How to Remove Dried Blood from Clothes

 Don't you just love it when there is a mountain of laundry, and out of the hamper comes a shirt, sports jersey, pajama top, etc. that someone has gotten blood on and forgotten to tell you? Stain removal can be a pain, but it's not all that hard.

Remember first, that not all methods are good for all fabrics. In general, most of what a family wears today would be safe with any of these methods, but if you are talking a special item of clothing that is pure wool, silk, or some other unusual fabric, you might want to check with your local cleaners.

You can go at dried blood directly with a commercial laundry pre-soak, but most dried blood stains benefit from nothing more than a soaking in cold water to help lift the dried particles. Leave the item in a bucket of cold water, then come back and rinse it out.

Next, you have a number of choices. You can put a handful of table salt in the bucket with clean water, and soak for another 15-30 minutes, and launder as usual. Or you can use an ammonia solution of 50-50 with water, letting it soak in for five minutes, then spraying with your laundry pre-soak and then throw it in the washer. Make sure your pre-soak does not include bleach, as it can form a poisonous gas with ammonia. A third choice is hydrogen peroxide, which has been known to lift even stains that have already been laundered. Wet well with the peroxide, and then wash it. Some people will apply the peroxide directly without pre-soaking in water.

Whichever method you choose, be sure to air dry the clothing after. Sometimes the light where you are, may not show that the stain isn't completely gone, and heat from a dryer will set it all the harder.