How to get blood out of a quilt

[Joyce D.]

A dear older lady unknowingly got blood on my quilt. She had a spot on her hand that was bleeding and she was not aware of it. I discovered it about an hour after she had left my house. The spot is on a light blue block. I have read about using salt water, white vinegar, oxyclean, zout and several other suggestions. Does anyone have any experience or suggestions? The spot is about the size of a quarter.

[Geneva C.]

The best thing to get blood out of cotton fabric is saliva. The saliva of the person who got the blood on the quilt. :sick:

I've not tried any of the options you mentioned. But good luck!

geneva

[Beverly C.]

Hydrogen peroxide has worked for me every time. Learned to use it from the doctor's office I go to. The nurses said that is their recommendation when folks that had blood drawn would get a drop or two of blood on their clothing. I've used it when I'd accidentally prick myself doing applique or hand quilting.

[Beverly C.]

I would start off with cold water and work from the outside in, lots of it with rubbing with a finger nail. If that is not successful sprinkle it with salt and leave for an hour or so and then continue with cold water washes. Whatever you do don't use hot water as that will 'cook' the proteins in the blood and set the staining. (All advice from my Mum should I have monthly 'accidents', which has worked for me).

[Joyce D.]

I'm updating my earlier post. I called a friend who is a registered nurse and a quilter. She told me to get a bunch of Q-tips and peroxide. Use the Q-tip to soak up some peroxide and touch it to the blood, repeating this until the stain is covered. Let it sit for a short time, then repeat this over and over using fresh Q-tips. At first the Q-tips will pick up the blood and the more you do it the blood sticks to the Q-tip. It took some time. I had to leave for a couple hours and I was so surprised to find that when I got home the stain was completely gone. There is no trace of blood. It works!

[Geneva C.]

Yay! Now I don't have to go around licking my quilts! :cheer:

Geneva

[Geneva C.]

Glad to hear of a happy outcome.

[Rita C.]

This is very useful information, thank you. Geneva, you really made me laugh! :cheer:

[Rita C.]

Hi Rita, how are things? you've been quiet just lately. Hope the kids have been behaving themselves..

[Rita C.]

Hi Rosemary, yes kids are fine - last year in secondary and first year in college so I am wielding the stick and the carrot on a regular basis. Don't seem to have had so much time to gad about lately, just checked in with the forum this evening to see what's going on. Been building/renovating the home which has taken up an awful lot of time too. How are you and young Izzy? Just noticed a quilt with the words Izzy on them in the news letter...

[E.M. T.]

Hey, Rita ! Good to "hear " from you !...Yikes ! How time flies ! Glad things are well with you....I'm finally getting my feet under me again !
A winter to forget !! Remodeling bug seems to be going around in this group ! Love my new floors and other improvements !...Just not
the "doing" part ! :angry:

Info here on blood removal...Good ! Good ! Good !!

[Rita C.]

Hey Marilyn, good to hear you too! I hate the doing part too, but there's no way around it, got to go through it. :unsure:

[Geneva C.]

I've missed you Rita.... glad to see you again!

geneva

[karen f.]

So the hydrogen peroxide doesn't fade or bleach the fabric?

Rita, I agree with everyone else that it's so nice to hear from you. I love when old friends check in.

[karen f.]

Karen - I wondered the same thing re peroxide fading or bleaching the fabric.
Barb