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There are some substances that if you get them on an article of clothing, you immediately cringe. One of those is blood. Blood stains are one of the most difficult types of stain to remove, but it’s certainly not impossible. It’s really a matter of jumping into action quickly and knowing what to do that will save your shirt, pants or dress.

Time is of the essence when you notice blood on clothing. In many cases a nosebleed is the culprit and a shirt that looked great a minute ago now seems ready for the trash. If you are able to remove the shirt without causing a public spectacle this is the best course of action. Blood stains can set very quickly and if you can treat them within moments of them occurring, you stand a far better chance of beating them.

Although there are many chemicals being sold today that claim to remove all traces of blood, if you catch the blood stains early, cold water is likely to do the trick. It’s advised that you submerge the clothing in cold water as soon as you can. The cold water will instantly go to work at removing the blood stains. Once the water becomes a light shade of pink, remove the clothing, drain the water and start over again. It’s also wise to leave the clothing in the water until you are ready to either hand wash it or throw it in the washing machine.

Shampoo can not only make your hair look fantastic it can save your clothing too. It works remarkably well on blood stains. After taking the item off, pour a small amount of shampoo (any brand) on the stain. You’ll need a scrub brush to help work the shampoo into the fabric. After you’ve given it some muscle power, let it sit for a few moments and then rinse in cold water. Depending on how long the blood stains have been there, you may have to do this step a few times before washing the item.

Sometimes, unfortunately, you are going to have to deal with a stain that is on the carpet or a piece of furniture and not clothing. This becomes a bit more of a challenge but you can certainly still remove blood stains from these surfaces as well. In the case of carpeting you want to absorb as much of the liquid as possible before treating the blood stains. A soft cloth or gauze works great for this. Don’t rub it, just dab until you’ve soaked up as much as possible. The same is true for furniture. Absorb what you can before fighting the stain. After this you should work with a cleaner that is designed specifically for the surface for the best results.