain. Wait half an hour (for both small and large stains) and then wash the sheets as you normally do. Use cold water for this.
3. Use a paste made from meat tenderizer and water. Mix one tablespoon of the meat tenderizer powder with two teaspoons of cold water to make a paste. Spread the paste over the area and massage it into the fabric. Wait 30 to 60 minutes and then brush the paste off the fabric. Wash the sheets in cold water.
4. Use detergent and water on light stains. In a small bowl, mix one part detergent with five parts water. Stir to mix everything together, then apply the mixture to the stain. Dab it with a soft brush and wait 10 to 15 minutes. Blot the stain with a damp sponge or cloth, then pat it dry with a white towel.
5. Use hydrogen peroxide on stubborn stains. Pour some hydrogen peroxide on the stain and dab it with a soft brush. Wait five to ten minutes and then blot the stain with a damp sponge or cloth. Blot the stain again with a clean, dry cloth.
   • Hydrogen peroxide can turn into water by light. If it is very bright in your room, cover the treated area with plastic wrap and put a towel over it.
   • Test the hydrogen peroxide on a small area first if you have colored sheets. Hydrogen peroxide can cause colored fabrics to fade or bleach.
   • Use strong ammonia as a last resort. Do not use it on colored sheets.
6. Soak very stubborn stains in a mixture of borax and water for several hours to overnight. Follow the instructions on the borax box to make a mixture to soak the sheets. Let the stain soak in the mixture for several hours to overnight. Rinse the sheets with water the next day and then hang them to dry.
7. Wash your sheets in the washing machine after removing the stain. Use cold water and a mild detergent. Set the washing machine to the washing program that you normally use. Remove the wet sheets from the washing machine immediately after the wash cycle has finished. Do not put them in the dryer, but let them air dry by hanging them on a clothesline or clothes rack. Preferably hang them in the sun.
   • You may not be able to remove the blood stains immediately. If so, repeat the removal process again.
   • Consider using bleach on white sheets.

Method 3 of 3: Cleaning the mattress and bedding

1. Don't forget your mattress and mattress protector. If you've gotten stains on your sheets, it's best to check your mattress and mattress protector as well. There is a chance that blood has also gotten on it. You will have to address those stains as well.
2. First dampen stains in your mattress protector with cold water. If it is a new stain, you may only need a little cold water to completely remove the stain. If it is a dried stain, allowing the fabric to soak well for several hours to overnight will help. The blood will come off and the stain will be easier to remove.
   • If you have a stain on your mattress, spray a little bit of water on the stain. Do not soak the stain.
3. Use a paste of cornstarch, hydrogen peroxide, and salt. Mix 65 grams of cornstarch, 60 ml of hydrogen peroxide and a tablespoon of salt together. Spread the paste over the stain, let it dry, then brush it off. Repeat this again if necessary.
4. Dab a stain on your mattress with white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide. Do not pour white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide on the stain, instead soak a clean cloth in white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide first. Squeeze out the excess liquid and then gently dab the stain with it. If blood gets on the cloth, use a clean area of ​​the cloth. This way you don't get the blood removed back onto the mattress.
5. Use the same stain removal methods on your duvet and mattress topper as you would on your sheets. Once you've removed the stain, put them in the washing machine separately and wash with cold water and a mild detergent. Let the washing machine rinse twice if possible.
   • Put a tennis ball or tumble dryer ball in the dryer when you dry your duvet in it. This is how you shake up your duvet.

Tips

• First test the product you want to use on an inconspicuous area on your colored sheets, such as the seam or hem. This way you can be sure that the product does not fade or bleach the fabric.
• There are various products for sale that can remove difficult stains such as blood. Look for a product that contains ammonia, as it will help remove blood.
• Spray lemon juice on the stain before using a commercial stain remover or using a stain stick. Leave it on for a few minutes and then wash the sheets.
• If it's a small stain, use a little bit of saliva. Simply spit on the stain and then pat it dry with a clean cloth.
• Buy a mattress topper or a mattress protector to prevent stains on your mattress.
• Try an enzyme cleaner, but don't use it on silk or wool sheets.

Warnings

• Never use hot water. The blood will then be permanently absorbed into the fabric.
• Never put stained sheets in the dryer as the heat will permanently draw blood into the fabric. Make sure the stain is completely out of the fabric before putting the sheets in the dryer.