09 Jul 2025
Blood stains aren’t the nicest surprise.
Whether it’s a scraped knee or a surprise nosebleed, those bright red marks can strike panic into the best of us. But fear not! Removing blood stains doesn’t have to feel like a crime scene clean-up.
Here’s a smol guide to tackling blood stains with style.
always use cold water when cleaning blood.
Before you grab anything to get started, begin with cold water. Always.
Here’s why: warm or hot water will actually set blood stains into fabric faster - cooking the proteins and making the stain removal ten times harder. So let’s pour cold water on that… literally. Cold water helps the proteins in blood break down and dissolve.
So start off any blood removal by holding the reverse side of the stain under a cold tap, letting the water run through the fabric from the back. Easy.
how to remove fresh blood stains.
Luckily, the fresher the stain, the easier it is to remove. So with this in mind, timing is everything and this single step by step guide should be all you need:
1. rinse.
Hold the fabric under a cold tap, letting the water flush the stain away.
2. soak.
Fill a sink or bowl with cold water and leave the item to soak for about an hour.
3. stain gel.
Apply several pumps of smol stain gel directly onto the stain. Let it sit for five minutes.
4. wash.
Pop your item into the machine with a smol bio laundry capsule OR with smol bio laundry liquid and run a cold wash (30°C or less). Why is a bio best for blood? The enzymes in bio detergents are little stain-fighting superheroes that work best at lower temperatures.
And in extra good news… smol capsules are designed to work in even a 20°C cycle thanks to their cold wash power technology.
Bonus tip: you can still use a non-bio detergent for this one but be warned it doesn’t have the same enzyme power to break down those pesky proteins.
ways to remove dried blood stains.
Old stains can feel like a challenge, but we’ve got you. We’ve a few methods for you here but remember, always patch test any of the following solution suggestions on a hidden part of your clothing before diving on in.
1. lemon juice & bicarbonate of soda.
- soak the stain in cold water for an hour.
- mix 2 parts lemon juice with 1 part bicarbonate of soda.
- gently dab the mixture onto the stain and leave for 5 minutes.
- rinse with cold water, repeating if necessary, before washing as normal.
2. white vinegar.
- soak the stain in cold water for an hour.
- pour clear white vinegar onto the stain and leave it for 30 minutes.
- rinse with cold water, repeating if necessary, before washing as normal.
3. hydrogen peroxide.
This one’s best just for blood stains on white clothing as it can discolour dark fabrics:
- wearing gloves, apply a little hydrogen peroxide to the stain and leave it for 10 minutes.
- gently blot the stain with a clean, damp cloth (no scrubbing!).
- rinse well and wash as usual with smol bio at 30°C or lower.
Heads up: Hydrogen peroxide sounds like it means business (and it does), but don’t panic. This powerhouse breaks down into just water and oxygen. No lingering nasties, no bioaccumulation. Just treat it with respect, like the stain-busting superhero it is.
blood stains on bedding.
Sheets and bedding can feel extra tricky - but they don’t have to be. Follow the same cold-water-first rule, then:
- apply smol stain gel to the affected area and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- wash on a cold cycle with smol bio capsules to tackle the stain without setting it further.
- air dry! Never tumble dry items with lingering blood stains. Heat will lock that stain in further making any removal even harder than before.
3 smol secrets to success.
- always avoid hot water. It’s the ultimate stain setter.
- be patient. Some blood stains need a couple of goes - don’t give up too soon.
- arm yourself with stain-fighting heroes like smol stain gel and smol bio capsules to make the process smoother (and way kinder to the planet).
And remember. Using cold water doesn’t just save your clothes - it saves energy, too. Add in smol’s cruelty-free, vegan detergents and you’re not just fighting stains - you’re fighting waste and pollution. So next time life gets messy, remember: stains are temporary. smol is forever.