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From outdoor accidents, to kitchen mishaps, however they come to be, blood stains can be a nuisance; and if they end up on light colored clothing or carpet, they’re even worse. But before you start heading towards the trash can with that white linen shirt, give our simple blood stain removal method a try.
This method is so easy and so awesome, it only takes one ingredient to get the job done. That’s right, one ingredient. So without further ado, let’s get to removing that blood stain.
Blood Stain Removal – Ingredient List
How does one ingredient get the job done?
Easy, it’s science. Hydrogen peroxide interacts with a naturally occurring enzyme in our blood and in most living things, called catalase. The interaction and subsequent breakdown of the two, produces oxygen and water which causes all of the fizzing and bubbling that you see. As this process occurs, the color of blood starts to fade away from your clothing.
Here are a few easy steps to make sure the cleaning process goes smoothly:
- Step 1 – Start removing the stain as quickly as you can, the quicker you start, the better chance you have of completely removing the stain.
- Step 2 – Start by putting the stain under cool-warm water in the sink and gently agitate the stain by rubbing the clothing together, this should remove some of the blood.
- Step 3 – Squeeze as much of the water out of the clothing as you can, use a dry washcloth if necessary to do get it as dry as possible.
- Step 4 – Pour a generous amount of Hydrogen Peroxide 3% on the stain and let it sit till it starts to bubble and fizz (5-10 seconds). Rub the stained clothing together as you pour more peroxide on the stain, let the excess peroxide run off and drain into the sink.
- Step 5 – Rinse the stain with cool water.
Wash or Repeat?
If the stain is fully removed, then simply throw the item into the wash or dry clean per your clothing manufacturer guidelines.
If there is still some remnants of the blood stain left, simply repeat this process and use more peroxide and agitate the clothing a little bit more. This is a tried and tested stain removal method, it should remove the stain.
One of the only ways the stain may remain, is if the stain has been sitting in the clothing for days, weeks, or longer. If you start cleaning the stain within a few hours, or better, a few minutes, your chances of saving the clothing are beyond excellent.
What about other fabrics and surfaces?
That’s easy. Simply follow the same steps as you would for a piece of clothing – just slightly altered.
Step 1 – Wash, rinse, or wipe the area with cool water and agitate the area as much as you can. You can use a scrub brush, piece of cloth, or even your fingertips, if you feel comfortable.
Step 2 – Dry the area as much as possible with a towel
Step 3 – Apply hydrogen peroxide to the area. Keep in mind, whatever you put down, you’ll have to try to soak up. If you have stains on a couch cushion for example, pour as little as possible and try to compensate by agitating and scrubbing the area. Have patience, the stain will come out eventually.
Step 4 – Rinse the area with cool water and repeat the process as necessary until the stain comes out.
Quick Tip – If your couch cushion cover is removable, simply remove the cover and treat it as a piece of clothing. Don’t soak your cushions if you don’t need to.
Quick Tip Continued – For carpet or rugs, follow the same process. Rinse the area with cool water first, dry the area as much as possible and follow up with Hydrogen Peroxide 3% to remove the stain.
DON’T PLACE YOUR CLOTHING IN THE DRYER UNTIL…..
Do not place your clothing into the dryer until the stain is completely removed. Heat will only lock in the stain and make it next to impossible to remove. So before you wash and dry your clothing or fabric, ensure the stain is completely gone.
Stain Removal Series Part 1
Now that you’ve taken care of that lingering blood stain, what other stains do you need to remove? Start from the beginning of our series and learn how to remove grease stains.