Even the smallest stains on upholstered furniture and mattresses drive housewives to despair. Especially blood stains. They are considered difficult to remove, often do not respond to modern stain removers. Any blood contains a huge amount of protein. It instantly eats into the fibers, leaving unsightly marks.
Mattresses cannot be washed, and it is forbidden to use a lot of water when cleaning them, which is another difficulty. For this reason, housewives often ask themselves: how to remove blood from a mattress with minimal consequences? The most effective tips for removing this type of contamination are discussed in detail in this publication.
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Effective means in the fight against blood stains
Before removing blood stains, the mattress must be prepared. To do this, you will need a clean cloth soaked in cold water. You need to go over the entire surface with it.
It is forbidden to use hot or even slightly warm water. High temperatures can deeply soak stains into the fabric fibers.
After wiping, the problem area should be covered with a cloth for a short period of time. Then you can proceed directly to active actions.
The most effective remedies against blood stains are considered to be:
- soap solution (water + soap);
Soap solution of laundry soap - hydrogen peroxide;
Hydrogen peroxide solution can be found in any medicine cabinet. - detergents for kitchen utensils;
You can use any brand of dishwashing detergent - salt;
Regular rock salt can always be found in the kitchen - ammonia;
Solution for external use - ammonia - meat tenderizer;
Meat tenderizer can also be tried to remove stains. - soda;
Baking soda can be found in any housewife's kitchen - citric acid;
Diluted citric acid is suitable for old stains. - various chemicals.
Removing fresh stains from a mattress
Fresh blood stains are much easier to remove from a mattress than old ones. To do this, use one of the methods discussed in the table.
| Means | How to apply |
| Kitchen salt | A small amount of salt is mixed with a drop of lemon juice. The mixture is applied to the fabric and left for about an hour. Then the surface can be wiped with a damp sponge. |
| Dishwashing gel | You can use any gel. You will need only two tablespoons of gel, half a liter of cold water. This mixture should be thoroughly treated with a regular toothbrush on the contaminated area. |
| Soap solution | The cheapest, most accessible way to remove blood stains from a mattress. The solution will only help if the blood stains have not yet dried. The problem area should be wetted with cold water and liquid soap should be applied on top. To enhance the effect, the solution can be rubbed into the fibers with an old toothbrush. |
| Baking soda | Regular baking soda will help return the mattress to its original appearance. It should be sprinkled on the stain, moistened with plain water. You will get a liquid gruel. It should be given time to dry. After drying, the soda can be removed with a brush, the mattress - wiped with a damp sponge. If there is small dirt residue, you can additionally use soap and water. |
Remedies for old stains on a mattress
Removing old blood stains from a fabric surface is difficult, and sometimes impossible at home. Effective methods for dealing with old blood stains are discussed in the table.
| Means | How to apply |
| Hydrogen peroxide | Peroxide saves us when we get various injuries, scratches. It is also an indispensable assistant around the house. Peroxide can easily cope with a small stain on furniture. A small amount of peroxide should be applied to the area, wait a few days. If the first time did not eliminate everything, the attempt can be repeated many times. |
| Ammonia | If peroxide does not give the desired effect for a long time, you can buy ammonia. The product should be diluted with water, thoroughly sprayed on the mattress. After the stain disappears, the surface should be washed with warm water. Ammonia is prohibited for use on delicate fabrics. It can damage them. |
| Meat tenderizer | This is a relatively inexpensive, simple way to clean furniture. The softener dissolves protein perfectly. It just needs to be mixed with water, applied to the fabric. The mass needs to be rubbed into the surface, then it will work better. After cleaning, the remains of the mass need to be removed from the furniture. Usually, warm water is used for this. |
| Citric acid | You will need two small packets of citric acid. This is a budget product. The acid costs mere pennies. The powder should be diluted in twenty milliliters of water. You will get a concentrated solution. It should be applied to the contaminated area and left for fifteen minutes. |
Features of the use of household detergents, stain removers
If you can't remove blood stains with simple salt, soda, or peroxide, then you should think about buying a good detergent, a stain remover. Stain removers come in different purposes and price categories. To begin with, you should try the simplest option - the stain remover that your family uses when washing clothes. Some use powder stain removers, others - liquid. Both options will do.
The stain remover should be applied to the surface strictly according to the instructions, then washed off with water. It is very important not to overexpose the mixture. Over a long period of time, it can spoil the fibers. In case of failure with regular stain removers, you can buy special ones for furniture. They can be ordered online, searched for in furniture hypermarkets. The solutions must be used strictly according to the instructions.
Instead of a stain remover, you can try regular dishwashing detergent. It should be of good quality. However, this option is only suitable for a fresh stain. It is unlikely to remove an old one.
When using household dishwashing detergents and stain removers, you need to follow certain rules.
- Hands must be protected with gloves. Regular household rubber gloves will do. They must be intact.
Rubber gloves will protect your hands from detergents and stain removers - The product should not be kept for long. If left for a long time, such products can cause significant damage to the product. The holding time is usually indicated directly on the packaging.
- It is not worth using stain remover on colored textiles. It can ruin the pattern and eat away the color. However, there are special stain removers for colored textiles. But it is better to test them on a small area hidden from view beforehand.
Benefits of professional dry cleaning
Available home remedies cannot always cope with blood stains. This is especially difficult when a lot of time has passed since the mattress was soiled. In this case, only professional furniture dry cleaning will help. Its advantages are obvious.
- Professionals can handle any task. Having tried many home remedies, a person may decide to simply throw away the mattress and buy a new one. However, you shouldn't rush like that. A professional can handle any level of contamination.
Choose a good cleaning company to clean your mattress - Deep cleaning of the mattress. No home solution prepared from salt, citric acid, soda, will be able to perform deep cleaning. Such mixtures cope only with the surface layers. In dry cleaning, the product will be perfectly clean. During cleaning, parasites, dirt, crumbs, mold will be removed.
- Exclusivity of detergents. A good dry cleaner uses expensive, effective detergents in its work. They are usually made abroad. It is impossible to find them in hardware stores. The composition of such detergents is aimed at combating any protein stains. It copes with blood stains in a matter of minutes.
- Maintaining the integrity of furniture. Nowadays, it is impossible to buy a good, high-quality mattress for a bed cheaply. For this reason, it is important to take maximum care of the product. Home remedies used for cleaning can cause harm. Dry cleaners guarantee complete safety. Before processing, the craftsmen conduct a thorough diagnosis. They study the product, its composition, blood stains. Based on the diagnostic data, a detergent, the method of its application, and the waiting time are selected. This approach ensures an ideal result.
