When blood accidentally gets on clothing, furniture and other surfaces, it can be difficult to figure out what to do. The cleaning process depends on the amount of blood and how long it’s been there. Accidents happen and whether you’ve pricked your neck shaving or something more serious happens, handling blood stains is a headache. If you are dealing with an extreme case of blood, you may need to work with a bioremediation cleaning company. Let’s learn how to remove blood stains from clothing and other surfaces on your own.
Blood stains are easier to remove when you get to them quickly
Similar to most stains, you’ll want to try to clean blood ASAP, so it doesn’t have time to soak. It’s important to avoid putting the clothes in the laundry machine first. Instead, you should act quickly, use a wet cloth with cold water, and dab the area with blood. According to Today.com, heat of any kind will set the stain, so colder water is better. Rather than pouring on a lot of water and rubbing the stain, it’s best practice to dab with a wet cloth until the blood is removed.
Next, you’ll want to apply a small amount of hydrogen peroxide directly to the stain. This home remedy should do wonders to help get out blood and should be followed by a rinse with cold water. If there is still blood after dabbing with cold water and hydrogen peroxide, you may want to use detergent. The best products to use are those specifically made for fighting stains and mix them with a bit of water. If you don’t have any on hand, water and any other mild detergent could also do the trick. The rule of thumb to follow is the more intense the stain, the longer the soak.
These steps are all good tricks to have on hand and can help with manageable blood stains. Remember, the quicker you’re able to act, the better chance you’ll have of being able to remove blood. Once you’re finished cleaning your clothes no matter if you’re using detergent, hydrogen peroxide, or water, it’s important to give them a thorough wash before wearing them again.
What if there are blood stains on other fabrics?
If you happen to get blood throughout your home on other surfaces, there is another home remedy you can try. Keep in mind that the same rules apply to cleaning blood from clothes like working quickly and avoiding hot water. Using dishwashing detergent can be a great tool. Try mixing a small amount of detergent with cold water (Healthline suggests 1 tablespoon detergent to 2 cups water). Then wet a clean cloth with the mixture and blot/ dab the stain. Keep repeating blotting until the blood goes away. When the blood is gone make sure to blot the area with fresh cold water to remove any remaining detergent.
When to bring in a bioremediation cleaning company
We all know accidents happen and when they do, you’ll likely be faced with having to remove blood stains from clothing and other surfaces. While using these techniques can help remove minor stains, there may be times when you need professional cleaning companies to come in and do a safe deep cleaning. When blood starts to pool, throughout the home in multiple areas, or you feel overwhelmed with the area needing to be cleaned, a bioremediation cleaning company might be what you need.
At Xtreme Cleaners, we will come in and clean the area thoroughly and safely. Our biohazard specialists are thoroughly trained to comply with OSHA standards for blood and body fluid cleanup. We are also experts in handling sensitive situations and will work with you discreetly and with great care throughout the process. If you are in need of blood or trauma cleanup services, call us at (800) 524-9591.
