How to Get Blood Stains Out of Bed Sheets

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Blood stains are unsightly and hard to remove. Blood is one of the more disgusting stains that you might encounter because blood is a bodily fluid. 

Don’t worry about those pesky blood stains, though. There are plenty of different cleaners that will break apart the stain and pull it out of your sheets. We are going to go over some of these cleaners and how to use them. 

The cleaning products that we will be discussing are:

  1. Cold Water
  2. Vinegar
  3. Hydrogen Peroxide
  4. Bleach
  5. Lemon Juice
  6. Baking Soda
  7. Salt Water
  8. Ammonia
  9. Borax
  10. Meat Tenderizer
  11. Enzymatic Cleaners

10 Ways to Get Blood Stains Out of Bed Sheets

Use Cold Water

The first step you should always take when removing blood from sheets is to start with cold water. If the bloodstain is newly fresh, run it under cold water as quickly as possible. This might be all it takes to get the blood out. 

For stubborn stains that have already dried, soak in cold water for a few hours or even overnight.

Note: In all of the methods listed, make sure you use cold water with whatever cleaning product you choose to use. Never use warm or hot water when trying to remove blood stains. Warm or hot water will further embed the stain into your sheets and may make it impossible to remove. 

Vinegar

White vinegar is one of the best and easiest options you have to remove stubborn blood stains with. 

Vinegar is a commonly available household item, it works on all different colors of sheets without having to worry about bleaching, and it’s all-natural. 

Here’s how you remove blood stains using white vinegar.

  1. Mix three parts white vinegar with one part cold water.
  2. Soak the sheets for a few hours in the solution.
  3. After the sheets have been soaking, take them out of the water and vinegar and gently rub them together or use a toothbrush to work the stain out gently. You can also try sprinkling a little salt onto the stain for added abrasion while you scrub.
  4. Once you are done scrubbing, rinse the sheets in the solution again.
  5. If the bloodstain doesn’t come out, repeat the process and soak overnight instead of a few hours.
  6. Once the stain has fully come out, wash your sheets in the laundry like you normally would. 

Hydrogen Peroxide

Using hydrogen peroxide is a great way to remove blood from sheets because you probably already have a bottle of it. It will work best for lighter-colored sheets, as it does tend to bleach darker colors. 

It may be fine for some of your darker colors, but you should test it first on a corner or an area of the sheets that you wouldn’t mind accidentally bleaching. Here’s how you use hydrogen peroxide to remove blood from sheets:

  1. Soak the stain in cold water.
  2. Pour two to three tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide directly onto the stain or soak a towel in hydrogen peroxide and gently dab the stain with it.
  3. After the hydrogen peroxide has set in for a few minutes, take the sheets and rub them together gently to work the blood out.
  4. Rinse with cold water.
  5. Repeat the process until the blood is fully removed and then wash your sheets in the laundry like you normally would.

Bleach

Bleach is the best and easiest method to remove blood stains from white sheets. You simply wash the sheets in your washing machine and add bleach. It will work for white sheets but might ruin other colors.

  1. You have three options depending on your washing machine. Either add one cup of bleach to the bleach slot on your washing machine, add it directly into the washer with the water running or dilute it into one quart of water and then pour directly in the machine. Make sure you use cold water.
  2. Do not pour bleach directly onto sheets. Getting undiluted bleach on sheets may ruin them.
  3. After the bleach is in your washing machine, you can then add the sheets.
  4. Run the cycle like normal.
  5. If the stain does not come out on the first try, do not put in the dryer. Putting it in the dryer will make the blood stain harder to get out.
  6. If the bloodstain does not come out on the first try, wash again and use a little extra bleach this time.
  7. Once the blood stain has been removed, dry the sheets like you normally would.

Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is another all-natural cleaning product that you just might have around the house. 

This cleaner might bleach your sheets a little bit, so it is better to use it with lighter colors than dark ones. Lemon juice isn’t a strong bleaching agent, so you might be able to get away with using it on darker fabrics. 

Here’s the process:

  1. Soak the stained part of the sheets in cold water.
  2. Apply enough lemon juice to fully cover the area of the sheets that have the bloodstain on them and let it set in for a few minutes.
  3. Sprinkle some salt onto the stain to add extra abrasion when you scrub the sheets.
  4. Rub the sheets together gently to work out the bloodstain.
  5. When you are done rubbing the sheets together, rinse them in cold water.
  6. If the stain does not come out fully, repeat the process.
  7. Once the stain is fully removed, wash your sheets like you normally would.

Baking Soda

Baking soda, also known as Sodium Bicarbonate, is a classic household cleaner that has been used for thousands of years. 

It is a fantastic cleaning agent because it is absorptive, abrasive, and neutralizes both acids and bases. While baking soda works great for cleaning on its own, it also can be combined with most other cleaning products in this article. 

To use baking soda to remove blood stains follow these simple steps:

  1. Soak the stained area in cold water.
  2. Pour enough baking soda to cover the stain into a bowl and add enough cold water to form a thick paste.
  3. Apply this paste liberally to the blood-stained area.
  4. Gently rub the sheets together or use a toothbrush to scrub the blood-stained area gently.
  5. Once the stain has started to come out of the sheets, rinse them in cold water.
  6. If the bloodstain has not been fully removed, repeat the process.
  7. Once the stain has been fully removed, wash your sheets in the laundry like you normally would.

Salt Water

A saline solution could also help you get your bloodstain out of your sheets. 

This method probably won’t remove those really tough blood stains that have set in for some time, but if you have a fresh stain that you don’t want to stick, saltwater might save you in a pinch. Everyone has salt in their house. 

To clean your blood-stained sheets with saltwater, follow these steps:

This article is owned by Sleeping Report and was first published on February 28, 2020

  1. In a bowl, put enough cold water to soak the blood-stained area of your sheets in.
  2. Add a cup of salt to the cold water and stir it until the salt is completely dissolved.
  3. Soak your blood-stained sheets in this saline solution for at least an hour.
  4. Pull your sheets out of the saline solution and rub them together gently.
  5. Rinse under cold water.
  6. If the stain doesn’t come out the first time, repeat the process but soak overnight.
  7. Once the stain comes out, wash your sheets like you normally would in the laundry.

Ammonia

Ammonia is a strong cleaning agent that will work on your blood stains when other cleaners don’t. 

Ammonia is actually a gas that is dissolved into water to create a strong cleaning solution. You can get straight ammonia or use cleaning products that have it in the ingredients. Windex is a very common ammonia-based cleaning product. Here is how you can clean your blood stains using ammonia:

  1. Put gloves on. Ammonia can irritate the skin.
  2. Soak the sheets in cold water.
  3. Apply the ammonia to your blood-stained area. If you are using Windex, simply spray it on. Be careful with Windex, though; it might turn your white sheets blue. If using a pure ammonia cleaner, only use a few drops as it is very strong.
  4. Gently rub the sheets together or use a toothbrush to scrub the bloodstain out gently.
  5. Rinse the sheets in cold water.
  6. Repeat until the bloodstain is fully removed.
  7. Once the bloodstain is fully removed, wash your sheets in the laundry like you normally would.

Borax

Borax is another strong cleaning agent that you might want to bust out for those really tough blood stains. It is also a common laundry product, so you might have some sitting around at your house. 

Here’s how to use borax to clean blood stains:

  1. Put gloves on as this a strong cleaner and could irritate your skin.
  2. Mix together one part borax and two parts water.
  3. Apply this paste liberally to the blood-stained area and let it set in for 30 minutes.
  4. Once the borax has set in, rub the sheets gently together until the blood stain comes out.
  5. Rinse the sheets in cold water.
  6. If the stain does not come out the first time, repeat the process until it does.
  7. Once the stain has been fully removed, wash your sheets in the laundry like you normally would.

Meat Tenderizer

Using meat tenderizer to remove blood stains is a unique and effective way to save your sheets. 

Meat tenderizer uses enzymes to break down proteins, which will make meat more tender. You can use the enzymes in meat tenderizer to break down the proteins in the bloodstain. 

Here’s how you can use meat tenderizer to remove blood stains:

  1. Soak the bloodstain in cold water.
  2. Sprinkle the meat tenderizer on top of the bloodstain and gently rub it in.
  3. Let the meat tenderizer sit on the bloodstain for 30 minutes.
  4. Rub the sheets together gently until the blood stain starts to come out.
  5. Rinse your sheets in cold water.
  6. If the bloodstain doesn’t come out the first try, repeat the process and let the sheets sit for a little longer with the meat tenderizer.
  7. Once the blood stain is fully removed, throw the sheets in with the laundry like you normally would.

Enzymatic Cleaner

Enzymatic cleaners work similarly to the meat tenderizer. They use powerful enzymes that are formulated to break down tough stains. Most pet stain removers contain these powerful enzymes. Here’s how you can use any one of these products to remove blood stains from your sheets:

  1. Soak your sheets in cold water.
  2. Spray whatever enzymatic cleaner product you are using on to the bloodstain.
  3. Let the cleaning product sit on the bloodstain for 30 minutes. If the directions on your cleaning product say to do something different, follow the instructions on the bottle.
  4. Rub the sheets gently together to work the bloodstain out.
  5. Rinse the bloodstain in cold water.
  6. If the blood stains do not come out on the first try, repeat the process until it is fully removed.
  7. Once the bloodstain is fully removed, throw your sheets in the laundry like you normally would.

How to Remove Blood Stains From Other Surfaces

If you’ve read the article up to this point, you are now practically an expert at removing blood stains from bed sheets. 

Fortunately, removing blood stains from other fabric materials can be done similarly using the same cleaning agents as you use for your sheets. 

This article is owned by Sleeping Report and was first published on February 28, 2020

We are going to go over some other common blood stains you might need to remove and how you can get them out.

How to Remove Blood Stains From Carpet

Blood stains in the carpet are going to be harder to remove than blood stains in sheets, as you aren’t able to put your carpet in the laundry or even rinse it under the sink. 

There is no need to fear, however, because there are tried and true methods to remove blood stains from carpet. All of the cleaning products that were listed for use with sheets can also be used to remove blood stains from your carpet. 

For simplicity’s sake, we are only going to go over how to remove blood stains using vinegar and baking soda:

  1. Mix three parts white vinegar with one part cold water.
  2. Pour this mixture over the bloodstained area on your carpet. Make sure you get the stain fully saturated.
  3. Let sit for 30 minutes to an hour.
  4. After the vinegar soaks in, blot the area with a paper towel to lift the blood from the carpet.
  5. Pour more of your vinegar-water solution over the stain. Just enough to get it wet.
  6. Then pour baking soda over the stained area, enough to fully cover it. The baking soda helps absorb the blood and moisture out of the carpet.
  7. Rub the baking soda into the carpet very gently.
  8. Use a shop vac to vacuum the baking soda and moisture out of the carpet.
  9. Pour water over the area one last time and then vacuum again to remove the rest of the baking soda.
  10. If the stain does not fully come out, repeat the process or substitute one of the other cleaning products that were listed earlier in this article.

How to Remove Blood Stains From Jeans

Jeans are another material that you might get blood stains on. 

You can remove blood stains from your jeans the same way that you remove blood stains from sheets. If you have some jeans that you need to clean, scroll back up to the top of the article and pick a method of cleaning sheets that you like best and use that method for your jeans.

How to Remove Blood Stains From Couch

Removing blood stains from a couch will be a similar process to removing blood stains from the carpet. 

You have to be a little more careful with your couch, however. You don’t want to get your couch too wet. Your couch will retain moisture, and this can cause mold down the line if it does not dry properly. 

Here’s how you remove blood stains from a couch using vinegar and baking soda:

  1. Mix three parts white vinegar with one part cold water.
  2. Pour this mixture over the blood-stained area on your carpet. Make sure you get the stain fully saturated, but you don’t pour any more vinegar and water than is necessary.
  3. Let sit for 30 minutes to an hour.
  4. After the vinegar soaks in, blot the area with a paper towel to lift the blood from the upholstery.
  5. Pour more of your vinegar-water solution over the stain. Just enough to get it slightly wet.
  6. Then pour baking soda over the stained area, enough to fully cover it. The baking soda helps absorb the blood and moisture out of the couch.
  7. Rub the baking soda into the couch very gently.
  8. Use a shop vac to vacuum the baking soda and moisture out of the upholstery.
  9. Pour water over the area one last time and then vacuum again to remove the rest of the baking soda fully.
  10. If the stain does not fully come out, repeat the process or substitute one of the other cleaning products that were listed earlier in this article.

How to Remove Blood Stains From Car Seats

The process for removing blood stains for the seats in your car is exactly the same as removing it from a couch. Follow the steps that were given in the section right above this one to remove blood stains from your car seats.

How to Remove Blood Stains From a Mattress

If you’ve got blood stains on your sheets, there’s a good chance you have blood stains on your mattress too. 

The blood stains on your mattress are going to be a little harder to remove, but it’s totally doable. Here’s how you can remove blood stains from your mattress with vinegar and baking soda:

  1. Mix three parts white vinegar with one part cold water.
  2. Pour this mixture over the bloodstained area on your mattress. Make sure you get the stain fully saturated but don’t pour any more vinegar and water than is necessary.
  3. Let sit for 30 minutes to an hour.
  4. After the vinegar soaks in, blot the spot with a towel to lift the blood from the mattress.
  5. Pour more of your vinegar-water solution over the stain. Just enough to get it slightly wet.
  6. Then pour baking soda over the stained area, enough to fully cover it. The baking soda helps absorb the blood and moisture out of the mattress.
  7. Rub the baking soda into the mattress very gently.
  8. Use a shop vac to vacuum the baking soda and moisture out of the mattress.
  9. Pour water over the area one last time and then vacuum again to remove the rest of the baking soda fully.
  10. If the stain does not fully come out, repeat the process or substitute one of the other cleaning products that were listed earlier in this article. 

Why Are Blood Stains So Hard to Remove?

Blood stains are harder to remove than a lot of other stains. 

So, why are they so hard to remove? Blood contains a substance called Hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is what makes your blood clot when it is exposed to air. 

This is wonderful when you get a cut or scrape that is bleeding. However, it is very pesky to remove from fabric. When the blood gets in the fabric, the hemoglobin starts to clot. This binds the blood into the threads or fabric and makes it extra hard to remove.

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Summary

To recap, here are the substances you can use to remove blood stains from bed sheets:

  • Cold Water
  • Vinegar
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Bleach
  • Lemon Juice
  • Baking Soda
  • Salt Water
  • Ammonia
  • Borax
  • Meat Tenderizer
  • Enzymatic Cleaners