Blood Spot cleaning guide for the General Public

In the case of minor blood contamination from a family member or pet it may be possible to take care of the problem yourself. First of all make sure that you put on a pair of protective rubber gloves.

Blot with a dry white disposable towel or kitchen roll as you would with any spillage. Do make sure they are white and do not have any patterns printed on them. If you use normal white towelling and wish to re-use them don’t forget that you must first soak them using a bleach solution before laundering.

Paper towels should be sealed in airtight sanitary containers and disposed of properly.

Mix a solution of ½ teaspoon of mild dishwashing detergent to 2 cups of COLD water as hot water may set the stain. Using a white towel, work this solution into the stain, working from outside into the centre to keep the stain from spreading. Alternatively you can mist the solution on to the spot with a trigger sprayer and use a towel to work the stain loose. Always blot, and never rub the spot.

Once the spot seems to be gone, apply a layer of white towels on to the area cleaned and put a heavy object such a brick or a large glass item on to the towel.

Do not use anything that might bleed a colour dye or leave a rust stain. The idea is for the towels to absorb any remaining spill that could be deeper in the fibre than you could reach in your spot removing process. If you don’t do this, a wicking action could bring a fresh stain to the surface as the carpet dries.

If the spot is still evident, apply hydrogen peroxide (the dilute type sold in chemists) to the stain and blot with warm water and a white towel. Allow sufficient dwell time for the stain to disappear.

Remember more often than not blood spots on your carpet warrant a call to a professional. Certainly if you have had a break-in to your property do not consider dealing with the blood or any body fluid or deposit as it may well be contaminated.