Introduction
Bloodstains usually belong at a crime scene. However, there are many legitimate ways they can end up on the couch. From nose bleeds to scraped knees, any kind of invasive injury can leave bloodstain. If your furniture gets damaged, you can search for “furniture repair near me” and hire professionals to fix it for you. However, you need to clean the bloodstains yourself. Here’s how you can get rid of it from different types of fabrics including furniture upholstery.
The Details
Upholstery – When bloodstains end up on the furniture upholstery it’s a big problem. Unlike clothes, they can’t be quickly removed and thrown into the washer. You’ll need to disassemble the furniture if you need to get the upholstery inside the washer. Moreover, certain upholstery materials aren’t suited for wet washing. They require an entirely different approach.
If the blood stains are on the cushions of the sofa, check the label under them. They should be marked with an X or S care code. These care codes are for upholstery specialists and dry cleaners. The code lets them know about the upholstery material and the kind of treatment that is appropriate for removing blood stains from them. On the other hand, if the care code is labeled as W or WS, then it can be washed.
While the cushion upholstery can be sent to the cleaners or thrown inside the washer, it’s not that simple for the upholstery on the sofa frame. They require careful and manual cleaning. Get a clean and undyed cloth and dip it lightly inside a solution of cold water and liquid detergent. Use the cloth to dab the detergent solution into the bloodstain. Make sure not to spread the stain by rubbing it. Rotate the cloth as the need arises so that you’re always limited to the stained area. Repeat until the bloodstain is completely removed. Finally, dry the area with a dry and clean undyed cloth.
Cloth – When the upholstery is stained with blood, some of it can also make its way to your clothes. While removing stains from furniture upholstery isn’t easy, clothes are much easier to clean. It’s best if you start working on the stain when it’s fresh. If it’s fresh, remove the item of clothing and simply hold it under cold running water. Allow water to dissolve the stain and let gravity extract it out.
You can also apply a couple of drops of laundry detergent to the bloodstained area before you rinse it under the tap. Once you get rid of the stain, you can throw it in the washer along with detergents and oxygen bleach.
On the other hand, if the bloodstain has dried off, soak the cloth in cold water mixed with laundry detergent. After the cloth is soaked overnight, rinse it off and check the stain. If the stain is still present, mix equal parts of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide and apply the paste to the stain. Let it sit for a few minutes before washing it in the laundry with the regular detergent. Repeat the process if the stain is still not removed.
Wool – Unlike cotton and other types of fabrics, wool is stain-resistant. That means a few dabs with a clean and undyed cloth should get the job done. If the station still remains, you’ll need to treat it as an old and dried bloodstain. Get a clean and undyed cloth, moisten it in cold water and use it to dampen the stained area. After that use a tiny amount of wool-safe detergent on the stain. Work the detergent gently into the stain. You need to be careful since wool is much weaker when it’s wet. Once you have blotted the stain clean, hand wash the wool fabric in cold water.
Sheets – Apart from the upholstery, you may also wake up to bloodstained sheets. In that case, rinse the stained spot under cold water. You can also scrub it with your hand after applying a few drops of liquid detergent. After that follow it up in the washer with oxygen bleach and detergent.
If the bloodstain is very old, you need to use the same paste of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Allow it to soak the stain for a few minutes before you throw it in the washer. Sheets are basically made from the same material as regular clothes. So, cleaning them requires a similar approach.
Silk – Silk is a delicate fabric and using random detergents rich in enzymes may damage it. Fortunately, removing blood stains from silk fabric is very easy. Simple saltwater does the job most times. Mix a teaspoon of saltwater in a cup of cold water and fill up a spray bottle. Spray the salt solution on the stained area. Make it completely wet and wait for a few minutes. After that, rinse it under cold water. You can also check the label on the silk fabric. Certain types of silk are safe to be put inside the washer.
Alternatives – Apart from the above-mentioned ways of cleaning, there are certain strong products that are known to combat bloodstains effectively. However, they may not be safe for certain types of fabrics. Let’s check some of them out:
- Hand sanitizer – hand sanitizers contain a lot of rubbing alcohol that acts as a solvent for dried blood. Dab hand sanitizers on the stained area and rinse it off when the bloodstain is removed.
- Vinegar – Vinegar is a widely available household item that is cheap and can be used in many places outside the kitchen. You can dab it straight into the blood-stained area and the acetic acid should loosen up the stain within a few minutes.
Conclusion
Accidents may happen and the bloodstains left by them shouldn’t embarrass you. The above-mentioned methods should help you to get rid of bloodstains with relative ease. On the other hand, if your furniture is damaged, you can search for “furniture repair near me” and get pros to fix it for you.
