How To Get Blood Out Of Sheets - Simple Step By Step Guide

Written by Nectarsleep Editorial Team

Last updated on Sep 08, 2023

Better Sleep Blog
How To Get Blood Out Of Sheets - Simple Step By Step Guide

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Step By Step Professional Guide How To Get Blood Out Of Sheets – Seeing our bed made up properly makes it look so inviting for sleep, but when our bed sheets are starting to look dirty, we often grab a new set to replace the old one which will be thrown in the washer. Although washing our sheets after a week or two of use is recommended, there is always that challenging menstrual week where there is a possibility that you might stain your sheets.

And it’s not just your period that may cause blood stains to appear, because there are other factors too such as having a bloody nose, a cut, and so on. When our bedding gets stained with blood, we often wonder how to get blood out of sheets as soon as possible to minimise the damage to our sheets.

We can’t help but worry about cleaning our stained sheets, but the good news is that there are steps that can make those stubborn dried blood stains fade and even disappear. Here are a few steps that you can take on how to get blood out of sheets.

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How To Get Fresh Blood Out Of Sheets

How To Get Fresh Blood Out Of Sheets

Use cold water

As soon as your bed sheets get period stains or other blood stains, make sure that you wash them with cold water. This helps prevent the blood, or any stain for that matter, from setting in the threads of your sheets. If you leave the blood sitting too long, it will be more difficult for you to remove the stains.

wash with shampoo

If you’ve managed to wash your sheet as soon as you have stained it, using your regular shampoo may help get rid of the stain fairly quickly.

Use Ammonia

Another tip for cleaning blood that has stained your sheets just a few minutes ago is to use ammonia. If you have some window cleaner on hand, you are in luck, because you only need to submerge the stained part in it and leave it for a while to soak. On the other hand, if the bloodstained area is too large, you will need to prepare a solution made from 2 parts of ammonia and one part cold water. Place this in a tub along with your stained sheet and let it soak for an hour to an hour and a half. Ammonia may work well to remove blood stains because it can break down the blood on the sheets and lift from your bed sheets. It should be noted to always read the care label first on your sheets. Ammonia may be too strong for some fabrics.

use your washing machine

After you have soaked your sheets, you can put your sheets in the washing machine and run it through the normal washing cycle. Only place sheets in your washer, and fill it up with cold water only. Hot water or lukewarm water may be too harsh your bedding so go with cold water first.

air dry your sheets

Once the wash cycle is done, hang your sheets and allow them to air dry. Although tossing yours in the dryer is going to be convenient, it will not help get rid of the remaining stains on your bedding. Air drying is more gentle as well.

Hydrogen Peroxide helps

There are instances when the use of ammonia is not enough in removing the tell-tale signs of blood stains which is why you may want to try a stronger solution in the form of hydrogen peroxide for your stain removal needs. However, compared to using ammonia solution, hydrogen peroxide may be a bit stronger as it comes with bleaching properties. This means that soaking for longer hours is not advised, especially when you are washing coloured sheets as they can lighten considerably. You can still give your stained sheets a soak, for half an hour only, then start your laundry afterwards.

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How To Get Blood Out Of Sheets For Stubborn Blood Stains

There are times when you just can’t clean blood stains as soon as they happen, which means that you will end up with dried blood that may not be too easy to remove. For those who are wondering how to get blood out of sheets after they a few days or weeks old? Here are a few tips to try out.

Use stain removal products

Like it was mentioned before, having a heavy period can mean waking up to dried blood staining your sheets. Fortunately, modern inventions have come up with some pretty good products that will help remove dried blood and stubborn stains. Look for enzymatic cleaner as well as oxygenated bleach which are considered as all-purpose stain removal products that are quite effective when it comes to dried blood. A good example of this is Carbona Stain Devils #4.

Use meat tenderizers

This may be an unusual solution to remove dried blood, but surprisingly, some users have reported success using this method. Using unseasoned meat tenderizer when it comes to removing dried blood stains can be effective which is why some parents are using it for getting rid of blood stains and other stubborn dirt. All that you have to do is to sprinkle some of the meat tenderizer powder on the dried stains, add a small amount of water, and mix until you create a paste. Leave it on for half an hour or more depending on how much the blood has set, then rinse afterwards using cold water. Go and do your laundry afterwards for further cleaning.

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Common Items To Help Remove Blood Stains

Vinegar

If there is a fresh blood stain on your bed sheets, grab your white vinegar and pour some on the stain. Allow it to soak for about 5 to 10 minutes then blot afterwards with a clean cloth or towel. Repeat the procedure as needed then wash afterwards.

WD-40

Another possible solution to remove fresh blood stains on your sheets or mattress is to use WD-40. Pretreat the bloodstains by spraying this product on the stain and wait for a few minutes. Launder your garment normally. What’s great about this product is that it helps lift the blood stains so that when you wash it, it will come off easily.

Cold Salt Water

Soaking your stained sheets or clothes in a tub of cold salt water is yet another trick to making your garments looking great. You should leave it to soak for 3 to 4 hours. Use a dishwashing liquid or liquid detergent and rub it on the stained part before you wash. This will help alleviate the appearance of stains.

Cornstarch

The faster you deal with blood stains, the sooner you will be able to get rid of them. And if you have some cornstarch on hand, then you are in luck. Mix water with cornstarch until you form a paste and apply on the stains on your fabric. Rub gently and place the fabric in a sunny spot in your home until it has dried. Brush off any powder residue. If you can still see stains on the fabric, you can repeat the process.

Cola

Here’s another solution that may not cross your mind when you want to remove the blood stains, but cola does help in lightening the stain. This is due to the phosphoric acid as well as carbonation that you can get from this beverage. Just pour cola on the stain and leave it on until you see the stain disappear. This may take a few hours, depending on how long the stain is left behind, but you will be able to notice the difference from the old stain to the effects of cola.

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