How To Get Blood Out of Clothes

To get blood out of clothes, always use cold water — never hot, which cooks the protein in blood and sets the stain permanently. Rinse fresh blood under cold running water from the back of the fabric, then treat with hydrogen peroxide (on white or colorfast fabric), a cold saltwater or cornstarch paste, or a little dish soap, blotting (never scrubbing) until the stain lifts. For dried blood, soak in cold water first to rehydrate it, then treat. Wash as the care label directs, and check the stain is fully gone before drying, since dryer heat sets any remaining blood. Skip the bleach. Here’s the full guide.

Why is blood so hard to get out of clothes?

Blood is one of the toughest stains because it’s protein-based: it seeps into porous fabric and binds to the fibers, and — critically — heat causes those proteins to coagulate and lock into the fabric permanently. That’s why two rules govern everything below:

1. Act fast. Fresh blood is far easier than dried. The longer it sits, the harder it is to remove. (Wearing gloves is wise, especially if it’s not your own blood — see the safety note below.)
2. Cold water only, never hot or warm. Hot water sets a blood stain by cooking the proteins. Cold is the rule at every step.

Skip the bleach. Most people reach for it, but it doesn’t work especially well on blood and it’s harsh on fabric, skin, and eyes. The gentler methods below work better.

A safety note before you start: some methods below use hydrogen peroxide and some use ammonia — never mix these together, and never mix ammonia (or bleach) with each other or with other cleaners. Ammonia plus bleach produces toxic chloramine gas. Use one product at a time, rinse thoroughly between methods, and work in a ventilated area. If you’re cleaning up someone else’s blood, wear gloves and treat it as a potential biohazard.

How to get blood out of clothes

A blood stain can set off panic, and panic leads to the two big mistakes: hot water (sets the stain) and bleach (harsh, and not even that effective). Stay calm and go cold. Also check the care label — delicate fabrics may not be machine-washable, so follow the manufacturer’s guidance.

Start here: cold water rinse

For fresh blood, immediately rinse the stain under cold running water, flushing from the back of the fabric to push the blood out the way it came rather than deeper in. This alone removes a surprising amount. Then move to a treatment below.

Fresh blood on colored clothes

For colored fabric, gentler treatments are safer (hydrogen peroxide can lighten colors). Cold saltwater, a cornstarch paste, or a little dish soap worked in and blotted are good first choices. Some people use white vinegar:

1. Apply vinegar directly to the stained area.
2. Let it soak 10-15 minutes.
3. Blot with a clean cloth — you’ll see the stain start to lift.
4. Once it’s out, launder per the care label (cold), or for items like couches and mattresses, blot with cold water to rinse away the vinegar.

White or colorfast clothes

On white or colorfast fabric you can use stronger stain-lifters:

1. Hydrogen peroxide (excellent on blood — but test first; it bleaches colors)
2. Cold saltwater paste
3. A little dish soap or laundry detergent

Whatever you choose, speed matters more than the specific agent. Don’t combine them — pick one, and rinse before trying another.

Why you blot, not scrub

Nearly every method says blot gently rather than scrub, because:

• Scrubbing is abrasive and thins fabric (cotton especially).
• Scrubbing spreads the stain and drives it deeper instead of lifting it.
• Blotting lets the treatment soak in and draw the stain out.

Other household items that can help

• Hydrogen peroxide (white/colorfast only)
• Cold saltwater
• Cornstarch paste
• Talcum powder paste
• Cola
• Ammonia (white/colorfast only, with cautions)

Hydrogen peroxide

Works on both fresh and dried blood. Apply a small amount to the stain, let it fizz and sit about five minutes, then blot with a clean cloth. Repeat until the stain is gone, then launder per the care label. Test on a hidden area first — it lightens colored fabric.

Cold saltwater

Make a thick paste of salt and cold water, apply to the stain, and let it sit 15-20 minutes — the salt helps dehydrate and lift the blood. Rinse with more cold water and repeat as needed. Good on most fabrics.

Cornstarch or talcum powder paste

Mix cold water with cornstarch (or talcum powder) into a toothpaste-like paste, apply to the stain, and let it dry completely — ideally in the sun. The paste absorbs the blood as it dries. Brush or rinse it off with cold water, then launder. (Cold water only — warm sets the stain.)

Cola

The carbonation and phosphoric acid in cola can help break down a blood stain. Pour a little on, let it sit (an hour or two for set-in stains), then blot and rinse with cold water. A quirky backup when you’re out of other options.

Ammonia (use carefully)

Ammonia can tackle stubborn blood on white or colorfast fabric: mix one tablespoon of ammonia with ½ cup of cool water, dab it on with a cloth, then blot with cold water. Important: never mix ammonia with bleach or hydrogen peroxide, use it in a ventilated area, wear gloves, and rinse thoroughly. It can discolor some fabrics, so test first.

A note on WD-40

WD-40 is sometimes suggested as a pre-treatment — spray it on before washing. It can help, but it’s oil-based and can leave its own greasy stain, so use it sparingly, only on washable fabric, and wash with dish soap afterward to remove the residue. It’s not a first choice; the methods above are better.

Don’t panic

Blood looks alarming and feels urgent, but the worst moves are the panicked ones — reaching for bleach or hot water, both of which do more harm than good. Almost any of the cold-water household methods above works if you act reasonably quickly.

Two things people forget: read the care label (jeans, blouses, and delicates all wash differently), and check the stain is completely gone before putting the item in the dryer — dryer heat will permanently set any blood that’s left, so air dry and re-treat if you see a shadow of the stain.

And you usually don’t need an expensive commercial product — a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, some salt, or even cola from the pantry handles most blood stains for pennies. Start with what’s in the house first.