COIT’s Guide to Removing Blood Stains
When it comes to keeping your home clean, your average household cleaner usually removes dirt and odor, right?
But when the Band-Aids don’t do their job, what should you use for blood stain removal on various surfaces in your home?
COIT offers step-by-step guides to help remove blood stains that are tough to clean.
Why Does Blood Stain?
Simply stated, blood is made up of cells and watery liquid called plasma. Since plasma is about 93% water, you would think a blood stain would be easy to remove, right?
Not the case. Blood stains are definitely high on the list of tough stains to remove, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get rid of them.
Get Some Water….Fast!
Water is definitely your friend when it comes to blood stain removal; and so is time. The faster you act, the more likely you are to remove the stain.
Use cold water, instead of hot water, if the blood stain is rather recent. You may be able to wipe it away with a cloth before it dries. Hot water can help the stain set into the surface, while cold water does the opposite.
Blood Stain Removal Step-by-Step Instructions
How to Remove Blood Spots from Carpet
COIT’s Guide to Removing Blood Stains from Carpet
When you ask yourself how to get blood out of carpet, the key thing to remember is the sooner you act, the better. If a bloodstain has time to set in on your carpet, it may become even more difficult to remove.
COIT’s step-by-step guide will show you how to remove blood from carpet. Check out the instructions below.
- If the bloodstain you’re trying to remove is dry, go ahead and brush it with a steel brush to loosen the stain. This action will remove the surface deposit.
- Mix one teaspoon of hand dishwashing detergent with two cups of cold water.
- Take a clean, white cloth and dip it in the detergent solution you just mixed.
- Blot directly on the bloodstain, repeatedly.
- Repeat steps 3 and 4 until the stain has disappeared.
If this process does not get blood out of your carpet, follow these steps as an alternative stain removal option.
- Mix one-half cup of warm water with one tablespoon of ammonia.
- Using a cloth or sponge, apply the ammonia solution directly onto the bloodstain.
- Blot the stain until the liquid is fully absorbed.
- Apply a sponge dipped in cold water directly to the stain, and blot dry.
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Non-Chemical Way to Remove Blood Stains from Carpet
If you’re not a fan of using dishwashing detergent or ammonia to get blood out of carpet, here is another way to tackle removing the stain.
- Fill a spray bottle with cold water (if you don’t have a spray bottle, you can wet a white cloth and apply it to the stain.)
- Spray the cold water onto the bloodstain.
- If the stain is rather large, spray the stain from the outside, working your way in. This will prevent the blood stain from spreading and bleeding onto a larger area of the carpet.
- Use a wet vac to suck out the remaining moisture (if you don’t have a wet-vac, use a dry towel to blot the stain.)
- To help the area dry faster, point a fan directly at the stain for a few minutes to remove excess moisture.
- Once the area is dry, vacuum to remove any excess dirt or stain residue.
- Continue to repeat steps 1 through 6 until the blood stain disappears.
Do you have a bloodstain on your carpet that just won’t disappear? For more advanced bloodstain removal that requires specialized, professional care, consider COIT Cleaning services. Don't forget to check out our coupons!
Remember to always do a spot removal test on a portion of carpet or upholstery that is normally not visible. These are suggested treatments only and COIT can't be held accountable for any damage sustained by the use of the treatments in this spot removal guide.
How to Remove Blood Stains from Upholstery
COIT’s Guide to Removing Blood Stains from Upholstery
The day-to-day hustle and bustle in your home can leave your furniture’s upholstery vulnerable to all kinds of wear and tear. From dirt to food, to dust, we carry in all kinds of stain-causing substances without knowing it.
And the last thing you want to carry onto your couch or chair’s upholstery is a bloodstain, right?
Remember to always do a spot removal test on a portion of carpet or upholstery that is normally not visible.
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Types of Upholstery
Before you try and remove a blood stain from upholstery, it’s important to know what kind of material you’re working with.
There are 8 different types of fibers in upholstery that contain different properties:
- Wool
- Cotton
- Nylon
- Leather
- Polyester
- Rayon
- Acrylic
- Olefin
In the 1800s, upholstery looked a bit different. Back then, upholstery was actually made of horse, hog, and cow hair, along with hay and straw. The industry has since turned to using more synthetic materials, like the ones listed above. Cushions, for example, are made of a high-density foam core, which helps them keep their shape.
How to get blood out of Upholstery?
To maintain the shape and quality of all of your upholstery, it’s important to remove any kind of stain using recommended techniques.
See COIT’s guide on how to get blood out of upholstery below. It gives you the 411 on do-it-yourself techniques.
- Take a cool, damp sponge or cloth and gently blot the bloodstain. Try to avoid scrubbing, as that can push the blood further into the upholstery. Begin on the outside of the stain, and gradually work inward (if the blood stain is dry, use a toothbrush to scrape off any residue before you begin blotting.)
- Mix a cup of cold water with a bit of club soda, and pour it onto the affected area. Using a sponge, continue to gently blot the stain.
- Repeat step 2 as the stain lightens. You can stop blotting with the sponge when it stops pulling blood from the affected surface.
- Mix 80% water, 10% glycerin, and 10% laundry detergent in a cup or bowl. Pour this mixture into a spray bottle and shake well until it’s blended.
- Spray two to three times directly onto the bloodstain. Scrub with a sponge in a circular motion to gradually lighten the stain.
- Once the stain is removed, pour cold water onto the area, and pat dry with a towel. You can keep the mixture of glycerin, water, and detergent and store it for future blood stain removal.
Do you have a bloodstain on your upholstery that you can’t seem to remove on your own? For more advanced bloodstain removal that requires specialized, professional care, consider COIT Cleaning services. Don't forget to check out our coupons!
Remember to always do a spot removal test on a portion of carpet or upholstery that is normally not visible.
These are suggested treatments only and COIT can't be held accountable for any damage sustained by the use of the treatments in this spot removal guide.
