How to remove blood stains from clothes

To remove a blood stain from clothes, act fast and use cold water only. Hold the stain under a cold tap from the back of the fabric so the water pushes the blood out, not further in. Rub a little bar soap or dish soap into the spot and work it between your thumbs, then rinse again. For what is left, soak the piece in cold salt water or an oxygen bleach solution, and on white cotton you can dab on a little 3% hydrogen peroxide. Wash as normal in cold water and check the spot before drying. Never use hot water and never put it in the dryer or under an iron until the stain is gone, because heat sets blood for good.

Small cuts, nosebleeds and periods all leave blood on shirts, school uniforms, bed sheets and pillowcases. The good news is that fresh blood usually comes out completely if you treat it the same day.

What you need

• Cold tap water
• Bar soap, dish soap or your usual liquid detergent
• A basin or bucket
• Table salt (optional)
• Oxygen bleach (sodium percarbonate) for whites and colourfast cotton (optional)
• 3% hydrogen peroxide from the pharmacy, for white cotton only (optional)
• A clean white cloth or cotton pads

First, check the fabric

Look at the care label before you treat the stain.

• Cotton, linen and polyester handle cold rinsing, soap and soaking well.
• Coloured clothes may fade with hydrogen peroxide or bleach. Stick to cold water, soap and salt, and test anything stronger on an inside seam first.
• Silk, wool, satin and anything marked “dry clean only” should not be scrubbed or soaked. Blot gently with cold water and get help.

Never mix chlorine bleach with hydrogen peroxide, vinegar or ammonia.

How to remove blood stains, step by step

1. Rinse with cold water from the back. Turn the piece inside out and hold the stain under a cold running tap. The water pushes the blood out the way it came in. Hot or warm water cooks the protein in blood into the fibres, so keep it cold the whole time.

   

2. Rub in a little soap. Work bar soap, dish soap or a drop of liquid detergent into the spot and rub the fabric against itself between your thumbs. Rinse under cold water and repeat until the water runs clear.

   

3. Soak if a mark is left. Soak the piece for about 30 minutes to an hour in cold water with a tablespoon or two of salt. For white or colourfast cotton, an oxygen bleach soak made as the packet says works on older stains too.

4. Dab hydrogen peroxide on white cotton. For a stubborn spot on a white shirt or sheet, dab on a little 3% hydrogen peroxide with a clean white cloth. It will fizz. Leave it for a few minutes, blot, and rinse well with cold water. Do not use it on coloured clothes, silk or wool.

   

5. Wash in cold water. Wash the piece with your usual detergent on a cold or cool setting.

6. Check before drying. Look at the spot before it goes on the line or near a dryer or iron. If you can still see it, repeat the soap and soak steps. Air-dry it until the stain is fully gone.

Dried and old blood stains

Dried blood is harder but often still comes out. Soak the piece in cold water for a few hours or overnight first to loosen the stain, then go through the steps above. An oxygen bleach soak is the best home option for old stains on whites. If a stain has already been through a hot wash or the dryer, it may leave a light brown shadow that will not fully lift.

Blood on bed sheets and mattresses

Strip the sheet or pillowcase straight away and rinse the spot from the back under a cold tap, then follow the same steps. Our guide on how to wash bedding at home covers the rest of the wash. For a mattress, you cannot rinse it, so dab the spot with a cloth dampened in cold water and a little dish soap, blot dry with a clean towel, and do not soak it.

If the blood has left a yellow shadow on a white shirt, see how to remove yellow stains from a white shirt. For other common marks, read our guides on curry stains and lipstick on a white shirt.

When to leave it to a professional

Home treatment works best on fresh stains on cotton and synthetics. Get help for silk, wool, satin, suits, festive and traditional wear, and anything marked “dry clean only”. Our post on what not to machine-wash explains which pieces are safer away from water.

FAQ

Does hot water remove blood stains?

No. Hot water sets blood into the fabric. Always rinse and wash blood stains in cold water.

Does salt remove blood stains?

A cold salt-water soak can help loosen a fresh stain before washing. It works best together with cold rinsing and soap.

Can hydrogen peroxide be used on coloured clothes?

It can lighten or bleach colours, so it is safest on white cotton. On coloured clothes, test it on a hidden seam first, or stick to cold water, soap and salt.

Can old blood stains be removed?

Often, yes. Soak in cold water for a few hours, then treat with soap and an oxygen bleach soak on whites. A stain that has been through a hot wash or dryer may leave a faint mark.

Blood stains at our Cheras shop

If the stain is on something delicate or precious, or it will not shift at home, Superman Laundry in Taman Cheras (Cheras Yulek) can help. Stain removal is RM8 or RM10 per piece depending on size, a bedsheet is RM8 (single or super single) or RM9 (king or queen), and dry cleaning starts at RM14 for a shirt. See curtains and bedding, dry cleaning and our prices page for all current rates. Stain removal results vary by fabric and stain. Your items are never mixed with other customers’ laundry. You can drop off at the shop, or use pickup and delivery (minimum order RM80, fee quoted by distance). We are open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 7pm. Most jobs are ready within about 3 working days, and express is available. WhatsApp 013-833 5526 if you want to ask about a piece first.