How To Remove Blood Out Of A Mattress?

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Written by:

Max Stevens
How To Remove Blood Out Of Mattress

How To Remove Blood Out Of A Mattress?

No matter how much you’re trying not to get that crisp white linen dirty, accidents happen most of the time – even in the comforts of our bed.

Whether you had a cut, a nose bleed, or the unexpected Red Day, this quick and easy tutorial will teach you how to remove blood from a mattress.

Acting quickly is a priority, so we’ve laid out all the information you need to know to clean your mattress, whether fresh or dried blood.

Cleaning Ingredients To Prepare

You might be surprised that you may only need ingredients already in your cupboard.

materials needed to remove blood out of mattress

  • Coldwater
  • Baking soda
  • White vinegar
  • Hydrogen peroxide
  • Table salt
  • Cornstarch
  • Optional: vacuum, spray bottle, meat tenderizer, enzyme cleaner

Removing Fresh Blood Out of a Mattress

If you can tend to the stain immediately, please do. Begin with a cautious approach, and as blood dissolves in cold water, we recommend starting here.

Tip:

After cleaning, we recommend entirely drying the mattress before putting on new sheets. A damp mattress may cause moulds or mildew problems later on. To ensure that the mattress is dried enough,

remove fresh blood Using cold water

removing fresh blood from mattress using cold water

Why use cold water and not hot water? Hot or warm water burns blood proteins and binds haemoglobin to cloth, permanently creating a stain. So make sure to stay away from hot water when dealing with bloodstains.

  • Start by dabbing the blood stain with a cloth dipped in cold water until it disappears.
  • Dabbing will help you carefully lift the bloodstain from the mattress to the cleaning cloth.
  • Be cautious also not to soak or oversaturate the mattress in the process.

Best Method To Clean Dried Blood

different methods to clean dried blood from mattress

Removing dried blood from a mattress may be more difficult, but not impossible.

We’ll share these three simple methods used on dried blood and if the cold water approach did not work for you. These methods are considered spot cleaning and help remove blood stains from bed without washing.

  • Using vinegar
  • Using baking soda
  • Using hydrogen peroxide

remove old blood stains Using vinegar?

removing old blood stains using vinegar

If the stain isn’t coming out using only cold water, it’s time to bring out the vinegar. Vinegar contains acid that breaks down stain molecules.

We recommend using distilled vinegar such as Golden Swan or Jocker Woods available in the UK market.

  • Start by mixing equal distilled vinegar and water parts in a small container or spray bottle.
  • Apply the solution to the stain by carefully dabbing using a clean cloth.
  • Repeat until you are satisfied with the removal of stains.
  • Make sure not to oversaturate and squeeze out any excess liquid.

remove old blood stains with baking soda?

removing blood stain with baking soda

While using the vinegar method alone, pairing vinegar with baking soda can speed up the stain removal process. White vinegar and baking soda are famous tandem in the cleaning world.

Baking soda is a base compound, while white vinegar is acidic. When mixed, they create a fizzy reaction that helps with the cleaning and odour.

Vinegar and baking soda deal with other mattress cleaning duties, too, including how to clean urine out of a mattress.

Here’s how to remove blood stains off a mattress with baking soda:

  • Sprinkle baking soda on top of the blood-stained area.
  • Spray or dab white vinegar over the baking soda.
  • This mixture will bubble as a result of the chemical reaction.
  • Allow thirty minutes for the mixture to work its magic.
  • Vacuum the leftover mixture or blot the mixture away with a damp cold cloth once it has dried down.
  • Repeat this technique a few times if the stain hasn’t entirely lifted.

remove old blood stains Using hydrogen peroxide?

removing blood stain with hydrogen peroxide

Did you know? Hydrogen peroxide is also a good ingredient when dealing with how to clean red wine out of a mattress. Hydrogen peroxide is a mild bleaching agent that breaks down the stain’s colour-causing components, making it invisible.

A mixture of table salt and hydrogen peroxide is recommended for stubborn bloodstains.

But, why mix sodium with hydrogen peroxide? The finished product is called ‘oxygen bleach’ and the ‘oxygen’ in it is caused by water. When you add the oxygen bleach to water, oxygen molecules start to form and help lift stubborn stains from the surface.

If you don’t have hydrogen peroxide at home, 3% hydrogen peroxide solution like Care+ and SafeSol can usually be bought in supermarkets.

Time to make a stain-removing paste using this potent recipe below. Here’s how:

  • Mix 1/2 cup corn starch, 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide, and a tablespoon of salt to make the paste.
  • The cornstarch is used to make the mixture like a paste. You can modify the consistency of the mixture as needed by adjusting the amount of cornstarch. The paste should be similar to toothpaste.
  • Dampen the blood stain with cold water.
  • Apply the paste to the bloodstain. Make sure to cover the entire surface using a spoon or old toothbrush.
  • Allow for 30 minutes of resting time. You should see that the paste dries, and the hydrogen peroxide begins to bubble.
  • When the hydrogen peroxide bubbles have subsided, blot the stain with a clean and wet towel to remove the solution. Hopefully, the stain goes with it.

How To Clean Period Blood Out Of Your Mattress?

how to remove period blood from mattress

Ladies, I know the struggle is real. But when dealing with period stains, you can treat them like any other bloodstains. The question, though, is how early you tended to it.

Most of the time, we can’t attend to bloodstains immediately because of a busy schedule. For ladies, the sapped energy from

As discussed previously, you can try the simple cold water method for fresh stains. If you’re a busy gal and the colours dry out, you can try the three methods shared above.

Other Tough Alternatives You Can Try

Sometimes, tough stains call for tough alternatives. Here, we gathered some of the ingredients people swear by in dealing with tough blood.

Meat Tenderizer

Yes, the same seasoning mixture in your cupboard — is an enzyme that works to break down the proteins in the blood. This method involves:

  • Make a paste with meat tenderizer and cold water.
  • Apply it to the stain to see if it works.
  • Allow for an hour of resting time.
  • After that, dab it away and repeat if still unsatisfied. Or maybe you can just save this for dinner.

Editor’s Note

We wouldn’t recommend this for memory foam mattresses, check out our how to clean a dirty memory foam mattress guide for more information on why.

Written by:

Max Stevens

Enzyme Cleaners

If the meat tenderizer didn’t work, let’s go with the “real enzyme” cleaner. Enzyme cleaner can break down molecules from a protein-based stain like blood. We recommend brands like Simple Solution, one of the UK’s leading brands.

For this method,

  • Do not apply directly to your mattress; spray or pour on a towel or rag and blot the area.
  • You can also check with the cleaner’s instructions for safety procedures.

FAQ: Will Vanish remove blood stains from A mattress?

Yes, Vanish has a good chance of removing blood stains on your mattress. Vanish is one of the top stain removal products in the UK. It claims to remove both fresh and dried blood stains effectively.

Act Now And Remove Blood From Your mattress

blood on mattress

Prevention is always better than cure. If your bed is prone to accidents, a mattress protector or mattress is inexpensive and protects your crisp linens.

Mattress protectors will prevent naturally occurring stains like sweat, urine, blood, and even accidental spills on the bed. Mattress protectors also come in handy in controlling bed bugs, especially those water-proof ones. For an in-depth guide on how to get rid of bed bugs.

Do a regular check on your mattress, even if using mattress protectors. We should look for suspicious stains that might be bed bugs or mould infestation. After all, we invested in an excellent mattress for quality rest and sleep. Let’s take good care of it.

Written by:

Max Stevens