blood stains

[mw100860]

Hi everyone, this is a bit embarrassing but I've got to ask someone! I've got some old, so old they've turned black, bloodstains on a mattress, from you know what ( ladies!! ). I know I shoulda removed them when they were fresh, but..... anyway I didn't, just put a cover over it and left it. Now I'm putting the mattress on my son's bed as it was very expensive when I bought it and in very good nick still. My son does his own washing including bedsheets and I'd hate for him to see it. Any ideas?

[sylvia610]

Maybe turn it the other way so that the unstained part in on top.

[mw100860]

Thanks Sylvia but went right through I'm afraid.

[denkarma]

Hi something to try

try white wine vinegar. Always rinse very well afterwards and towel dry.
-------------------------------------------------
1. Take two sheets of tissue (the thicker the better).
2. Soak one sheet in water.
3. Fold the other sheet so that it covers the stained area.
4. Place the dry sheet underneath the stained area.
5. Place the wet sheet on top of the stained area and apply pressure.

The dry sheet underneath will automatically soak up the stain.

[Bawnie]

To remove blood stains from your washable cotton bedding, just follow these basic steps.

1. Find a comfortable location to begin your stain removal efforts. Keep in mind as bedding is bulky when wet, you want to be near or in the bathroom or by a large sink to avoid water leaking on floors and/or carpet.

2. Douse the stain with a capful of shampoo, making sure that some shampoo touches every part of the stain.

3. Rub the soiled portions of the bedding until the shampoo is completely absorbed, then wet with cold or warm water. Once bubbles appear, briskly scrub the bedding. Rinse the stain and evaluate your efforts. Is the stain completely gone? Is their a slight ring showing the shape of the stain? Is the stain still visible? If any portion of the blood is still visible, including a light ring, then follow this step two or three more times. By the third time, fresh stains should be totally removed. However, if the stain has been allowed to sit in the bedding for 48 hours or so – even if it is still visible after you attempted to remove by traditional machine washing – than you will likely need to pour shampoo on the stain and soak the bedding for several hours. Overnight soaking is also possible, if you desire to do so. Once you have soaked the stain for the allotted time, then you can wash the bedding.

4. Cotton bedding that has been treated for blood stains by shampoo and rinsed can be washed according to your usual preferred methods and/or the manufacturer’s instructions. If you prefer bleaching your white cotton bedding, you can do so at this stage – be it liquid bleach for whites or non-chlorine bleach for colored bedding. Since the shampoo has been rinsed out of the bedding, it will not impair your detergent or bleach’s cleaning ability.

[Only]

I find Vanish liquid brilliant for blood. Not sure how it would work on the mattress but it should definately remove the worst of it. Get your mattress upright and basically put the mouth of the bottle up against the stain - tip some liquid onto it (still holding the bottle mouth right against it .... this stops too much liquid coming out and drenching the mattress) - start at one edge of the stain and work your way around until its covered with vanish. I'd leave it for 10mins or more and then start scrubbing. Might take a few goes at it with a bit of washing powder thrown in but that should take the worst of it off.

[summersun]

Hi,


There is a brand of stain removal called " Stain Devils" by Dr Beckmann.... that has a wide variety of stain removals ... that you can get in Tesco's Asda'a etc... there is a bottle for blood... it comes in a 50ml bottle ...

Reading the back of my bottle its supplied by a company called Acdoco in Blackburn Lancs in the UK.... there contact number is 0044 8450178000...

I swear by these...

I was also sent an excellent stain removal by a very kind jter... called ecozone... ecostain ... a 45ml tube of AMAZING gel... that took out an old highlighter pen ink stain out of my treasured table cloth... that had been ther from the previous christmas... its a multi purpose stain removal.... that has since taken out curry stains ... I believe it was brought in Dunnes???

If you google ecozone they are based in unit 18 Tannery Close Beckenham BR3 4BY...

let me know if i can help


Summersun

[Mandolin]

Hiya mw.
I had the same problem a few years back and nothing really got rid of the stain completely, so I cheated and put some white gloss paint on it, I found it easier to say it was a painting accident. Good luck with it though, shame to waste a good mattress.
Mandolin

[Mandolin]

mw,
you could sew a patch of fabric over it and say 'Oh look, that's where it ripped that time I was airing it and it fell.... on my collection of samurai swords/ flick knives/ sharp thing on the floor...'
M.

[junkista]

another blood stain removal tip, for sewing tho, not mattress stains!! if you prick your finger while sewing and get blood on fabric,lick your finger and dot on blood stain.. saliva instantly disolves blood stains.

[Eibhlin ni Sheambrai]

Hi, I am amazed no-one has mentioned salt which is the commonest blood stain remover. Had to remove a stain from a matress recently. Used a wet cloth to wet the stained area and then sprinkled it with sea salt which is coarser than regular salt and worked on the stain in a circular movement from the edges into the centre. Then blotted the area dry with dry paper towels and repeated this until stain was cleared. then left to dry, but these nice days you could haul it outside into the sun to dry. always use cold water for blood stains as hot water will 'set' the stain. For stained clothes soak in cold water and salt first, scrub at the stain till its gone and then wash as normal with other laundry.

[junkista]

Originally Posted by Eibhlin ni Sheambrai

Hi, I am amazed no-one has mentioned salt which is the commonest blood stain remover. Had to remove a stain from a matress recently. Used a wet cloth to wet the stained area and then sprinkled it with sea salt which is coarser than regular salt and worked on the stain in a circular movement from the edges into the centre. Then blotted the area dry with dry paper towels and repeated this until stain was cleared. then left to dry, but these nice days you could haul it outside into the sun to dry. always use cold water for blood stains as hot water will 'set' the stain. For stained clothes soak in cold water and salt first, scrub at the stain till its gone and then wash as normal with other laundry.

hiya eibhlin,
does salt work on an old blood stain?
junkista

[Eibhlin ni Sheambrai]

Originally Posted by junkista

hiya eibhlin,
does salt work on an old blood stain?
junkista

Yes, but you have to be patient and repeat the treatment till it clears. Eibh.

[junkista]

Originally Posted by Eibhlin ni Sheambrai

Yes, but you have to be patient and repeat the treatment till it clears. Eibh.

thanks for that. let you know how i get on.junkista

[Tallula]

No ideas about removing stains but must congratulate you on raising such a fine son ! (I liked the paint idea)