How to Clean Up Blood - Dyson Vacuum Rev

While blood spills might not be the most common stains, finding out how to clean up blood spills is an important skill to have. This is because blood stains aren’t the easiest stains to get out.

But do not panic. The fact that they aren’t the easiest doesn’t mean that they are impossible to get out. In fact, the key to cleaning up blood stains completely is to get them out as soon as possible.

Blood coagulates when left on a surface for too long especially on absorbent surfaces. This makes it very difficult to get rid of the blood.

Table of Contents

How to Clean Up Blood From Non-Absorbent Surfaces

How do you clean up blood from non-absorbent surfaces?

The following are steps to clean up blood from non-absorbent surfaces:

1. Wear protective gear to cover your body and clothes.
2. Contain the blood spills immediately around the edges with paper towels as much as possible.
3. Clean up the blood with any absorbent cloth.
4. Mix water and a little quantity of bleach in a container.
5. Dip a clean cloth in the bleach solution and spot clean the blood-stained area.

Whether it is water, pee, or blood, getting spills out of non-absorbent surfaces can be easy.

However, getting them out early is still necessary. This is because there have been occasions where water and blood left marks on wood and other surfaces.

You have to be careful with your disposal. Place all the disposable absorbent materials you’ve used in an airtight bag and throw the bag in the trash.

Video: How to Clean Up Blood

This video will show you how to clean up blood stains.

How to Clean Up Blood From Absorbent Surfaces

How do you clean up blood from absorbent surfaces?

To clean up blood from absorbent surfaces, do the following:

1. Wear protective gloves and clothing.
2. Dab the stained spot with a damp rag or paper towels. Be careful not to press the blood spills into the surface deeper .
3. Use a wet vacuum to deep clean the spot.
4. Spray the stained area with disinfectant recommended by the manufacturer and leave it in for about 10 minutes.
5. Rinse the spot with a clean rag dampened with only clean water.
6. Allow the spot to air dry completely.

With absorbent surfaces, you need to be more concerned about the blood soaking into the material than the blood spreading. However, the latter is still something to worry about.

Now, cleaning the blood isn’t all that needs to be done. You’ll also need to disinfect the spot and get rid of the smell too. Hopefully, you’ll be able to do this without professional help.

Before you put any cleaning product on your couch, carpet, or any such surface, check with the manufacturers’ recommendations for what is safe and what is not.

Don’t forget to properly dispose of all the disposable materials you used. Then completely rinse out the non-disposables you use with water and bleach solution.

Check out these interesting articles from our previous post:

How do you clean up blood from moveable surfaces?

Follow these steps to clean up blood from movable surfaces:

1. Soak the items like clothes in warm water.
2. Wash the clothes with soap and water. You might notice that you’ve got almost all of the blood out.
3. Rinse clothes with clean water mixed with some quantity of disinfectant.

Movable surfaces could be anything from placemats to clothes. If you are working with a placemat or area rug, you could remove the blood the same way as you remove blood from the non-moveables.

Adding soap or bleach and so on immediately on blood-stained clothes will make the blood bond with the fabric. This will make it more difficult to get it out.

Dettol Liquid Hand Wash Revitalize Raspberry, 8.45 Ounce (Pack of 6)

How to Clean Up Blood – Related FAQs

What Chemical Is Used To Clean Blood Spills?

The following chemicals can be used to clean blood spills:

Alcohol like methanol and ethanol.

Chlorine and chlorine compounds like hypochlorites.
Formaldehyde found in formalin.
Glutaraldehyde.

Hydrogen peroxide.
Iodophors found in iodine or tinctures.
Ortho-phthalaldehyde (OPA).

Peroxyacetic or Peracetic acid.
Combination of hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid.
Phenolics or phenol derivatives.

Quaternary ammonium compounds.

These chemicals or compounds can be found alone or in combination with other chemical agents. They exist in solid or liquid states and are very effective in cleaning blood spills.

However, care must be taken when using these chemicals. Some can irritate the skin and cause other side effects on inhalation. Others are corrosive to surfaces they are applied to.

Why Is Blood Hard To Clean?

Blood is hard to clean because it has the capacity to stain or stick to almost everything it comes in contact with.

Just cleaning blood is not enough as there can still be traces of blood stains even after cleaning has been done. Most times, the absence of any visible blood stain does not necessarily mean that the blood has been eliminated.

It is important you use the right chemical and equipment as well as following recommended procedures when cleaning the blood. This helps to make sure that blood stains are properly cleaned.

Does Hydrogen Peroxide Clean Blood?

Hydrogen peroxide can clean blood. To clean blood using hydrogen peroxide, do the following:

Dab the blood-stained area with a cloth wet with cold water.
Wipe the spot with a dry cloth.

Repeat this process until you have cleaned most of the blood.
Pour a little quantity of hydrogen peroxide on the blood stain directly.
Reapply hydrogen peroxide if the blood stain is stubborn or old.

Rinse the stained area with cold water after removing the stain. This will remove any leftover hydrogen peroxide.

For this cleaning method, do not use too much water. This can spread the blood stains more. Make sure you use cold water as hot water will set the blood stains.

How Do You Remove Blood Stains From A Carpet?

Follow these steps to remove blood stains from a carpet:

Wipe the blood with a dry white cloth or an absorbent paper (non-dyed).
Pour a small quantity of warm water to the blood stained area of the carpet.
Dab the stained area with a wet cloth gently to absorb the liquid.

Wipe with a dry non-dyed cloth.
Sprinkle potato starch on the stained area and allow it to dry for about 24 hours.
Vacuum the carpet thoroughly.

If the blood stain persists, apply a universal carpet stain remover. Check the instruction on the body of the product for proper usage.

You can also use a cloth dabbed with a mixture of salt and cold water to remove blood stains.

How Do You Get Blood Stain Off A Mattress?

Follow these steps to get blood stain off a mattress:

Soak a clean cloth in cold water and dab the stain.
Mix water and some meat tenderizer to form a paste.
Rub the paste on the stained areas of your mattress and leave it to sit for about 1 hour.

Clean the spot with a wet cloth.
Pour a small quantity of hydrogen peroxide on the stain and allow it to bubble.
Wipe with a wet cloth. Repeat this procedure if necessary.

Mix cold water and baking soda to form a paste.
Apply the paste on the stain and leave it to sit for about 30 minutes.
Blot with a wet cloth and allow the mattress to completely air dry.

How Can You Tell If A Stain Is Blood?

You can tell if a stain is blood using any of these methods:

Method one:

Soak a cotton swab with hydrogen peroxide.

Rub it on the stain.
Repeat this several times to be sure you get the same result.

If the stain is blood, it will start bubbling on exposure to hydrogen peroxide.

Method two:

Dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol.
Dab the stain with the wet cotton swab about 4 to 5 times.

Add some drops of phenolphthalein solution.
Drop a little quantity of hydrogen peroxide.

Observe the stained spot for any visible color change. If the stain is blood, it will turn pink within 10 seconds of application.