How to Get Dried Blood Out of Clothes — I Tested 3 Popular Methods

The quest to remove a dried blood stain from the knee of my jeans.

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Recently, while I was out and about running errands, I didn’t realize that a wound on my knee had opened back up and got blood on my jeans. At first, it wasn’t very noticeable given I was wearing black jeans and it was dark out, but by the time I got home the blood had long since dried and set, and was very noticeable the next day in the daylight.

Unfortunately, blood is more difficult to remove from fabric once it’s dried, and can be challenging, if not impossible to get out. But I really like these jeans and wanted to give cleaning them my best shot. So I took to the internet, pouring over website after website to learn the best way to remove dried blood from clothes. The same methods kept coming up, but I couldn’t find any photos of real clothing with successfully removed dried blood. They all used stock photos. Had anyone actually tried these methods, or just repeated what they had heard should work? That’s when I decided to bring you along on this journey to find a way to remove dried blood from clothing.

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The Quest: To Get Dried Blood Out of Clothes

My jeans with the blood stain on the knee area.

The Goal:

• Remove a dried blood stain from the knee of my black jeans so I can wear them again
• Test multiple methods until I find an effective way to get dried blood out of clothes

The Challenges:

• Dried blood stains are stubborn because the proteins coagulate and bind to the fabric as they dry, while oxidation can further darken and set the stain.
• Heat from washing blood in hot water or using a dryer causes the stain to set, making it significantly harder to remove. I’ll need to use cold water and let my jeans air dry while experimenting with methods for blood stain removal.
• My clothing is black, so I need to be careful not to bleach the area being treated.

The Advantage:

• Since my jeans are black, a faint stain will be much less noticeable than it would be on a lighter color, where even the slightest discoloration would stand out.

The Fabric:

• Black jeans made of 77% cotton, 21% polyester, 2% spandex.

Here’s everything I did to successfully get the blood stain out of my jeans.

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The Experiment: Testing 3 Popular Methods to Get Dried Blood Out of Clothes

These are the methods I found repeatedly mentioned online, and the results for how they worked on the dried blood stain on my clothes. These methods were mentioned so, so many times that I’m not able to attribute them to any one source; I suspect these techniques have been passed down for a long time and are widely known.

Method 1: Laundry Detergent

It made sense to start with laundry detergent to try to get dried blood out of clothes before moving on to more unconventional methods. I began by flipping my jeans inside out to the source location of the stain, rinsing the dried blood stain in cold water, and gently scraping the fabric with my fingernail to loosen anything that might come off. Then, I applied laundry detergent directly to the stain, rubbing in a circular motion, and let it sit for five hours. After that, I washed the jeans on their own in cold water and air-dried them.

Directions:

If you want to try using laundry detergent to remove a dried blood stain, follow these steps:

1. Rinse the stain – Using the inside of the fabric where the stain originated, run cold water over the stain to loosen any dried blood.
2. Gently scrape the fabric – Use your fingernail or a soft brush to lift any residue without damaging the fabric.
3. Apply detergent – Rub a small amount of liquid laundry detergent (I used Tide) directly onto the stain.
4. Let it sit – Leave the detergent on the stain for about five hours to break down the proteins.
5. Wash in cold water – Place the item in the washing machine by itself and wash on a cold water cycle.
6. Air dry – Avoid using the dryer, as heat can set any remaining stain. Let it air dry instead.

My Results:

The blood stain lessened a lot, more than I expected, but was still visible. It became more concentrated in the center, I’m assuming from me scraping it and rubbing the detergent in a circle. While improved, the stain is still visible so I’ll try another method.

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Method 2: Hydrogen Peroxide

This was the most frequently recommended method that I found for removing dried blood (and especially for fresh blood stains) so I picked up a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. However, I came across a few warnings that it can bleach darker fabrics, so I decided to spot-test it on the inside waistband first. Luckily, there was no discoloration, so I felt comfortable using it on the stained area on the knee of my jeans.

Directions:

Since hydrogen peroxide can bleach darker fabrics, it’s important to test it first before applying it to a visible stain. Here’s how to safely use this method:

1. Spot-test a hidden area – Rinse a small, hidden part of the fabric (like the inside waistband) with cold water, then apply a small amount of hydrogen peroxide.
2. Wait – Let it sit for 24 hours to check for any discoloration.
3. Rinse the stain – If the test area looks fine, rinse the stained area with cold water.
4. Apply hydrogen peroxide – Pour a small amount directly onto the stain and let it sit for three hours.
5. Wash in cold water – Wash alone in your washing machine using cold water.
6. Air dry – Avoid the dryer, as heat can set any remaining stain. Let it air dry completely.

Note: Fabrics that are more sensitive to hydrogen peroxide include delicate materials like silk and wool. These fabrics can be damaged or discolored by hydrogen peroxide, so it’s best to avoid using it on them or to test carefully in a hidden area first. On sturdier fabrics like cotton or denim, hydrogen peroxide is generally safe when used correctly. If something says dry clean only, it’s best to take it to the dry cleaners.

My Results:

The blood stain lightened even more from using this method, but was still a bit visible. I’ll try another method to see if it can look even better.

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Method 3: Dish Soap and Baking Soda Paste 

Another frequently mentioned method for removing dried blood from fabric is to make a paste with dish soap and baking soda. I decided to spot-test this combination since I wasn’t sure how the black fabric of my jeans would react to it. After spot-testing it for a few hours with no discoloration, I applied the mixture to the blood stain and let it sit for a few hours, then washed it.

Directions:

This method combines dish soap and baking soda to break down the stain without harsh chemicals. Follow these steps to try this method:

1. Make a paste – Mix dish soap and baking soda until it forms a thick paste.
2. Spot-test a hidden area – Apply a small amount of the paste to a hidden part of the fabric and let it sit for a few hours.
3. Check for discoloration – If there’s no damage or fading, it’s safe to use on the stain.
4. Apply to the stain – Spread the paste directly onto the blood stain and let it sit for a few hours.
5. Wash in cold water – Rinse off the paste, then wash the clothing on a cold water cycle.
6. Air dry – Avoid heat from the dryer, as it can set any remaining stain. Let the fabric air dry completely.

My Results:

The stain was removed even more, to where I either can’t see it, or can see it only slightly since I know where to look. I don’t think anyone else would notice a stain on these jeans.

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The Results: Key Takeaways

Removing dried blood stains takes some trial and error since different fabrics and stain ages respond to different treatments. After testing multiple methods, I’ve learned a combination of treatments that works and which tricks can help make the process easier.

• My stain appears to have disappeared, or is only slightly visible if you know where to look. This is a benefit of having a darker clothing color.
• As you’ve seen, there wasn’t one individual method that removed the dried blood stain, but rather a combination of three methods that together targeted the stain in different ways to effectively remove it.
• I stopped experimenting once I was satisfied with the blood stain removal, but would have continued with additional methods or repeated methods if necessary.
• Getting stains out takes patience, and testing a small hidden area first can help prevent damage before applying any method to the stain in a visible area.
• Avoiding washing in hot water and drying with heat from a dryer helps to keep the stain from permanently setting.
• Delicate fabrics like wool and silk may require gentler methods, such as cold water and mild soap or help from the dry cleaner, while sturdier fabrics like denim are more likely to be able to handle stronger treatments like hydrogen peroxide or baking soda.
• If all else fails, try using an enzyme stain remover to loosen the blood from your clothes. Test a hidden area of fabric first.

Was testing multiple methods worth it? Trying different methods to get dried blood out of clothes was definitely eye-opening. Some methods worked better than I expected. It was worth experimenting to see how well each method actually worked and how they all contributed to the removal of the stain, instead of stopping after trying only one method.

It takes trial and error with stains. Every stain is different, and so is every fabric, which means there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. What works perfectly on one material might not do much for another. Finding the best method often takes a bit of trial and error.

It’s important to act fast. The sooner you treat a stain, the better your chances of getting rid of it completely. Once it dries, it’s much harder to remove. A quick response can make all of the difference.

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What Kinds of Blood Stains These Methods Can Tackle

These are some of the blood stains you can use these methods on to get fresh blood or dried blood out of clothes:

• Cuts
• Scrapes
• Nosebleeds
• Menstrual blood / period blood

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Stains happen, and getting them out isn’t always straightforward. By doing this experiment to get dried blood out of clothes, now I know which methods are worth using if something like this should happen again, and I’m able to continue wearing a pair of jeans that I love.

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Related: 2 Easy Ways to Tidy Your Home When You’re Feeling Overwhelmed or Unmotivated 

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Save This List of How to Get Dried Blood Out of Clothes

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How to Get Dried Blood Out of Clothes

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Do you have a go-to solution for tackling clothing stains? If you try any of these methods to get dried blood out of clothes, leave a comment below to share how it worked for you!