As a mattress owner, you’ll need to learn how to clean blood out of a mattress at some point.
Although it’s seen as one of the most stubborn things to get on your mattress, you can remove blood using a few steps.
Let’s explore all of the user-friendly ways you can restore your mattress to its original condition.
Expert-Recommended Tips To Remove Blood Stain
When you’re panicking after getting blood on your mattress, it’s tempting to try to scrub it out as quickly as possible.
However, not keeping your cool is a sure-fire way to force you to have to change your mattress.
There are a few quick things to keep in mind before you start the removal process.
Tip #1: Use Cold Water
Did you know that hot water is often avoided since it can cause stains to set into fabrics forever?
This point is particularly true if you don’t use a high-quality cleaner with your water.
Ideally, to remove blood, you’ll want to use cold water to flush the stain out of the mattress.
Tip #2: Avoid Rubbing
We’ve all been there; you’re faced with a huge stain, and your first thought is to scrub it out of the material.
However, rubbing is another way to ensure the stain sets in the fabric.
That’s because you’ll be scrubbing it deeper into the material.
Also, rubbing is likely to make the stain move around, making it significantly larger than expected.
A far better alternative is to master the art of dabbing for stain removal.
Using a clean towel or sponge, simply dab at the stain until the blood is soaked in the towel.
Tip #3: Have the Right Cleaning Supplies
When it comes to choosing cleaning supplies for stain removal, there are two avenues to consider.
First is the all-natural route, often preferred since the blood is on a surface you sleep on.
Alternatively, you could opt for bed-safe cleaners that can be purchased from your local big-box store.
Considering you’ll want to get the blood out as quickly as possible, at-home options are often preferred.
You’ll be surprised to learn the things you need to remove blood are likely already in your pantry.
Tip #4: Wash Everything
To get as close as possible to your mattress stain, you must remove your sheets, pillowcases, blanket, and everything else.
It’s best to wash absolutely everything, checking your other linens for traces of blood as well.
If it’s on your mattress, it’s likely it also transferred to your sheets and sometimes your duvet cover or comforter.
You might find that you’ll also have to spot-treat the linens before throwing them in the wash.
Thankfully, you can use the same solution on your linens that you’ll be using on your mattress to remove the blood.
Tip #5: Prepare for Next Time
You know the old and famous adage, “Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me”?
Well, instead of being faced with the challenge of removing blood from your bed a second time, make sure you’re prepared.
Investing in a high-quality mattress protector not only helps make cleaning simpler but also protects your mattress.
Mattress protectors are specifically designed to either zip or fit over your mattress like a fitted sheet.
They feature a waterproof layer that prevents bodily fluids and other liquids from seeping through onto your mattress.
You’ll find cleaning a protector takes far less time, and most models can be machine washed for added convenience.
There are many different types of mattress protectors to choose from.
Some models are specifically designed to be waterproof while others add plushness to the mattress surface.
Top-tier mattress protectors help to ward off allergens while also protecting your bed from spills.
How To Clean Blood Out of a Mattress
With all of the most important pre-cleaning tips in mind, it’s time to get into the main project.
We’ll take you through the cleaning process step-by-step to help you get as much of the stain out of your bed as possible.
Step #1: Gather Your Materials
Of course, the first thing you’ll need to do is gather all of the materials you’re going to need for the cleaning process.
There are several vital things to find, most of which you likely already have in your home.
Cleaning Products
For your cleaning products, you’ll need to have:
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Corn starch
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Cold water
Cleaning Tools
For cleaning tools, have these on hand:
- Meat tenderizing powder (optional)
- Clean, white towel
- Cleaning gloves
- Spray bottle
Step #2: Prep Your Cleaning Solution
Now, it’s time to prepare your cleaning solution.
There are a couple of ways to approach this step, either by combining the ingredients together or adding them separately.
Our recommendation is to mix everything together, so you have an all-in-one solution that’s ready to apply.
At this time, you’ll want to take two parts of cold water and one part baking soda, mixing them together until dissolved.
Once this is complete, set the bottle aside for a few moments while mixing the second batch of solution.
In a separate container, combine 1/2 cup of cornstarch, 1/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide, and one teaspoon of salt.
Instead of putting this mixture into the spray bottle, you’ll want to set it aside for later.
We’ll be applying all of the dry ingredients separately.
Step #3: Treat the Stain
This next step is when you’ll begin to work with the stain on your mattress.
First, spray the baking soda and cold water solution to the affected area, ensuring it saturates.
Let the solution sit on the stain for 20 to 30 minutes, and once the time is up, gently dab it with a clean towel.
This solution isn’t likely to get rid of all of the blood, so you might have to go in with a second treatment.
Once you’ve removed as much blood as possible, let the area dry for 30 minutes before moving onto the next step.
Step #4: Apply the Second Treatment
As powerful as baking soda and water are, blood tends to be a little more stubborn to remove than a standard spill.
With that said, you’ll now want to finish preparing the second cleaning solution and apply it as well.
We recommend adding a little bit of cold water to the dry solution so that it turns into an easy-to-apply paste.
Using your gloves, place the paste across the entirety of the stain, ensuring the area is adequately saturated.
Instead of dabbing like the previous step, you’ll want to let this solution sit for 30 minutes until it’s completely dry.
If you try to remove the solution too early, it won’t have enough time to draw the blood out of your mattress.
Step #5: Remove the Second Solution
After 30 minutes, the cornstarch solution should be dry enough to where you can pick it off of your mattress.
Alternatively, you can use a spoon or a dull butter knife to scrape it off the surface of your mattress.
Inspect the material underneath to determine if the blood has been thoroughly removed.
If not, you can consider going back in with a second dry treatment or opt to apply more baking soda and water.
By repeating these processes, you should be able to remove most, if not all, of the blood from your mattress.
Step #6 (Optional): Deal With Heavy-Duty Stains
If the blood on your mattress is a little larger than expected, you might need to call for reinforcements.
At this point, you’ll need to consider using a meat tenderizing solution.
Meat tenderizers are specifically designed to break up the proteins in meat, meaning they help remove blood stains.
For this step, you’ll want to make a third cleaning solution using meat tenderizing powder.
Combine one teaspoon of powder with two teaspoons of cold water and mix it together into a paste.
Apply the paste to the stain on your mattress, ensuring it’s saturated.
Once dry, remove the tenderizing paste using a cloth soaked in cold water while using a second dry cloth for drying.
This process is sure to remove an exceptional amount of blood, especially if it’s soaked deep into your mattress.
Alternative Options for Cleaning Blood Out of a Mattress
The above steps should work adequately to get your blood stain out of your mattress.
However, if you’re looking for a couple of alternative methods, we also highly recommend the options below.
Handheld Mattress Cleaner
There’s nothing simpler than relying on technology to help you keep every area of your home clean.
Mattress cleaners are unique tools designed similarly to carpet cleaners to remove large and minor stains.
Although they’re more expensive than at-home solutions, they can help you save a lot of time.
With a handheld mattress cleaner, you’ll add cold water and store-bought cleaning solution into a tank.
The unit then sprays the solution onto the stain, and you run the cleaner over the affected area.
The cleaner is designed to scrub the stains out of the material while sucking the contaminated water out.
After a few passes, you’re likely to see a significant difference in the overall quality of your mattress.
One of the largest advantages of these tools is that they’re not only great for stains but all-over cleaning.
You must maintain your mattress over the years to keep it in its best condition.
Laundry or Dish Detergent
Two cleaners that are known for being exceptional at removing stains are laundry and dish detergents.
Since you can’t throw your whole mattress into your washing machine, why not bring the washer to your bed?
Using laundry detergent and cold water can help you effortlessly spot treat areas of your mattress with ease.
Also, you’ll have the added benefit of a fresh and rejuvenating scent after cleaning.
The most important thing to remember with these cleaners is you’ll need to make sure all of the soap is removed.
Otherwise, the inner layers of your mattress won’t dry, which can cause mold.
You’ll also want to make sure you use detergents that don’t contain any bleach.
As helpful as bleach can be, it can also break down the delicate materials in your mattress.
Over time, you’ll find your mattress will be significantly easier to tear.
Final Thoughts
If you want to learn how to clean blood out of a mattress, the process is simpler than you might think.
With the right household solution or store-bought cleaners, you can begin treating the stain immediately.
The most important thing to remember is the faster you get to the stain, the easier it will be removed.
