Bloodstains are not only embarrassing and displeasing, but they can also be harmful. If a bloodstain sits too long in your mattress, bacteria can grow and result in sickness. Getting blood out of a mattress should be a top priority if you find yourself in this situation. Below, we’ll go over how to get blood out of a mattress, mattress covers, and different types of mattresses.
Steps for Removing Bloodstains
Bloodstains can come in all different shapes and sizes. While most stains can be removed with our tips on how to get urine out of a mattress, removing blood requires a little extra elbow grease. This is because blood contains an assortment of proteins that make it difficult to remove when it lands on a permeable surface like a mattress.
From baking soda to meat tenderizer (yes, you read that right), there are plenty of tried and true bloodstain removal methods you can try to bring your mattress back to life. Take a look at the steps on how to get blood out of a mattress below:
Step 1: Keep Warm Water Far Away
Before doing anything, you want to make sure you never, under any circumstances, use any warm water to clean blood stains on your mattress. When mixed with blood, warm water breaks down the proteins found within the blood, which essentially bonds the hemoglobin to the fabric in your mattress, making a permanent stain.
Step 2: Prepare Your Mattress For Cleaning
Preparation is key if you want to remove blood from your mattress successfully. Before tackling the mattress, make sure your area is clean by removing any sheets, pillows, and blankets. Bring those over to the laundry room for cleaning by spraying enzyme cleaner or stain remover on any stains, letting it sit for about 15 minutes, then throwing it into the wash.
Step 3: Blot your Mattress With a Damp Cloth
If the bloodstain is relatively new and hasn’t fully set, get a clean cloth and soak it in cold water. Then, ring the towel out so it’s damp and gently dab the bloodstain to remove any excess blood. While it may be tempting, don’t scrub the bloodstain. This can push the blood further into your mattress, making your job much harder. Once you’re done blotting, grab a dry towel and blot the mattress one more time until the mattress is dry, and no more blood appears on the towel.
After your mattress is dry, repeat this step one or two more times to absorb as much blood as you can. It’s important to remember to use a damp cloth, as a wet cloth can soak your mattress. When this happens, removing water can be hard to do and can also result in bacteria and mold growth.
Step 4: Clean the Bloodstain
Once you’ve removed as much blood as you can with your damp cloth and water, the fun begins. There are numerous cleaning solutions you can use to get blood out of a mattress. Below, we’ll go over some of the more common bloodstain removers, from at-home concoctions to store-bought chemicals.
Removing a Bloodstain With Baking Soda
Baking soda is a jack of all trades. Baking soda seems to do it all, from being a staple ingredient in baked goods to a popular cleaning solution to tackle tough stains. If you’re like most people, you most likely have baking soda right in your cabinet, which means you can get to cleaning your bloodstain the moment you notice it.
To get blood out of a mattress with baking soda:
- Make sure the surface of your mattress is dry
- Sprinkle baking soda over the bloodstain
- With a spray bottle, spray a light misting of water over the baking soda and let it bubble
- Allow the baking soda to sit for at least one hour
- Use a vacuum and vacuum up the powder, or use a damp cloth to remove any residue
Baking soda is a common solution to many stains. However, if this method doesn’t work, there are plenty more you can try.
Removing a Bloodstain With Hydrogen Peroxide, Salt, and Cornstarch
Another at-home bloodstain remover remedy is mixing together hydrogen peroxide, salt, and cornstarch. Hydrogen and table salt can be used together to break down the proteins in blood, while the cornstarch can help absorb it. Follow these steps when using this method:
- Make sure the surface of your mattress is dry
- Mix ¼ cup of hydrogen peroxide with ½ cup of corn starch, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 2 tablespoons of water
- Mix the mixture into a paste, and apply it to the bloodstain with a spoon or spatula
- Allow the paste to bubble and let it sit for at least an hour
- Once the paste has dried, use a vacuum or damp cloth to suck or soak up the mixture
Hydrogen peroxide is an excellent stain remover because it contains an extra oxygen atom, which creates an oxidizer that can break down compounds.
Removing a Bloodstain With Meat Tenderizer
There’s nothing like a juicy steak sizzling on the grill. Many chefs and at-home cooks use a meat tenderizer powder to enhance the flavor of steak. This is because the enzymes bromelain and papain found in meat tenderizer can break down the proteins found in the blood of the steak. When used on a mattress soiled with blood, meat tenderizer does the same thing. To use meat tenderizer to get blood out of a mattress, follow these steps:
- Mix 1 tablespoon of meat tenderizer with 2 tablespoons of water
- Apply the paste to the bloodstain
- Mix the mixture into a paste, and apply it to the bloodstain with a spoon or spatula
- Allow the paste to sit and dry
- Once dry, remove the meat tenderizer with a vacuum or brush
As with all of these methods, you can repeat the process as many times as you need to remove the bloodstain from your mattress.
Step 5: Protect Your Mattress
Mattresses are an expensive investment. To prevent another bloodstain from damaging your mattress or avoid this situation altogether, protecting your mattress is essential. A mattress protector is a great investment that can protect your mattress and increase its lifespan, so you can get more quality nights of sleep on your beloved bed. The Layla mattress protector has a liquid-proof barrier that’s breathable and sleeps cool, so you and your mattress can be comfortable at night. From blood to a glass of wine and everything in between, our mattress protector can prevent fluids from seeping into your memory foam or hybrid mattress.
Removing Tougher and Larger Bloodstains
In some cases, the cleaning methods in the previous section might not be able to remove the bloodstain from your mattress. This is especially true if you failed to notice the bloodstain, and it completely dried in the mattress. For tougher bloodstains, you can use ammonia or a commercial enzyme cleaner.
Removing a Bloodstain With Ammonia
Ammonia is an extremely harsh chemical, which means it can tackle tough stains like blood. However, this also means you need to use precaution when using a chemical like this. Ammonia is poisonous if ingested, and if you’re working with large amounts of ammonia for an extended period of time, the fumes can have some harsh side effects.
To ensure you’re safe while using ammonia, make sure to clean your mattress in a well-ventilated room with small doses and gloves, and no never mix ammonia with other chemicals like bleach. It’s also worth knowing that ammonia can damage the fabrics found within your mattress, especially mattresses made from wool or silk.
Once you have your ammonia ready, follow these steps to remove blood stains from your mattress:
- Mix 1 tablespoon of ammonia with 1 cup of cold water
- Use a towel to dab the stain
- Repeat as many times until the stain is completely removed
In most cases, this method will prevail. You can also mix ammonia with cornstarch or baking soda to better absorb the blood and ammonia mixture.
Removing a Bloodstain With Commercial Enzyme Cleaner
A few store-bought commercial enzyme cleaners can break down the proteins in blood at a molecular level. As with any store-bought cleaner, it’s important to always read the instructions to ensure you’re using it properly. You also want to ensure the enzyme cleaner can be used on furniture and upholstery to avoid damaging your mattress.
How to Wash Blood Stains Out of a Mattress Protector
Mattress protectors prevent liquid from flowing into your mattress. With their liquid-proof membrane, fluids like sweat, water, and yes, blood, will remain on the top of your mattress protector, not your mattress. If blood soils your mattress protector, here are some steps on how to get blood out of a mattress cover:
- Aspirin: Crush aspirin and mix it with water, then apply the paste to the bloodstain and let it sit for 15 minutes. When dry, throw your mattress protector into the wash with detergent and launder according to instructions.
- Baking soda: Similar to the baking soda method to remove blood from a mattress, you can follow the same method with your mattress protector, and follow by throwing your mattress into the wash.
In most cases, you can also try throwing your mattress protector into the wash with your detergent and wash according to the directions. Inspect the mattress protector when it’s done washing, and if the bloodstain is still there, try the two methods above.
Removing Blood from Different Mattress Types
The last thing you want to do is to have to replace your mattress because of a bloodstain. Not every mattress is the same, which means the materials used in the mattress might react differently to the cleaning solution you try. The three most common types of mattresses include spring mattresses, memory foam mattresses, and hybrid mattresses. Below are the cleaning methods you can use to get blood out of each type of mattress.
- Spring Mattress: For spring mattresses, all five of the cleaning methods will work to remove blood: baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, meat tenderizer, ammonia, and commercial enzyme cleaner.
- Memory Foam Mattress: The process on how to get blood out of a foam mattress is a bit different. Memory foam mattresses are much more absorbent than spring mattresses, so the paste-like solutions work best, such as baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and cornstarch, and meat tenderizer.
- Hybrid Mattress: Hybrid mattresses are a cross between spring and memory foam mattresses. With these mattresses, all five bloodstain removal methods can work, but be careful not to use too much liquid in your solutions.
When removing blood from your mattress, it’s important to clean up properly by vacuuming the mattress to absorb any leftover blood and liquid. Once dry, lean your mattress against a wall or outside for the sunlight to completely dry your mattress. This will prevent bacteria from growing, which can lead to adverse health consequences like trouble breathing and respiratory issues.
