How to remove a blood stain?

Following my intimate confessions about the dictates of my very heavy periods, I did a little research and discovered that there were thousands of us suffering from monthly hemorrhage. So I decided to put together a little guide for cleaning a fresh or dry blood stain on any type of material, including wool and silk. I know from experience that when you have Niagara Falls (also called menorrhagia or hypermenorrhea), it is the 12 labors of Asterix to successfully remove stains from your mattress, sofa and linen. So while you wait for you to see the light at the end of the tunnel and order your emancipatory, period panties , here are my best tips for removing a blood stain!

Removing a blood stain: no, especially not hot water!

When you're young and new, you have other things to do than spend your evenings on the internet doing Google searches that you don't want anyone to ever discover. So we rely on intuition and run to hot water to remove a blood stain from clothing. Fatal mistake ladies.

Hot water fixes the blood. Half of my sheets and especially my mattress retained traces of it. So, we don't listen to our intuition in this matter and we also ignore those who recommend lukewarm water. I've always been wary of these people, you know the chilly ones, the people who never get wet, the undecided ones, the ones who say things like "maybe", "lukewarm water", "it's not so simple as that”, “I don’t want to take sides”… You should never listen to these, EVER: removing a blood stain is not an insurmountable task as long as you know the effective methods.

Removing a fresh blood stain including from silk and wool

For a fresh blood stain on a sheet or on the linen: we get to it as quickly as possible! Rinse with cold water or better: dilute the stain with an ice cube. Dab with a few drops of lemon and leave to soak in cold water before putting in the washing machine with your usual detergent!

You can also dissolve effervescent aspirin in cold water and soak the fresh blood stain, or even dab it with a clean cloth soaked in physiological serum: it works wonderfully!

It is also possible to remove a blood stain from a delicate material like silk or wool. To do this, we are going to draw on the effective tips that grandmothers have the secret to.

When the blood stain is still fresh, simply rub the silk or wool garment gently with a paste made of corn starch, flour or talcum powder and cold water. When the paste is dry, brush off the crust formed on the stain and rinse the fabric.

Removing an Old Blood Stain with Sodium Percarbonate

Treating a blood stain with bicarbonate: yes, I made the mistake, it's okay, I read the article diagonally. He recommended baking soda and also white vinegar. So I did both at the same time because I do everything myself! It turns out that bicarbonate combined with white vinegar or lemon is perfect for... unclogging toilets, not for removing stains from laundry. I almost lost 2 pairs of panties that day.

No more joking, the subject is of the greatest importance. Sodium percarbonate is hydrogen peroxide. It is used diluted on the fabric. It's much less dangerous than soda crystals and it works better than baking soda. Especially on a dried blood stain. You know, the one that we encrusted with hot water or that we left lying around for a few years... We soak it in cold water, we insist on the blood stain with hydrogen peroxide, and let it soak in… cold water! Best for white fabric (blood stain on a sheet, clothing, duvet or sofa cover)

Removing a stubborn blood stain from your mattress

With hydrogen peroxide, you can also concoct a variation of the paste mentioned above. As a reminder, add corn starch or cornstarch (60 g) and replace the water with a few drops of hydrogen peroxide (60 ml) then add salt (20 g). Here again, the starch can be replaced by flour or talcum powder. Apply the paste to the blood stain. Leave to act until the paste is completely dry. Scrape off the crust formed by the paste using a spatula and vacuum it with a special upholstery brush.

But the ideal for a blood stain on mattress that no longer wants to leave your bed or dislodge a blood stain on sofa that persists in squatting in your living room, is to soak a clean cloth with a few drops of Dakin that found in pharmacies. Dab the stubborn blood stain with the cloth until it is gone, rinse with cold water and let it air dry.

You can also make a mixture of water and ammonia (be careful, it stings: wearing a mask is recommended) and use it to dab the stubborn blood stain (except linen, silk and wool) with a clean cloth or a sponge. Then rinse with cold water. Guaranteed result without halo!

If you don't have ammonia on hand, you can remove the dried blood stain on your mattress by applying 70° alcohol to it using a cloth or sponge.

Say goodbye to blood stains with your period panties

Otherwise, you can also decide to stop marking your territory and use your free time doing chemical experiments and buy menstrual panties . For those who don't have confidence, I understand you, it's hard to believe that Niagara Falls can be contained (but I assure you it works!). Use it with a tampon or a cup on high tide days and alone at low tide (at the end of your period, editor's note). You will finally be free from the Stain!

By Valérie