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Removing Blood Stains?

Not-Bogart13

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,501
Location
NE Pennsylvania
Prick us, do we not bleed? Stain us, do we not spot-clean?
(Sorry. Frustrated former English teacher.)

I need to attempt getting a blood stain out, and I could use some guidance. Any input would be helpful.

Also. I was looking at the advice given in Classic Style #5. The article applies to shirts, but I imagine it could apply to most machine washable fabric. At the end of the section on blood, bodily fluids, etc. it says: "For blood, use hydrogen peroxide." This feels like the hp should be replacing something mentioned previously, and I don't want to make assumptions. Anybody know for sure?
 

Vanessa

One Too Many
Messages
1,055
Location
SoCal
For dried blood stains - OxyClean. It's taken blood & rust stains out of 100 year Edwardian underthings.

For wet blood - spit on it quick and start rubbing as you make your way to a cold water faucet to rinse.

Edit for some science: "The enzymes in spit used to help digest food also degrade the proteins in blood that make it so difficult to clean. This method works well, but it is also recommended to wash with cold water and use stain removers. It works well on not only items of clothing, but on rugs."
 

Miss Neecerie

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,616
Location
The land of Sinatra, Hoboken
The other thing that will take blood out..even dried blood...

Hydrogen peroxide.

Seriously, it foams up just like it does when you pour it on a cut...and takes it out.

if i am remembering right...Oxy clean works using a related compound...
 

Sunny

One Too Many
Messages
1,409
Location
DFW
Miss Neecerie said:
The other thing that will take blood out..even dried blood...

Hydrogen peroxide.

Seriously, it foams up just like it does when you pour it on a cut...and takes it out.

if i am remembering right...Oxy clean works using a related compound...
Ditto ditto ditto. Just keep using it, over and over and over.
 

Paisley

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,439
Location
Indianapolis
I use Shout; it works on dried blood. Hydrogen peroxide works as well (soak a cotton swab in it and you have a tool for cleaning a bloody nose), but doesn't it bleach fabric?

Maybe it's the hard water around here, but I never noticed any difference when I used Oxyclean in my laundry.
 

Otium

New in Town
Messages
38
Location
Just Outside the Beltway, MD
I can confirm they hydrogen peroxide

Miss Neecerie said:
The other thing that will take blood out..even dried blood...

Hydrogen peroxide.

Seriously, it foams up just like it does when you pour it on a cut...and takes it out.

if i am remembering right...Oxy clean works using a related compound...

My son is going through chemo and one day while they were drawing blood samples some spilled onto my white linen pants. The nurses all told me just use tiny amounts of hydrogen peroxide and just keep going until it goes away. After no more than 10 minutes then a quick washing and they were as good as new. Some nurses felt too much could permanently change colors, but it worked fine on everything so far.
 

Brinybay

Practically Family
Messages
571
Location
Seattle, Wa
tortswon said:
What exactly are you guys up in the Poconos doing that is creating blood stains?

Yeah, my thoughts too! You may be able to clean the blood stain to the naked eye, but the cops have that stuff called Luminol!
:kick:
 

DBLIII

One of the Regulars
Messages
229
Location
Hill City, SD
While I can't comment on removing bloodstains, I would certainly recommend that you back up a few steps before shooting the bad guy. Saves on cleaning. :D
 

Not-Bogart13

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,501
Location
NE Pennsylvania
draw2wc.gif
I thought I was a good distance away, but he had some kind of clotting problem or something. It didn't say anything about that in the contract! :rage:
 
Messages
10,933
Location
My mother's basement
My mother tells of her mother soaking my grandfather's white work shirts in a tub filled with salt water. My grandfather worked at an Oscar Mayer plant, where hogs and cattle entered on one side of the building and hot dogs and bologna went out the other.

Keep in mind that this was long before the sorts of stain removers available to us now (although hydrogen peroxide must have been around then), but my dear old Mom tells me that the salt water soak did indeed take out the blood stains in those white shirts.
 

Bugsy

One Too Many
Messages
1,126
Location
Sacramento/San Francisco Bay Area
Not-Bogart13 said:
Prick us, do we not bleed? Stain us, do we not spot-clean?
(Sorry. Frustrated former English teacher.)

I need to attempt getting a blood stain out, and I could use some guidance. Any input would be helpful.

Also. I was looking at the advice given in Classic Style #5. The article applies to shirts, but I imagine it could apply to most machine washable fabric. At the end of the section on blood, bodily fluids, etc. it says: "For blood, use hydrogen peroxide." This feels like the hp should be replacing something mentioned previously, and I don't want to make assumptions. Anybody know for sure?

A few months ago, as I was getting out of the shower, the glass door shattered all over me. There was blood everywhere including the bath mat, and the towels. It looked like Norman Bates had found out where I live. I was ready to throw out the towels etc, but I threw them in the washer with a good handful of BIZ. Not a trace of the stains can be found--unless you're a CSI, I suppose.
 

funneman

Practically Family
Messages
851
Location
South Florida
tonyb said:
My grandfather worked at an Oscar Mayer plant, where hogs and cattle entered on one side of the building and hot dogs and bologna went out the other.

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap That is by far, the funniest description of a slaughterhouse I have ever read. :eusa_clap :eusa_clap
 

Mrs. Merl

Practically Family
Messages
527
Location
Colorado Mountains
I second the spit - seriously. I have even had luck with dried blood. Then if the fabric can handle it a tooth brush on the spot. Especially if you can get one of the brushes with the finer, softer bristles on the tip. Then I spot clean like usual.
 

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