How to get blood out of clothes

How to get blood out of sheets and cotton

Water Cold

Fresh

1. Blot up what you can with a paper towel. Pressing works better than rubbing.
2. Hold the stain under cold running water from the back of the fabric, so the water pushes the stain out the way it came in.
3. Rub a little enzyme laundry detergent or enzyme stain remover into the stain with your fingers and leave it for 15 minutes.
4. Rinse in cold water. If you can still see it, rub in a drop of dish soap and rinse again.
5. Wash it in cold water with HeySunday laundry sheets: 1 sheet for a small load, 2 for a medium load, 3 for an extra large or heavily soiled load.
6. Check the stain before it goes in the dryer. If you can still see any, repeat the steps and let it air dry. Dryer heat sets stains.

Dried or set in

1. Soak the stained part in cold water for 30 minutes to soften the dried blood.
2. Rub enzyme detergent or enzyme stain remover into the stain, then leave it to soak in cold water for a few hours or overnight.
3. Still there? Soak it for a few hours in cold water with oxygen bleach mixed in as the tub says.
4. On white cotton, dab 3% hydrogen peroxide onto what's left. It will fizz. Rinse after 5 minutes. Test a hidden spot first on colored cotton.
5. Wash it in cold water with HeySunday laundry sheets: 1 sheet for a small load, 2 for a medium load, 3 for an extra large or heavily soiled load.
6. Check the stain before it goes in the dryer. If you can still see any, repeat the steps and let it air dry. Dryer heat sets stains.

How to get blood out of polyester and synthetics

Water Cold

Fresh

1. Blot up what you can with a paper towel. Pressing works better than rubbing.
2. Hold the stain under cold running water from the back of the fabric, so the water pushes the stain out the way it came in.
3. Rub a little enzyme laundry detergent or enzyme stain remover into the stain with your fingers and leave it for 15 minutes.
4. Rinse in cold water. If you can still see it, rub in a drop of dish soap and rinse again.
5. Wash it in cold water with HeySunday laundry sheets: 1 sheet for a small load, 2 for a medium load, 3 for an extra large or heavily soiled load.
6. Check the stain before it goes in the dryer. If you can still see any, repeat the steps and let it air dry. Dryer heat sets stains.

Dried or set in

1. Soak the stained part in cold water for 30 minutes to soften the dried blood.
2. Rub enzyme detergent or enzyme stain remover into the stain, then leave it to soak in cold water for a few hours or overnight.
3. Still there? Soak it for a few hours in cold water with oxygen bleach mixed in as the tub says.
4. Test 3% hydrogen peroxide on an inside seam. If the color holds, dab it on the stain and rinse after 5 minutes.
5. Wash it in cold water with HeySunday laundry sheets: 1 sheet for a small load, 2 for a medium load, 3 for an extra large or heavily soiled load.
6. Check the stain before it goes in the dryer. If you can still see any, repeat the steps and let it air dry. Dryer heat sets stains.

• Don't use hot water or a hot dryer on polyester. Heat can lock stains into synthetic fibers.

How to get blood out of jeans

Water Cold

Fresh

1. Blot up what you can with a paper towel. Pressing works better than rubbing.
2. Hold the stain under cold running water from the back of the fabric, so the water pushes the stain out the way it came in.
3. Rub a little enzyme laundry detergent or enzyme stain remover into the stain with your fingers and leave it for 15 minutes.
4. Rinse in cold water. If you can still see it, rub in a drop of dish soap and rinse again.
5. Turn it inside out and wash it in cold water with HeySunday laundry sheets: 1 sheet for a small load, 2 for a medium load, 3 for an extra large or heavily soiled load.
6. Check the stain before it goes in the dryer. If you can still see any, repeat the steps and let it air dry. Dryer heat sets stains.

Dried or set in

1. Soak the stained part in cold water for 30 minutes to soften the dried blood.
2. Rub enzyme detergent or enzyme stain remover into the stain, then leave it to soak in cold water for a few hours or overnight.
3. Still there? Test oxygen bleach on an inside seam, then soak for a few hours in cold water with it mixed in as the tub says.
4. Turn it inside out and wash it in cold water with HeySunday laundry sheets: 1 sheet for a small load, 2 for a medium load, 3 for an extra large or heavily soiled load.
5. Check the stain before it goes in the dryer. If you can still see any, repeat the steps and let it air dry. Dryer heat sets stains.

• Don't use chlorine bleach on colored denim. It leaves pale patches.

How to get blood out of wool

Water Cool

Fresh

1. Blot up what you can with a paper towel. Pressing works better than rubbing.
2. Hold the stain under cold running water from the back of the fabric, so the water pushes the stain out the way it came in.
3. Dab on a few drops of wool or silk detergent (one without enzymes) mixed with cool water. Press it in gently with your fingertips.
4. Rinse with cool water and blot dry with a clean towel.
5. Hand wash in cool water with a wool detergent, or use your machine's wool cycle. Press the water out in a towel and don't wring it.
6. Lay it flat to dry, away from radiators and direct sun.

Dried or set in

1. Soak the stained part in cold water for 30 minutes to soften the dried blood.
2. Dab wool or silk detergent (one without enzymes) onto the stain, press it in gently and leave it 30 minutes.
3. Hand wash in cool water with a wool detergent, or use your machine's wool cycle. Press the water out in a towel and don't wring it.
4. Lay it flat to dry, away from radiators and direct sun.
5. If the mark is still there once it's dry, take it to a dry cleaner and tell them it's blood. Set-in stains on wool are hard to shift at home without damaging the fibers.

• Don't use enzyme detergent, chlorine bleach or oxygen bleach on wool. They damage the fibers.
• Don't use hot water, rub hard or wring it. That's how wool shrinks and felts.

How to get blood out of silk

Water Cool

Fresh

1. Blot up what you can with a paper towel. Pressing works better than rubbing.
2. Blot the back of the stain with a cloth soaked in cold water. Keep the rest of the garment as dry as you can.
3. Dab on a few drops of wool or silk detergent (one without enzymes) mixed with cool water. Press it in gently with your fingertips.
4. Rinse with cool water and blot dry with a clean towel.
5. Hand wash in cool water with a silk or delicates detergent. If the label says dry clean only, take it to a dry cleaner instead.
6. Lay it flat to dry, away from radiators and direct sun.

Dried or set in

1. Soak the stained part in cold water for 30 minutes to soften the dried blood.
2. Dab wool or silk detergent (one without enzymes) onto the stain, press it in gently and leave it 30 minutes.
3. Hand wash in cool water with a silk or delicates detergent. If the label says dry clean only, take it to a dry cleaner instead.
4. Lay it flat to dry, away from radiators and direct sun.
5. If the mark is still there once it's dry, take it to a dry cleaner and tell them it's blood. Set-in stains on silk are hard to shift at home without damaging the fibers.

• Don't use enzyme detergent, chlorine bleach or oxygen bleach on silk. They damage the fibers.
• Don't rub or scrub silk. It roughs up the surface and leaves a pale patch.

What not to do

• Don't use warm or hot water until the stain is gone. Heat sets blood.
• Don't rub hard. It pushes blood deeper into the weave.

Use one product at a time and rinse between them. Never mix bleach with ammonia, vinegar or other cleaners, as it gives off toxic fumes.