Clean with Dirt: How to Get Blood out of Clothes

Blood, sweat and tears. Reminders of the varied and sometimes unpredictable nature of our days. 

An accident will inevitably happen at some point, and you'll need to know a surefire way to get blood out of clothes. Luckily, we know how to take care of bloodstains, both old and fresh. 

When tackling bloodstains, instead of experimenting with homemade remedies that you may use on other stains like vinegar, toothpaste or baking soda, our recommendation is not to risk it and instead stick with tried and tested products that'll work every time. 

Like most stains, blood is easiest to remove from clothes when the stain is fresh.

As soon as an accident happens, reach for a powder soaker with enzyme action (ie our Powder Booster), or simply your laundry detergent, either the Advanced Wash or Original Laundry Detergent will do. 

Because blood is primarily a protein stain, enzymes are the absolute key ingredient for blood stains.  

How to remove fresh blood stains out of clothes 

1. Rinse the clothing in cold water to flush out as much of the blood as possible. 
   
   
2. Soak the stain in Powder Booster. If the stain is small, you can make a paste on the affected area instead. Allow up-to 30mins to work, occasionally agitating the stained area. 
   
   
3. Alternatively Spot treat the stain with an enzymatic laundry liquid like Dirt.  Allow up-to 30mins to work, occasionally agitating the stained area. 
   
   
4. Wash as per normal. Avoid a hot wash as heat sets stains.
   A warm 40 degree wash is the optimal temperature for product performance, but cooler temps will also work. 
   
   
5. Check the stain and repeat if necessary. Avoid putting your clothing in the dryer if the stain is still there. Simply repeat the process while wet.

How to get dried blood stains out of clothes 

You can still successfully get rid of bloodstains that are old and have set in your clothes; they just require a little more oomph. Because the stain has set in, you'll benefit from the cleaning properties of oxygen activated bleach in addition to the enzyme action to break down the protein stain. 

Oxygen activated bleach can be found in our powder booster, so if you're already using that, the above steps apply. However, if you're just using laundry detergent to treat the stains, you'll benefit from the addition of an oxygen bleach based stain remover such as our Stain Remover. 

Here are the steps. 

1. Rinse the clothing in cold water to flush out as much of the blood as possible. 
   
   
2. Spot treat the stain with an enzymatic laundry liquid like Dirt. Wait a few minutes, and agitate the stained area. 
   
   
3. Apply stain remover to the stain a few minutes later and allow a few minutes for it to work (up to 30mins). 
   
   
4. Wash as per normal. Avoid a hot wash as heat sets stains.
   A warm 40 degree wash is the optimal temperature for product performance, but cooler temps will also work. 
   
   
5. Check the stain and repeat if necessary. Avoid putting your clothing in the dryer if the stain is still there. Simply repeat the process while wet.
   
   

Remember, it is always possible to remove old blood stains, but depending on how deeply set they are, it may take a few attempts.

Agitation, and repetition are your best friends if you're trying to revive a lost favourite. 

How to get blood stains out of carpets, mattresses and other non-washable surfaces. 

We know it's not always possible to throw things in the washing machine, especially when the things that have been blood stained are enormous, and or fixed textiles. 

The premise of blood stain removal remains; first flush, then use enzymes plus (if necessary) bleach, and then remove. 

The trick, is timing. You have to allow enough time for the products to work, but not so much that they start to damage the delicate fibres that often exist. 

Here are the steps: 

1. Flush with water to remove most of the stain. Critically, you'll need to use cold water. To flush, take a wet towel and dab/blot the affected area. Then take a dry towel, and do the same. Repeat the process. 
   
   
2. Spot treat the stain with an enzymatic laundry liquid like Dirt, or our Powder Booster.  Leave the product on for 1-2 minutes. Then agitate the stain, and wait another 1-2 minutes. Don't let the total treatment time exceed 5 minutes. 
   
   
3. Repeat step number one. You need to remove all the product from the surface. Take your damp towel, and dab/ blot across the treated area. Take your dry towel, and dab remove the moisture. Remember this process works by lifting, not scrubbing. Repeat at least two times, being sure to rinse your towel with fresh water between each round. 
   
   
4. Check the stain and repeat if necessary. Wait until the area is almost dry to assess if you need to repeat this. If the stain looks stubborn, repeat again. 
   
   

Shop Blood Stain Remover Products: 

Powder Booster
Original Laundry Detergent
Advanced Wash
Stain Remover