It is such a pain to remove dried bloodstains because they are one of the most difficult stains in existence. You’ll always need to remove bloodstains as long you continue to live, breathe, and get injured. Skinned knees, paper cuts, and the occasional unplanned injury all have bloodstain as a common denominator.
Shoes seem to attract every bit of dirt and stain possible sometimes, and when you are hurt, the last thing you think is to protect your shoes. So, how to get blood out of shoes when blood is one of the hardest things to eliminate from a surface notorious for holding onto stains?
Some people suggest using vinegar, toothpaste, or even salt; keep reading to find out what works and what the best solution is. Remember not to put the stained item in the dryer until you are sure the stain is gone.
Can Vinegar Remove Blood Stains?
Vinegar is one of the hacks that moms have been using for years to remove fresh blood from shoes. It is a little harder to remove blood that has dried and has been fully absorbed into the fabric, yet it’s still doable. Let’s see how to get blood out of shoes with vinegar!
The process of removing a bloodstain with vinegar is pretty straightforward. White vinegar is most often the type used and has the best results. Getting out the blood can require a few rounds of soaking and rinsing, but in the end, it should leave the fabric stain-free.
When the Blood Is Fresh
When you catch a fresh stain, it is much easier to remove. Soak your shoes in a bowl of white vinegar for about thirty minutes, and repeat until the stain is gone. There are a few things you can add to it to help boost the mixture, such as rubbing a mixture of water and baking soda on the stain.
You can use a towel to dab at the stain if you want to, and after the stain is gone, you can wash your shoes normally to remove the smell. The shoes can also air dry after the blood is washed out of them.
When the Blood Has Dried
The first thing to do with anything that has dried blood on it is a cold water bath. Soak it overnight or for a good amount of time before attempting to extract the stain. The whole process is very similar to blood that has not yet dried, and it only requires a few extra steps before getting the shoe clean.
After soaking in cold water, you can move on to using the same process as before by completely submerging the shoes in vinegar and letting them sit for thirty minutes.
Repeat the process as necessary until the stain is completely gone. Do not be afraid to use other tactics along with the vinegar to achieve the best result. Wash your shoes as you usually would after you have successfully removed the stain.
What Is the Best Stain Remover for Dried Blood?
There are many ways you can work to get a bloodstain out. Always start with cold water! Avoid hot water at all costs, as this makes the stain harder to get out. There are stain remover products available on the market, but there are also hacks that use things that you already have at home.
Some of the most commonly used products for removing dried bloodstains are hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, water, and dish soap. You commonly have all these things in your house for reasons other than getting rid of pesky stains.
Here is how to use and combine removers for the best results:
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is the first thing your mom may have taught you to use to get rid of bloodstains because generally, it works the best. For easy success, wet the area and remove any clean fabric from underneath and behind the dirty area. After it is wet, squirt on the peroxide and let it bubble.
The fizzy, bubbly reaction means that the hydrogen peroxide is reacting to the blood. If there is no reaction, then that means that there is no blood left that can be removed by simply soaking it in cold water and hydrogen peroxide. This is when you move on to a combination approach.
Hydrogen Peroxide and Dish Soap
Sometimes the stain is too deep for just hydrogen peroxide; that is when you add in some dish soap. Start with the dish soap when possible, but you can still use dish soap after using hydrogen peroxide.
Baking Soda and Water Paste
Instead of using hydrogen peroxide, you can try a paste made of water and baking soda to break apart the stain and make it easier to remove. Generally, make these pastes at about a 1:2 ratio (meaning a cup of water and two cups of baking soda).
Start by lathering the paste onto the place where the stain is and leaving it for a while. Wait anywhere from five to thirty minutes. Instead of rinsing, try to blot the paste with a paper towel. You can repeat the application as necessary or rotate it with other successful steps to clean the shoes.
Combinations
While all the above-mentioned methods work, sometimes a stain is really hard to get out because it is set deeply into the fabric. Difficult stains often occur when the blood is old. When one way does not work, use other methods to produce the best outcome.
It is best to start with cold water, move to the dish soap and laundry detergent, and when that does not work, consider using other methods. Hydrogen peroxide is one of the best things to try next, and as a last resort, use a baking soda and water paste.
Can Toothpaste Remove Blood Stains?
Toothpaste is sometimes a bloodstain remover, but it is usually only used on items that can be put in the washing machine because it’s difficult thoroughly remove it from fabric shoes manually. If you do not put your shoes in the washing machine, then be sure to wash the paste completely out of the fabric.
To use toothpaste to remove bloodstains, apply it either with a soft toothbrush or similar utensil to the affected area. The paste only goes on the stain. Apply it carefully or the stain will spread. After the paste has completely dried, wash the shoe off with cold water and put it in the washing machine.
Does Salt Remove Blood Stains?
While salt can make a paste that can help remove bloodstains, it is usually not the most effective agent. Whenever you need to remove blood, start by rinsing the shoe in cold water. After that, you can move on to make a salt-based paste with cold water.
Apply the paste, ensuring it is thick enough to lift out the stain, and leave it to sit for about twenty minutes. Rinse with more cold water, and repeat the process as necessary (or combine with other alternatives). Wash the shoes as you usually would after the stain has lifted out.
Can You Get Blood Out of Leather Shoes?
Leather is very different from regular fabric and most other shoe materials, which means it requires a different, more delicate solution that protects the item from further damage, even when trying to clean it. For leather shoes, start by making a very mild mixture of soap and warm water.
Use the lukewarm soap mixture on a damp cloth as you dab carefully at the stain. Try to only use the suds as you dab and rub gently. It will take a lot longer to remove dried blood from leather shoes. Once the bloodstain is gone, you can start drying the shoes off with another clean cloth.
Do not use vinegar, salt, hydrogen peroxide, or toothpaste on leather shoes because they can damage the leather.
How Do You Remove Blood from Suede Shoes?
Suede, like leather, presents a whole new problem. The material is no longer just fabric, but something a bit tougher to get stains out of and it sometimes can be damaged by water! Thankfully the process for suede shoes is almost identical to that for leather shoes.
While you can use the same process you use for leather shoes, you can also try an alternative. Grab some hydrogen peroxide and cotton balls. Thoroughly dampen the cotton ball with hydrogen peroxide, but do not get it so wet that it drips.
Apply the cotton ball to the suede shoes gently in dab motions. Continue to repeat soaking and dabbing the cotton balls onto the shoe as needed.
The cotton ball method may require a good bit of effort and a large number of cotton balls but it can save your suede shoes. Switch to a new cotton ball whenever the old one is saturated with blood.
Final Thoughts
Cleaning shoes can be a daunting task on its own, especially when the shoe is expensive and cannot go into the washing machine. Cleaning difficult stains, like blood, is even more daunting. Thankfully there are many ways to learn how to get blood out of shoes.
Remember to always start by trying cold water, especially if the blood is fresh. Do not use cold water on suede or leather. For fabric shoes, hydrogen peroxide is one of the best solutions, as is vinegar. Other conventional and some less conventional methods also work.
