How to Remove Blood Stains From Bed Sheets and Bedding

Updated August 15, 2026

To remove blood stains from bed sheets, rinse the stained area from the back with cold running water, pretreat it with a fabric-safe enzyme detergent, and wash according to the care label. Do not put the sheets in the dryer until the stain is gone because heat can make a protein-based blood stain harder to remove.

Before Handling Blood-Stained Bedding

If the blood belongs to someone else, wear disposable or washable protective gloves and avoid shaking the bedding. Carefully roll or fold the stained area inward so the blood does not contact other laundry or household surfaces. Wash your hands after handling the item, even if you wore gloves.

Ordinary stain treatment is not the same as disinfection. If the bedding was used by someone with a known contagious illness or there is another exposure concern, follow the bedding manufacturer’s instructions and appropriate public-health guidance.

Why Should You Use Cold Water on Blood Stains?

Blood is a protein-based stain. Starting with warm water, hot water or dryer heat can make the stain more difficult to release from fabric. Cold water helps flush away fresh blood before washing and is the safest starting point for most washable sheets.

Once the stain has been removed, future wash temperatures should follow the bedding’s care label. Do not assume that every cotton, microfiber or blended sheet can tolerate the same temperature or cleaning product.

How to Remove Fresh Blood Stains From Bed Sheets

Fresh blood is usually easier to remove because it has not dried deeply into the fibers. Treat the sheet as soon as practical.

1. Remove the bedding. Keep the stained section from touching clean parts of the sheet.
2. Blot excess blood. Use a clean white cloth or paper towel. Press gently rather than rubbing, which can spread the stain.
3. Rinse from the back. Hold the reverse side of the stain under cold running water so the water pushes blood back out through the fabric.
4. Apply detergent. Work a small amount of liquid enzyme laundry detergent into the area. Follow the product’s directions and allow the stated pretreatment time. Five to ten minutes is sufficient for many products, but the label takes priority.
5. Wash the sheet. Use cold water and the cycle recommended on its care label. Avoid overloading the washer so water and detergent can move through the fabric.
6. Inspect before drying. Air-dry the sheet or check it carefully while wet. Repeat the treatment if discoloration remains.

If the blood is on a shirt, pants or another garment instead of bedding, follow our separate guide to removing blood stains from clothes. Keeping the two methods separate helps account for different fabrics and construction.

How to Get Dried Blood Out of Sheets

Dried or previously washed blood takes more patience, but it may still respond to treatment. There is no guarantee that every heat-set stain will disappear completely, especially after repeated dryer cycles.

1. Remove dried residue. Gently lift any crusted material with the edge of a spoon or another dull tool. Do not scrape delicate fabric aggressively.
2. Soak in cold water. Soak the stained section for at least 30 minutes. For a deeper stain, use an enzyme presoak or detergent according to its label.
3. Pretreat the stain. Apply liquid enzyme detergent and gently work it into washable cotton, linen, polyester or microfiber. Do not scrub hard.
4. Wash in cold water. Select the cycle specified by the sheet manufacturer.
5. Air-dry and inspect. If a shadow remains, repeat the soak and pretreatment instead of using the dryer.

Can You Use Hydrogen Peroxide on Blood-Stained Sheets?

Standard 3% hydrogen peroxide can help lighten residual blood on some white or light-colored, washable fabrics. However, it can fade dyes or alter the finish of colored bedding.

1. Check the sheet’s care label.
2. Test the peroxide on a hidden seam.
3. If no color change occurs, apply a small amount to the stain.
4. Allow it to work for approximately one to three minutes.
5. Blot and rinse thoroughly with cold water.
6. Repeat only if the fabric remains undamaged.

Never mix hydrogen peroxide with chlorine bleach, vinegar, ammonia or another cleaning product. Use one treatment at a time and rinse the fabric thoroughly. Read our guide to the uses of hydrogen peroxide in laundry before treating colored or delicate materials.

What About Oxygen Bleach or Chlorine Bleach?

A color-safe oxygen stain remover may be an option for washable sheets when its label permits use on that fabric and color. Follow the product’s dilution, soaking and washing directions rather than estimating an amount.

Chlorine bleach should only be used on white, bleach-safe bedding when both the care label and bleach label allow it. Never use chlorine bleach on wool, silk, spandex or any material whose label prohibits bleach. Never combine bleach with another household cleaner.

Blood-Stain Treatment by Bedding Material

How to Remove Blood From a Mattress

A mattress cannot be rinsed like a sheet, so use as little liquid as possible.

1. Blot fresh blood with a dry white cloth.
2. Dampen another cloth with cold water and blot from the outside of the mark toward the center.
3. If permitted by the mattress manufacturer, use a very small amount of diluted mild detergent on the cloth rather than pouring cleaner onto the mattress.
4. Blot again with a clean, lightly dampened cloth to remove detergent residue.
5. Allow the mattress to dry completely with good airflow before replacing the protector or sheets.

Do not saturate the mattress. Excess moisture trapped inside it can cause odor, mildew or damage. For a valuable specialty mattress, follow the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions or contact an appropriate professional.

Does the Method Change for Period Blood or a Nosebleed?

No. Menstrual blood, blood from a nosebleed and blood from a minor cut are treated as protein-based stains. Blot, rinse from the back with cold water, pretreat and inspect before drying. The age of the stain and the bedding material matter more than the source of the blood.

Common Blood-Stain Removal Mistakes

• Starting with hot water: Begin with cold water to avoid making the protein stain harder to remove.
• Using the dryer too soon: Dryer heat can make remaining discoloration more difficult to treat.
• Rubbing fresh blood: Rubbing may spread blood and drive it further into the weave.
• Mixing cleaning chemicals: Never combine peroxide, bleach, vinegar, ammonia or other cleaners.
• Skipping a colorfastness test: Even commonly recommended products can fade or weaken some fabrics.
• Ignoring the care label: Bedding materials, dyes, waterproof coatings and decorative finishes require different care.
• Overloading the washer: Sheets need adequate room for water and detergent to circulate.
• Assuming removal is guaranteed: Old, oxidized or heat-set stains may only lighten despite repeated treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can dried blood be completely removed from sheets?

Dried blood can often be removed or significantly lightened with cold soaking, enzyme pretreatment and repeated washing. Results depend on the fabric, age of the stain and whether it has been exposed to dryer heat. Complete removal is not guaranteed.

How do you remove blood from sheets without hydrogen peroxide?

Rinse with cold water, soak the stained area and pretreat it with a compatible enzyme laundry detergent. Wash in cold water, air-dry and repeat if needed. This should be the primary method for colored sheets when peroxide could affect the dye.

Will vinegar remove blood stains?

Vinegar is frequently suggested as a household stain treatment, but a properly labeled enzyme detergent or blood-stain remover provides clearer fabric instructions and is the preferred starting point. Do not combine vinegar with hydrogen peroxide or bleach.

Can bleach remove blood from white sheets?

Chlorine bleach may be used on white, bleach-safe sheets if the care label and bleach manufacturer’s directions permit it. Rinse and pretreat the blood first, measure the bleach as directed, and never mix it with another cleaner.

What if the blood stain has already been through the dryer?

Soak the affected section in cold water with a suitable enzyme product, pretreat it and wash again. Air-dry while evaluating the result. Several attempts may improve the stain, but dryer-set discoloration may not disappear completely.

Can I use enzyme detergent on every type of sheet?

No. Enzyme detergents work well on many washable cotton and synthetic sheets, but some enzyme formulations should not be used on wool, silk or other protein-based fibers. Follow both product and bedding labels.

Should blood-stained bedding be washed separately?

Keeping visibly contaminated bedding separate while handling and pretreating it helps prevent contact with clean items. If there is a known illness or significant exposure concern, follow appropriate health guidance in addition to the bedding manufacturer’s laundering instructions.

Washing Sheets and Bulky Bedding in Clarksville

After safely pretreating washable sheets, The Dutchman’s Laundry offers self-service commercial washers in Clarksville with room for larger sheet sets and bedding. Always choose the cycle and temperature required by the item’s care label.

For washable comforters, duvet inserts and oversized mattress protectors, review our bulky-item laundry service. If an item contains blood or another bodily fluid and you plan to use a staffed service, please contact The Dutchman’s Laundry before bringing it in. Our team can confirm whether the item can be accepted and how it should be prepared.

Sources Reviewed

This guide was reviewed against current stain-treatment and laundry-handling guidance from Tide, Whirlpool, Clorox, the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.