How to Remove a Blood Stain from a Mattress

A mattress will encounter a wide variety of stains during its natural lifespan and that’s inevitable. Tea stains, wine stains and sweat stains are just a few examples, but none are as hard to remove as blood stains.

If you happen to find yourself in one or more of the following situations:

Then read along and learn how to get blood out of your mattress.

Cleaning supplies

If you act quickly, you can remove most blood stains with products you already have at home. So what are the products?

How to remove a bloodstain from a mattress?

Regardless of whether you’re dealing with menstrual blood, blood from a wound or a pet, the most important thing is to always act quickly. This can’t be stressed enough. Fresh blood is easier to remove than that which has dried and settled into the mattress fibres.

Another thing which can set blood stains is hot water, that’s why you should only cold water. How you work the stains is also important. Always dab and never rub, as rubbing will spread the stain further into the fibres and make it larger.

How to get fresh blood out of a mattress

Fresh blood on a mattress is easiest to remove and requires the simplest of ingredients.

Cold water

When the stain is fresh, literally minutes old, it’s worth to try and remove it only with cold water. The chances of it working are quite high, so…

1. Dampen a clean cloth and place it on the stained area for up to a minute;
2. Switch to a clean side and put it on the bloody area;
3. Repeat as many times as necessary until the stain is gone;
4. Leave to air dry.

Baking soda

Sodium bicarbonate works wonders in regular mattress cleaning and it will be of use here. With it, you will get a stronger cleaning solution.

1. Dab the stain in cold water – this is to absorb as much moisture from the stain as possible before cleaning. Be careful not to use too much water;
2. Sprinkle baking soda – be generous with the powder and let it sit on the stain for about 30 minutes;
3. Dab the baking soda – use a cold wet cloth;
4. Repeat as many times as necessary.

Lemon juice

Thanks to its citric acid, lemon juice breaks down blood stains and will prove useful if the stains are stubborn. However, use this product only on light fabrics as it can cause discolouration.

1. Wipe the stained area gently with a rag dipped in cold water;
2. Apply a little bit of lemon juice to the stain
3. Dab;
4. Leave to air-dry.

How do you get dried blood out of a mattress

Sometimes you notice the blood stain on your mattress when it’s too late and it’s dried up. Fortunately, it’s not impossible to remove it even then.

Hydrogen peroxide, cornstarch and salt

Dried blood is a little harder to remove from your mattress, that’s why you will need something stronger than baking soda. In fact, you will use a mix of ingredients.

1. Make your solution – get your small bowl, mix ½ cup of hydrogen peroxide with ½ cup of corn starch and add a tablespoon of salt. Pour a little bit of water until the substance becomes paste-like;
2. Dampen the stain with cold water – do this before applying the solution;
3. Apply the paste – you can use a spoon, an old toothbrush or a spatula to apply the substance;
4. Wait 30 minutes – in that time the paste will dry, but the hydrogen peroxide will start to bubble. Don’t worry about that;
5. Dab the stain – when the bubbling stops, get a clean damp cloth and dab until you remove both the solution and the stain;
6. Leave the mattress to air dry.

Meat tenderizer

Believe it or not, meat tenderizers can prove useful for removing blood from your mattress thanks to its ability to break down protein bonds.

1. Create a paste – mix meat tenderizer and some cold water;
2. Cover the stain with the paste – use either your spatula or old soft-bristled brush to apply the paste;
3. Wait about an hour;
4. Remove the paste – you can do this by dabbing it with a dry towel.

Enzyme cleaners

Enzyme cleaners are specially designed to break down molecules into tiny pieces, so they become easier to remove. In your case, when you want to remove blood stains from a mattress, you need to find an enzyme cleaner that is suited for upholstery, fabrics or mattresses. After you purchase the right one…

1. Spray on a towel – you mustn’t apply the product directly onto the mattress, instead, use a towel soaked with the product;
2. Blot the area;
3. Let the mattress air-dry;
4. Vacuum clean to remove residue.

How to clean bed sheets from blood stains?

Much like your mattress, the key to removing blood from sheets is a fast response.

1. Flush the stain – hold the stained part of the sheet under cold running water. The water must be running at full force so it will push the blood out of the fabric as much as possible;
2. Pretreat the stain – Use a soft-bristled brush to work in an enzyme-based stain remover into the fabric;
3. Put the sheet away – leave it for about 15 minutes so the stain remover can do its job;
4. Inspect the sheets – the stain must not be visible. If it still is, fill a container with cold water, add oxygen-based bleach powder and soak the sheets for about two hours;
5. Put the sheet into the washing machine – wash your sheets on a regular program with your regular detergent. Repeat if necessary;
6. Dry – don’t dry your sheets in the drier, until the last smudge of stain is removed. Otherwise, as you already know, the stain will set due to the high temperature.

Takeaways

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