A blood stain is an organic stain, which means it's full of proteins, and proteins are programmed to bind together when heated, making them set fast into our clothes. This means it's important to resist the temptation to wash blood stains out with hot water and instead approach with slightlmore caution.
Wash on the usual cycle in cold water. Do not use hot water, as this will set the stain. Always check the instructions on the garment's care label.
Blood is full of proteins, and when exposed to hot temperatures, a protein will vibrate until it breaks the bonds that hold it together, causing the protein to clump. At that point, water loses the ability to wash them out, which is why you should always use cold water when cleaning blood from cloth.
Cold water is superior to hot water for blood stain removal. Attempting to remove the stain with hot water only helps blood to adhere to the material. Instead, cold water can help remove the blood without "setting" the stain in the process.
Protein stains such as dairy, blood, egg, glue, and white deodorant marks should always be washed in cold water. Hot water can actually cook the protein, causing it to absorb into the clothing fibres, and making it almost impossible to remove. Cold water helps lift the stain without setting it.
Typically, cold water works great on blood, as well as food, beverages and water-based paint, while hot water works best on protein-based stains. Unfortunately, there's no golden rule to stain removal. For example, most food stains should be soaked in cold water, unless it's egg, mustard or a tomato-based product.
Hot water can set some stains into fabric but can dissolve others depending on the composition of the stain. One example of a stain that requires cold water is a blood stain.
These stains are removed by using a bleaching agent, for example, hydrogen peroxide. These oxidizing agents break down the color-causing components of chemical structures so that the stain becomes invisible!
Sponge the stain with hydrogen peroxide, or rub bar soap into the stain. Pour the hydrogen peroxide onto the sponge, not directly on the stain. Scrub the stained garment by hand in cold water. Apply a laundry pre-treater, or rub in an enzyme-containing liquid laundry detergent.
Pretreat bloodstains with WD-40. Spray some directly on the stains, wait a couple of minutes, and then launder as usual. The WD-40 will help lift the blood stains so that it will come out easily in the wash. Try to get to the stain while it is still fresh because once it sets, it will be harder to get rid of.
Are Dried-in-Blood Stains Harder to Remove? Yes, unfortunately they are, and this task often needs something stronger than soap and water. The most effective method is to use hydrogen peroxide, an oxidizing agent that removes old blood stains via a chemical reaction, breaking it down.
No, the blood should not stain other clothes in the wash. That's because there's such a small amount of blood compared to the amount of water used in an average wash cycle.
Whenever blood is left on fabric for a long period of time, it tends to absorb and set into the fibres of the fabric, making it much more difficult to remove at a later date.
Hot water will set some stains, particularly protein based stains. Use cold or warm water on these before washing in hot water. Always test to be sure that a stain removal product will not damage fabric by applying to a small part of the fabric that is not easily seen.
Always use cold water when removing blood stains from bed sheets. Hot water can set the stain in further and make it difficult to remove. Once you notice the stain, remove your sheets and place the spot under cold running water. This will help flush out any excess blood.
Just apply a small amount of hydrogen peroxide directly to the stain and watch as the red blood stain disappears. In the case of old or stubborn stains, reapply as needed. After the stain is removed, rinse the area with cold water to remove any peroxide that may be left behind.
Dawn. If you have some Dawn dish soap, you can also use that to help remove blood stains. Dawn recommends applying a few drops of dish soap directly onto the fabric, covering the entire stain, and then rubbing it in with your fingers.
Old blood stains can be especially difficult to remove, however it's not always impossible. If the blood stains have been washed in hot water or put through the dryer, this could have set the stain and made them permanent.
Create a paste of baking soda and water and apply it to the still stained area. Allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes. Spray the baking soda with straight white vinegar and allow it to bubble. Blot up the mixture and stain with a clean white cloth.
Blood stains and hydrogen peroxide
But it's better than straight-up bleach because it's usually color-safe. Still, you should always make sure it won't discolor the fabric in question by placing a small dot on a hidden area.
Even when you can't treat a stain immediately, the five powerful Stain Fighters in OxiClean™ Max Force™ Spray tackle tough stains like dried-in blood. Rinse blood stain in cold water. Spray directly onto the spot or stain until saturated.
Distilled white vinegar is an effective tool for removing blood stains from fabric, particularly if the stains are still fresh. Pour a solution of one part vinegar to two parts water over the stain and let it soak for about 10-20 minutes then rinse or blot (don't scrub) with a damp cloth and repeat as necessary.
Cold water is fine for most clothes and other items that you can safely put in the washing machine. It can remove many stains from clothing, including grass on your kid's jeans or makeup smudges on a sweater. Delicate fabrics (lace and silk) and dark, colorful fabrics actually do best in cold water.
The best way to treat the stain is to immediately soak the stained area in a mixture of detergent and cool water, then pour boiling water after roughly 20 minutes, just like cleaning a fruit stain. If the clothes are cotton treat the stain with distilled vinegar before washing.
To clean sweat stains, soak the stains in a mix of ½ cup of distilled white vinegar with 1 cup of hot water. Then you can toss them in the wash on a hot water cycle, and you should see the stain lift.