How to Get Blood Out of Clothes: 17 Mom-Approved Hacks

Wondering how to get blood out of clothes, sheets, or even a mattress? We get it — this time of the month is messy, and period blood stains have a way of showing up everywhere.

Over the years, you’ll probably end up staining just about everything it’s possible to stain, from your favorite underwear and go-to blue jeans to your coziest towel and that nice bedding you splurged on. No fabric is safe or sacred when it comes to period blood! And if your monthly flow starts to, well, flow while you’re out of the house or sleeping (honestly, who hasn’t woken up to a full-on Carrie moment at least once?), you’re going to wind up battling the dreaded dried blood stain from time to time.

The good news, though, is that blood stains are SO not a big deal, and nothing to be embarrassed about. And the even better news is that there are a ton of options for how to get rid of period stains that totally work. (Don’t forget, people with periods have been fine-tuning the formula for removing blood stains since pretty much forever!) We’ll be dealing with our periods and all the blood stains that come with them for a long, long time — so we might as well take matters into our own hands and learn how to get rid of period stains once and for all.

Below, find proven tricks for cleaning blood stains out of clothes (and bedding, and jeans, and pretty much anything you can bleed on) according to how old the stain is. We’ve turned down no challenge, with mom-approved tips for getting rid of blood stains no matter how stubborn they are. Some of these hacks are bound to really surprise you!

In this article, you’ll find:

• What will I need for cleaning blood stains?
• How to get blood out of clothes (fresh stains)
• How to get blood out of clothes (dried stains)
• How to get blood out of underwear
• How to get blood out of jeans
• How to get blood out of sheets and bedding

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of getting rid of blood stains, let’s talk supplies. Luckily, you don’t need a chemistry lab to pull this off — just a few everyday MVPs you probably already have under your sink or in your pantry! These simple tools will get you through most fresh or still-kinda-fresh blood stains, and you’ll see a few pop up again later when we tackle how to remove set-in blood stains, too. So make sure you’re stocked up!

• Vinegar: The pantry hero that can break down blood enzymes faster than you’d think.
• Dawn: Not just for your dishes — it can help loosen up fresh blood stains, too.
• Hydrogen peroxide: A fizzing little miracle worker, especially on lighter fabrics.
• Salt: When mixed with water, it becomes a mild abrasive that scrubs out stains surprisingly well.
• Baking soda: Your classic deodorizer that also makes a solid DIY stain paste.
• Cold water: The No. 1 rule for blood stains: keep it cold or risk setting the stain forever.
• Air: Skip the dryer — heat makes stains dig in. Air drying is your friend here.

Fresh stains are always easier to deal with, which is why knowing how to get blood stains out of clothes right away can save you a lot of stress (and laundry time). The key is acting fast and using the right household staples before the blood has a chance to set.

When it comes to getting period blood out of clothes, especially items made of lightweight fabric (like underwear or PJ bottoms), first try holding the stained area taut under cold running water — you'll be amazed at how much stuff a steady stream of H2O can coax out of a garment!

Sometimes cold water is enough to get fresh blood stains out entirely, especially if you act quickly. Immediacy is key here, since the fresher a blood stain is, the easier it is to get out. If water alone doesn’t seem to be cutting it, add in a drop of liquid dish soap, like Dawn, or a gentle hand soap. Massage it into the fabric with your fingers, using a circular motion. For sturdier fabrics, you can also rub the stained sections lightly against each other to help lift the blood. Rinse and repeat until the stain starts to fade.

Running late and really can’t deal with a stain at the moment? At least throw the garment in a bowl of cold water to soak. It’ll be much easier to deal with later if the blood didn't have the opportunity to dry first.

This hack for how to get blood stains out was handed down to my best friend by her mom. (Thanks, Angela!) After first rinsing stained fabric under cold water to let as much blood wash away as possible, grab an ice cube. Ice cubes are great for protein-based stains, including blood — they are, after all, the coldest that cold water can get! Simply use the edge of the cube to rub at the stained area.

And, on the subject of ice, a quick note about its opposite: hot water. It bears repeating that hot or even lukewarm water will effectively “cook” the proteins in the blood stain into your fabric fibers — yuck. So always use cold water or ice if you don’t want the stain to become a permanent addition to your wardrobe.

Both white vinegar and lemon juice are acidic, meaning they can help dissolve the proteins and pigments in a new blood stain before it digs in too deep. Vinegar is more versatile, since it’s generally safe on both light and dark fabrics (you should still spot test, though!). Lemon juice, on the other hand, is best saved for whites and lighter colors only — it can act like a natural bleach, which is exactly why some people use it for DIY highlights!

No matter which you’re using, only try one product at a time. Doubling up won’t speed things along and can be rough on fabric. For either one, here’s what you’ll do:

1. Splash a little white vinegar (or fresh lemon juice if it’s a light fabric) directly onto the stain.
2. Let it hang out for 10–15 minutes so the acidity can work its magic.
3. Blot with a clean cloth to lift what’s loosened up, then rinse under cold water.
4. Wash as usual. Still see a trace? Repeat the process.

You’ll probably need something stronger than water, vinegar, or lemon juice for period stains that are a bit more set-in. Thankfully, there are loads of common household items that can help, including the classic hydrogen peroxide and blood stains combo.

Peroxide is an oxidizing agent, meaning it releases oxygen bubbles that break down the bonds and color pigmentation in a blood stain. That fun fizzing effect? It’s literally lifting the stain out of your fabric fibers! A word of caution, though: Hydrogen peroxide is best for lighter-colored clothes, since it can cause fading and discoloration on darker fabrics — so always test it on a hidden spot first. Here’s how you’ll use it:

1. Dampen a clean sponge or cloth with hydrogen peroxide (don’t soak it — too much can weaken or discolor fabric).
2. Gently blot the blood stain — you’ll actually see it fizz as it works.
3. Rinse the area with cold water.
4. Repeat until you’ve lifted as much of the stain as you can.

Two other super common items, aspirin and baking soda, can also be used for cleaning blood stains. To give aspirin a go, crush up a few tablets and mix the resulting powder with water to form a paste that can be applied to the stain. Same thing with the baking soda — just mix some with water to make a paste (how much really depends on how large a stain you're dealing with!). Allow the paste to sit for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight, and then launder the garment as usual, making sure your wash setting is set to cold.

If you’re without access to any of the above, don’t fret — spit. We know; it's sort of gross. But saliva really works as a cleaning agent — some museum conservators even clean famous works of art with it (seriously). That’s because our spit contains amylase, an enzyme that’s helpful for breaking down food and other organic stains, blood included! It’s a useful hack to keep in mind when you're on the go and don't have anything else on hand.

You’ve run your stained fabric under cold water and given hydrogen peroxide and other household items a chance to work their magic. If you’re still seeing a stain, before tossing your garment in the wash, pretreat it with a laundry product that’s good at ghosting ugly blotches.

Oxygenated bleaches and enzymatic cleaners are both all-purpose stain treatments that are aces on blood. Carbona Stain Devils #4 is a great product for dorm-dwellers, too, since it comes in teeny-tiny bottles; a little goes a long way, and it won't take up a lot of storage space! Residual blood stains can also be treated using whatever kind of soap you have nearby; hand soap (both liquid and bar) will work, as will liquid laundry detergent or a laundry bar like Fels-Naptha.

Another #ProTip: A spare toothbrush is great for when you’ve reached the liquid soap-scrubbing stage of removing blood stains! (Especially when you consider that the alternative is using the pads of your fingers.)

Try, try again (and potentially again after that). Sometimes stains need more than one round of treatment, and that’s totally normal. Blood stains can be especially stubborn, so don’t give up if it doesn’t disappear right away. Just repeat the steps or switch to another method — the key is patience. Whatever you do, avoid tossing the garment in the dryer until you’re confident the stain is gone, since heat will lock it in for good.

When your mission is finally accomplished, treat yourself to some chocolate. You earned it.

Dried period stains love to overstay their welcome. Why? The same proteins that make blood clot quickly on your skin cause it to also bind tightly to fabric fibers. And once blood is exposed to air, the iron in hemoglobin oxidizes — which is why stains shift from bright red to that stubborn brown color so fast.

Annoying? Absolutely. Permanent? Not with the right tricks. Knowing how to get out old blood stains can require a little more elbow grease and ingenuity than a fresh stain, but with some persistence, you can still rescue your favorite clothes.

If you’re trying to figure out how to remove set-in blood stains, head first to the silverware drawer. When blood dries, it can crust on top of fabric — almost like paint. Before trying anything else, use the tip of a butter knife or the edge of a spoon to gently scrape away any dried bits sitting on the surface. This won’t erase the stain, but it can make the next treatment more effective by getting rid of that outer layer. Just be careful not to press too hard or you risk damaging the fabric fibers.

Just because a blood stain has dried doesn’t necessarily mean you need a whole new playbook. Many of the tricks for getting rid of new blood stains can do damage on old, set-in ones, too. Hydrogen peroxide is the real standout here — its fizzing action doesn’t care whether your tampon leaked five minutes or five weeks ago..

Baking soda paste and aspirin powder can still help lift dried stains, too, by breaking down proteins over time. And oxygenated bleaches and enzymatic cleaners remain MVPs — they’re designed to target organic stains like blood, sweat, and food whether fresh or dried. Even a trusty laundry bar like Fels-Naptha or a concentrated dab of liquid detergent can give a dried spot the push it needs.

Sometimes blood stains happen when you're out of the house, and at that point, soap and laundry products won't do you any good. Luckily, salt water or saline can work in a pinch. Plain old table salt acts as a gentle abrasive and helps draw the blood out of fabric fibers, especially when mixed with cold water.. If you're a contact lens wearer, you can use your saline solution to the same effect, which is pretty handy when you're traveling. Who knew?!

This is pretty much the cardinal rule of how to remove old blood stains from clothes. Fill your sink with cold water, then add a teaspoon of an enzyme-based stain remover. Look for products that contain enzymes called proteases; they’re great for breaking down proteins, like blood stains. (Bonus? An enzyme cleaner can help with sweat stains, too!)

Now, let the garment soak for at least three or four hours (if the stain is stubborn and you have the time, overnight is even better). If the blood stain is still visible at this point, apply a little more of the stain remover and scrub to loosen things up — an old toothbrush works great again here — before throwing the garment in the wash. And after a normal wash in cold water, if the stain is still there, give it another soak.

As annoying as it may be to repeat the process, a little patience and persistence can be the ticket to keeping your favorite pair of panties out of the trash!

Here's one totally oddball thing that will remove blood stains. You ready for this? Unseasoned meat tenderizer. Told you it was weird! It's really good on older, set-in blood stains. To use it, sprinkle the stain with the tenderizer powder and add enough water to make a paste. Let that sit on the stain for 30 or so minutes, and then finish by rinsing with cold water and washing as usual.

When blood stains have been hanging around forever, sometimes you need to bring in the heavy hitters. Ammonia is alkaline, which means it can break down the proteins in dried, set-in stains that other cleaners can’t touch. To make it safe for fabric, mix one tablespoon of clear household ammonia with half a cup of cold water, then dab it onto the stain with a sponge and blot gently. Rinse thoroughly with cold water to remove any residue, then wash as usual.

#ProTip: Only try this on color-safe fabrics and in a well-ventilated area. Skip it entirely for delicates like wool or silk, which can be damaged by ammonia.

Period stain on your favorite panties? Story of our menstruating lives! Underwear is usually the first casualty of a surprise period leak — which makes knowing how to get blood out of underwear a must. The steps for removing blood stains from underwear overlap with other fabrics, but there are a few special tricks for delicates and thin materials that will help save your favorite pairs.

Since underwear fabric is usually thinner than denim or towels, acting quickly makes a huge difference here. Hold the stained area under cold running water, letting it flow through the back of the stain to push blood out of the fibers. Massage in a little soap with your fingers — dish soap, hand soap, or even a bar soap will do the trick. If the fabric isn’t too delicate, gently rub the material against itself to help loosen the stain.

Lace, mesh, and silk underwear need extra TLC. Skip the heavy scrubbing — delicate fibers can fray fast — and start simple with cold water, a mild soap, and gentle blotting.

For sturdier “delicates” like nylon blends, you can experiment with a dab of diluted vinegar or a light baking soda paste, but always spot test first. A soft toothbrush is fine for easing the solution in, but keep it gentle. And save the hydrogen peroxide for cotton and other sturdy fabrics — on true delicates, it’s more likely to bleach than clean.

If rinsing and soap don’t do the job, let your underwear take a bath. Fill a sink or bowl with cold water and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. For stubborn stains, sprinkle in some salt or baking soda, or add a teaspoon of an enzyme-based laundry detergent to give the soak extra stain-lifting power.

Don’t reach for the dryer until you’re absolutely sure the blood stain is gone — heat will only bake it in permanently. Instead, let your underwear air-dry between rounds of soaking or spot-treating, then check again before the next wash. It takes a little patience, but it’s the only way to make sure the stain’s truly gone for good.

Denim may be tough, but stains can be tougher — which is why knowing how to get blood stains out of jeans is key to saving your favorite pair. Because jeans are thicker and more absorbent than most fabrics, getting blood off jeans calls for a slightly different game plan:

If you need to figure out how to get blood stains out of jeans, the approach is going to be slightly different. Since the fabric is thick, you'll start by blotting the stain from the inside. Soak a washcloth in cold water, wring it out, and then blot away. Avoid the temptation to rub the stain — that will only spread the blood. Keep blotting until no more blood comes off on the washcloth.

After blotting the stain, let your jeans soak in cold water for at least half an hour. You can add some salt or a half cup of baking soda to the soak here if desired, or just stick to plain ol’ water. The important thing is to give the stain a chance to lift.

While some of the household remedies listed above definitely do work for cleaning blood stains on jeans, one you’ll generally want to steer clear of is hydrogen peroxide. Especially for darker and medium wash jeans, hydrogen peroxide can act as a mild bleach and will change the color of your denim. No, thanks!

Simple dishwashing soap or even shampoo may be enough here; dab a little onto the stain before scrubbing the area over with a toothbrush. Now, toss it into the wash (on a cold water setting, of course!).

If your jeans, after being soaked and spot-treated, are still coming out of the wash stained, it might be time for an ammonia soak. Soak your jeans the same as you did in Step 2, only this time, add both a teaspoon of laundry detergent and a tablespoon of ammonia to the mix. Let it all soak together for several hours, if not overnight. Then, give ‘em another wash.

Those middle-of-the-night leaks sometimes make it all the way onto your bedding. We’ve been there (and it’s why we’ve become huge fans of period underwear, for the record!). To get rid of blood stains on sheets and bedding, you can use some of the same tricks for cleaning blood stains on clothing — with a few important asterisks.

If you’re trying to remove blood stains from bedding, you'll be happy to know that the techniques for how to get blood out of clothes are exactly the same for ordinary linens — just be careful to use hydrogen peroxide only on white or lighter-colored sheets, since it can permanently discolor darker fabrics.

White vinegar can be a handy soaking alternative to get dried blood out of sheets. As a bonus, it’ll help soften your bedding sheets and remove detergent residue, too! And don’t worry about the smell; it’ll disappear as soon as your sheets are dry.

For a mattress pad or comforter — or anything else that's oversized but washable — treat the stain just like you would one on your clothes and wash it in cold water. (Note: If you get a stain on silk bed sheets or anything else super delicate, make sure to read the care label to see what the manufacturer recommends.) You may need to take some bedding to a laundromat if your washing machine isn't big enough; just remember that nothing should be put in the dryer before you’re happy with its stain state! For that reason, you might want to do a soak or two at home first, so you’re not stuck at the ‘mat waiting (and waiting some more) for your bedding to go through multiple wash cycles.

#ProTip: When it is time to dry your bedding, toss some clean tennis balls or dryer balls in with your comforter to help redistribute the stuffing and make it nice and fluffy.

The trick for how to get blood out of a mattress is to use as little liquid as possible — you don't want to saturate it, or else it won't dry! Pick any of the blood stain removal products mentioned above, and dab it on stains using a cotton ball or a clean cloth. The key, again, is to not soak the mattress. Go slowly and use several applications. Then allow the mattress some time to air dry before re-making the bed. If you live in a damp climate, turning a standing fan toward the mattress will help aid the drying process.

Ultimately, most blood-stained things can be salvaged with fast action, a little cold water, and a lot of patience. Cue the sound of your underwear drawer cheering in the background!

This story has been updated to include the most up to date information.