Our article about getting rid of blood stains is the second article (well, technically the fourth) in our series of articles regarding stain removal. Blood stains present a particular problem because of their organic nature (ie. they’re protein-based). Protein-based stains tend to bind to materials, fabrics, and surfaces quite easily, especially if they’re exposed to heat. Blood, in particular, can be almost impossible to clean if it’s been exposed to heat from, say, a dryer or even something as innocuous as hot water. The basic set of steps in regarding blood stain removal are as follows:
- Blot away as much blood as possible from the fabric.
- Flush or dab water over the stain.
- Soak the stained clothing or fabric with a pretreatment solution like hydrogen peroxide or enzyme detergent.
- Launder the fabric (if possible) in cold water.
- Air dry the fabric in a dark, cool area.
Those are the five main techniques described, as well as some blood stain dos and don’ts. All in all, I’m fairly certain that if you have a blood stain problem, this article should help you address that problem with a better understanding of how blood stains happen and how you might get rid of those blood stains. God, what a morbid topic. I can’t wait to do vomit or urine.
