For occurrences when you have an accident that involves staining your favorite carpet with blood, knowing how to get blood out of carpet comes in handy. Almost all of us have had accidents where we bump ourselves against a glass base or other fragile object in our living space and break them into several pieces.
While cleaning up the mess, cutting yourself against a shard of glass and staining the living room carpet is not uncommon. When such accidents occur, it is best to clean up the mess immediately, while the blood is still wet; to prevent further staining of the carpet with blood.
And to do so, one must be aware of the different ways in which the blood can be cleaned off the carpet. This article is about how to remove blood from carpets in easy steps and the tips and tricks you can follow to save your carpet fabrics from bloodstains.
Different ways to get rid of bloodstain
While it is best to clean up the blood immediately after the accident, removing dried blood stains is not impossible either.
The methods of cleaning up will vary depending on the type of bloodstain on your carpet.
In our article, we will be describing the steps for cleaning up both dried and present blood-stained carpets.
Read till the end to find out all about the methods of how to get blood out of carpet effectively.
Things you will need
- Coldwater
- Cotton towel or kitchen paper towel
- Carpet stain remover
Dried blood stains do not always come off easily.
So you may need to try a few alternatives which will require:
- Salt
- Dish soap
- Ammonia
- Potato starch
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Baking soda
- White vinegar
How to get blood out of carpet
Let us first look at the steps on how to get blood out of carpet using a carpet stain remover.
Step 1: Drying up fresh blood
If the bloodstain is fresh, use a clean, dry, and absorbent kitchen paper towel to dry up the blood by gently blotting it up the blood.
Make sure to not rub while removing the bloodstain as it may stain your carpet further.
Step 2: Applying cold water
After the initial clean-up, pour clean, cold water over the stain and dab the affected area gently with a clean, damp cloth.
Blot up the water with a clean, dry cloth to absorb as much of the liquid as possible.
Make sure not to use warm water as it tends to enable faster blood clotting which makes the cleaning process difficult.
Step 3: Using a carpet stain remover
After the water is dried up, use a universal carpet stain-remover to completely remove the bloodstain from your carpet.
Stain removers are usually harsh on fabric, so be careful while using them on your carpet and follow the instructions on the product’s packaging to use them properly.
But in the case of an old or dried bloodstain, the process of removal will be more difficult.
You can follow any of the following methods to remove your stain.
Using salt paste
- In a bowl of cold water, add enough salt to make a thin paste-like mixture.
- Apply the mixture onto the stained area and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
- Then, use a cotton towel or kitchen paper towel to blot up the stain.
- Keep repeating the process until the stain is completely gone.
- Avoid rubbing the area as it may cause the stain to spread further.
Using potato starch
After dissolving the blood stain with cold water as before, drizzle potato starch over the stain and let it sit for 24 hours until it is dry.
Use a clean cloth to wipe out the dried starch before vacuuming your carpet.
Using ammonia and water
This is one of the most effective ways of removing blood stains from the carpet but is not ideal for woolen carpets as it may cause damage to the fabric.
Combine 1 tablespoon of ammonia with half a cup of water and pour the solution onto the stained area.
Let it rest for about 5 to 10 minutes before blotting up the stain with a clean cloth until all the moisture is absorbed.
Apply cold water with a sponge and blot it dry with a clean towel.
Using regular dish soap
This method is ideal for woolen carpets.
- Mix a tablespoon of dish soap with 2 cups of cold water.
- Pour the solution onto the stain and blot the stain with a damp cloth.
- Keep repeating the process until the stain disappears.
- Use a sponge to give a final cleanse to the spot and blot it dry with a clean towel.
Using hydrogen peroxide
- Using hydrogen peroxide bears the risk of color changing.
- So it is better to check the impact on a hidden area of your carpet first.
- If the color of your spot remains unchanged after a few minutes of application, only then, proceed to use hydrogen peroxide on the affected area of your carpet.
- Apply hydrogen peroxide on the affected area by dipping a cotton swab into the chemical.
- Keep applying it to the bloodstain until it disappears completely.
- Let the chemical soak for about an hour.
- Then, use a wet cloth and rinse the affected area of the carpet and let it dry.
Using baking soda and vinegar
And last but not least, a very popular method of any kind of stain removal calls for baking soda and vinegar. To prepare the solution, mix 2 cups of white vinegar and 4 tablespoons of baking soda with 2 cups of water in a bowl or spray bottle. Pour the mixture into the affected area and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Then, blot up the carpet with a clean, damp cloth or towel. Let the carpet air dry and it should be good as new.
To find out more about what you can use this mixture for, you can read our article on how to clean dog poop out of carpet.
Final words
The best thing about cleaning up blood stains from your favorite carpet is that all the items required for the cleaning methods are readily available household items.
Whether it is a wet or dry blood stain, we hope the aforementioned methods will help you to get rid of the stain from your carpet and make it good as new.
