Of all the potential stains on a carpet, blood is often the one that strikes fear into everyone’s heart. Be it from a nosebleed, or a cut finger, it can be notoriously difficult to get out, but it isn’t impossible. Here are a few tips to help bring your blood-stained carpet back to its former glory.
There are a number of ways to tackle blood stains on a carpet. We will start with the least chemical reliant and finish with chemical based solutions. The first thing to remember is, try to address the stain as quickly as possible, a dry stain is certainly harder to remove than a wet one. If the stain is dry, remove the loose dried particles with a stiff brush before proceeding. Another key point to remember is, never use hot water, cold or lukewarm water will help remove the stain, hot water is likely to make it harder to get out.
Good old H2o
First, try taking a spray bottle and filling it with cold water. Spray the stain from the outside inwards so as not to spread it further. Take a clean white cloth and blot the stain, again moving from the outer edges towards the centre. Never rub the stain as this will only spread it around, blotting is the key. If you have a wet vac, this can also help complete the stain removal process.
Salt
If simple cold water doesn’t do the job, you can make a paste with a little cold water and table salt. Apply the paste to the stain and leave it for an hour, then follow the same process of adding cold water and blotting with a cloth until the stain is removed.
Baking Soda
As with the salt, you can make a thick paste using baking soda. Again, leave for an hour, followed by the same blotting process. Once the area is fully dry, you can vacuum up any residual baking soda.
Washing up Liquid
One tablespoon of scent-free washing up liquid, mixed with half a pint of cold water is our first chemical-based solution. Once added to the stain, use a toothbrush to work it onto the carpet, followed by the same blotting method.
Ammonia
For really persistent stains, add one tablespoon of ammonia with a quarter of a pint of warm water. At this point it may be tempting to add a dash of bleach to make a super cleaning solution. You must never mix chlorine-based bleach with ammonia. The resulting fumes can be highly dangerous. One other thing to note about using an ammonia solution is never use it on a woolen carpet, it will cause permanent damage to the natural fibres.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Another thing you can try is to moisten the stain with a little hydrogen peroxide and leave it for five minutes before following the same blotting process.
So, blood on your carpet isn’t necessarily going to leave you with a permanent stain. By acting quickly and following some, or all of the above solutions, your carpet will be back to normal in no time.
Leave it to the Professionals
And if all else fails, then contact us. We are a professional carpet cleaning service here to help you in your time of need.
