Grandmother's remedies for removing all types of blood stains

A little accident in everyday life can happen so quickly, and sometimes it leaves marks... not just emotional ones, but also blood stains.

Clothes, fabrics, mattresses, leather... blood stains can embed themselves everywhere, and the longer you wait, the harder it will be to get rid of them.

Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.

In this guide, I'll ask the maids available on Yoojo to give us their best grandmother’s tips for removing a blood stain. It doesn’t matter if it’s fresh, dried, or a special case; you’ll find everything in this guide:

❌ Preliminary reading before attempting to remove any blood stains

Watch out, blood stains are stubborn! 

They will cling to the material they have fallen on and will try to make your life difficult if you don’t follow these essential rules:

• Never rub a blood stain; you risk spreading it and embedding it even more (instead, dab to absorb).

• Never wash a blood stain with hot water; you risk setting the blood into the fabric.

• Never wash the stain directly in the washing machine without treating it by hand first.

• Never wait for the blood stain to dry; it will be harder to remove.

• Always test the methods described below on a less visible area before trying them on the blood stain. This helps avoid surprises!

As long as you follow these five basic rules, you can get rid of all blood stains, and we’ll explain how.

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🩸Cleaning a fresh blood stain

Have you just noticed a fresh blood stain? Great! The quicker you act, the better your chances of saving your furniture or clothing from this ugly red stain.

If the blood stain is fresh, gently dab with paper towels to absorb most of the blood, then carefully pour a little cold water onto the stain before letting your garment soak in a bath of cold water.

You can use sparkling water or aspirin; the effervescent effect will help dislodge the stubborn blood cells.

The fresh blood stain should disappear. If it doesn’t, you can also use the following methods:

Removing a blood stain with baking soda

Baking soda is a miracle product with numerous uses. Its absorbent power can help you tackle a fresh blood stain. It’s particularly effective when you can’t run the stain directly under cold water.

Take your baking soda and dilute one part in two parts of water. Apply your magic baking soda mixture to the blood stain and wait at least 30 minutes for it to dry.

Then, gently remove the powder to avoid spreading the stain if it isn’t completely dry. If the blood stain has disappeared, wash the fabric to get rid of any remaining baking soda.

Using flour to absorb a blood stain

No baking soda at home?

Here’s a simple and easy tip since you probably always have flour at home. Use its absorbent power by making a thick paste of flour and water.

Moisten the blood stain and spread your paste over the entire surface of the stain. Let it sit until the flour is dry. The blood stain should have disappeared. If it has, you can clean the surface.

Can white vinegar be used to get rid of a blood stain?

Yes!

Just like baking soda, white vinegar is a fantastic product that you should always have at home. To remove blood stains, use just a few drops of white vinegar to cover the area.

Wait at least 10 minutes before cleaning with a damp cloth.

Hydrogen peroxide: the solution for whites.

Why only for whites? Well, not really, but hydrogen peroxide is well known for whitening and can sometimes damage certain fabrics. 

Only use it if the blood stain is really stubborn and if you’re not too attached to the stained item.

Start by testing it on a less visible area to see the reaction. If the fabric isn’t damaged, you can apply hydrogen peroxide directly to the blood stain.

Using baby saline solution

You’re out for a walk with your baby when suddenly, a blood stain ruins your day... no problem!

If you have saline solution for your baby’s nose, you can use it to get rid of that nasty stain. Run the fabric under cold water, then apply the saline solution to the stain. 

Gently dab and rinse with cold water, and voilà... you’ve just saved a garment from the bin!

Removing a blood stain with soap

If you’re on the go and don’t have a cleaning product handy, you can also clean a blood stain with soap. 

It’s certainly less effective than the techniques mentioned above, but it can still save your day in case of a small stain.

To do this, run the blood stain under cold water to dampen it as much as possible. 

Then, take some soap, apply it to the stain, and lather the stained area as much as possible. Rinse your garment and pop it in the washing machine (on a cold cycle) when you get home.

Getting rid of a blood stain with Coca-Cola

Did you have a wild night and spill blood on your clothing? 

No worries, if you have a blood stain on your garment, soak it in Coca-Cola overnight, and you’ll see that Coke is truly magical. 

Then, run the fabric through the washing machine to remove the cola smell!

But be careful; as you can imagine, this technique is not recommended for delicate clothing.

Use ammonia for stubborn blood stains

Ammonia is a bit of a last resort for blood stains that refuse to budge. Be careful, though, as there are several precautions to take.

First of all, don’t use ammonia on wool, linen, or silk. Also, always wear a mask because the fumes are toxic. Finally, open a window because ammonia has a really strong smell.

Once you’re ready, pour a tablespoon of ammonia into half a cup of cold water. Gently pour this mixture over the stain and rinse thoroughly with cold water.

🩸Remove a dried/old blood stain

Unfortunately, you didn’t clean a blood stain immediately, and it’s now dried? The longer you wait, the harder it will be to get rid of it, but the battle isn’t lost.

Indeed, there are some good old-fashioned grandmother’s tips that can help you tackle those pesky blood stains!

The ice cube technique

As mentioned earlier, you should never wash a blood stain with hot water, and always use cold water. 

If your blood stain has been dry for a while, placing an ice cube on it will help moisten it. 

This is particularly handy for carpets or mattresses that you can't necessarily run under the tap.

Once your stain is "fresh," you can blot it with absorbent paper and use one of the techniques mentioned above depending on the material of the stain. 

Gently rub with soap for delicate fabrics or use bicarbonate for larger stains.

Use lemon juice to absorb blood

 

Lemon has fantastic properties! It will help absorb most of the blood cells in just a few minutes.

To do this, start by moistening the dried blood stain, either by running it under cold water for a few minutes or using an ice cube, then let the stain soak in fresh lemon juice for a few minutes.

Then rinse the area with cold water to clean.

Use 70% alcohol for old blood stains

Some stains can be quite stubborn and will give you a hard time. In this case, be sure to moisten the blood stain with cold water, soak a cloth in 70% alcohol, and gently blot the stain.

If you see the stain starting to fade, you can begin to rub it gently. Once it has completely disappeared, remember to wash the area thoroughly to remove the smell of alcohol.

Using toothpaste method

 

This is a household product you’re sure to have at home. This method is mainly recommended for white fabrics (clothes, sheets) to avoid replacing a blood stain with a white one.

Apply toothpaste to the blood stain and gently work it in. Let the toothpaste dry and then rinse with very cold water. You’ll then need to wash the fabric well to get rid of the toothpaste smell.

🩸Remove a blood stain: special cases

Some items require special attention or are more difficult to clean than others. Let’s discover together how to get rid of blood for these particular cases.

Clean a blood stain on a mattress

 

This is undoubtedly the household item on which it is particularly difficult to remove a blood stain, as it's hard to run your mattress under the cold tap in the bathroom!

In these circumstances, it's best to opt for a paste strategy that absorbs the blood stain without soaking the mattress.

If the stain is very fresh, use a paste made with one part bicarbonate of soda and two parts water. You can also use the toothpaste technique, letting it dry, then scraping and cleaning.

If the stain is dry, try using an ice cube to moisten it, then blot it with absorbent paper.

In extreme cases, you can also use 70% alcohol or ammonia (do not inhale and open the windows wide), but you'll need to scrub with soap afterward to remove the smell from the mattress.

How to remove a blood stain from jeans?

If you wear jeans every day, there’s a good chance your blood stain has landed on them. Luckily, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s quite easy to get rid of!

Run your stain under the cold tap, and if it’s stubborn, scrub with a toothbrush and washing-up liquid. This is usually enough to remove all blood stains from jeans. 

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How to remove a blood stain from a wall?

This is much more complicated, as it’s very easy to spread the blood stain rather than remove it. 

To start, try using absorbent products like flour, bicarbonate of soda, or diatomaceous earth. 

This way, you’ll remove most of the blood without risking spreading it on your paint or wallpaper.

If there’s still a bit left, you can then use a damp cloth to blot the stain to remove the rest. If that’s not enough, you can use hydrogen peroxide and a toothbrush.

How to remove a blood stain from cotton?

Cotton is a sensitive fabric that will absorb blood and dry quickly. 

To prevent the stain from becoming too difficult to clean, try to rinse it under cold water as soon as possible (avoid hot water at all costs). Normally, this should allow the majority of the blood stain to dilute in the water.

Even more effectively, you can use hydrogen peroxide or aspirin and cold water. 

Soak your garment in this solution, and the effervescent action of the aspirin will attack the blood molecules trying to cling on.

You can also try using cold water with salt or white vinegar for more stubborn blood stains.

Don’t forget to wash the area with Marseille soap before machine washing to remove any smell and potential marks.

Removing a blood stain from leather

For leather, it’s essential to act quickly, as it could absorb the blood. In this case, we recommend using a mixture of half white vinegar and half cold water. Soak a clean cloth and dab the blood stain to make it disappear.

This should normally suffice, but if it doesn’t, you can also use hydrogen peroxide or bicarbonate of soda.

Avoid bleach, as it risks discolouring your leather and leaving indelible marks.