How to Get Blood Out of Sheets
The short answer
Blood is a protein stain — heat causes the proteins to coagulate and bond permanently to fabric. Use cold water only at every stage. For fresh blood, rinse under cold running water immediately. For dried blood, soak in cold water with dish soap or enzyme cleaner for 30–60 minutes before washing cold. Do not put the sheets in the dryer until you have confirmed the stain is gone.
Before you start
You need: cold water, dish soap or enzyme cleaner.
For white sheets or colored sheets whose dye does not bleed: oxygen bleach dissolved in cold water is a useful option after the initial rinse if the stain persists. Test first — press a damp cloth with dissolved oxygen bleach against a hidden area (inside hem or selvedge) for 5 minutes. If color transfers or fades, skip the oxygen bleach.
Check the care label before machine washing.
Steps
- 1Rinse the stained area under cold running water immediately. The faster you act on fresh blood, the easier it is to remove.
- 2Apply a small amount of liquid dish soap or enzyme cleaner to the stain. Work it in gently from the outside edges inward.
- 3Let it sit for 5–10 minutes. For dried blood that has been rehydrated with cold water, let it soak for 30–60 minutes.
- 4Rinse thoroughly with cold water.
- 5Machine wash on a cold setting, following the care label. Do not use hot water.
- 6Before putting sheets in the dryer, check the stained area while still damp. If the stain remains, repeat from step 2. Heat will permanently set blood that is not fully removed.
What not to do
- Do not use hot water at any stage — heat coagulates the proteins in blood and permanently bonds them to fabric fibers.
- Do not put sheets in the dryer until the stain is confirmed gone — check while sheets are still damp.
- Do not use chlorine bleach on colored sheets — it will bleach out the dye along with the stain.
Helpful supplies
Dish soap or enzyme cleaner works as a pre-treatment. Enzyme cleaners containing protease enzymes are particularly effective on blood because blood is a protein stain — protease breaks down the protein chains.
Oxygen bleach dissolved in cold water is a useful next step for white sheets or colored sheets if the stain persists after the initial treatment. Test on a hidden area first — dab a small amount on an inner hem and check that color does not transfer or fade.
Frequently asked questions
Can you remove dried blood from sheets?
Yes, but it requires more effort. Soak the stained area in cold water for at least 30 minutes to rehydrate the blood, then apply enzyme cleaner or dish soap and work it in gently. Repeat the soak-and-treat cycle if needed. Cold water throughout — never hot.
Does hydrogen peroxide remove blood stains from sheets?
3% hydrogen peroxide can help on white sheets or colored sheets that can handle it — it works by oxidizing the blood proteins. Test on a small hidden area first (inside hem): pour a little on, wait 5 minutes, and check whether color fades or transfers. If the fabric looks unchanged, apply to the stain and rinse cold.
Use the Stain Rescue Tool to get a step-by-step plan specific to your sheets and what supplies you have at home.
Use the Stain Rescue Tool