Please tell me I haven't murdered my linen with a 95 degree wash ?? <<hangs head>>

[ApocalypseCheeseToastie]

It fell foul to a mug of coffee and blood which a 60 didn't shift....it's now whirling around with bleach and a ton of soda chrystals for good measure

A mug of coffee and blood?

Are you a vampire with a caffeine addiction?

I fear it may already be dead if the 60 didnt shift it.

RIP to your linen (hopefully it can be revived tho)

I thought linen needed a really hot wash anyway? Or is that hot iron or both? I'm sure it will be fine

It's antique linen.

I'm a murderer aren't I ??

The blood was as a result of chuffing flooding, I rarely have periods because of my coil, I get flash floods instead with no warning . Grrrr

So dp brought me a coffee as I couldn't move,(cream carpets) sat up to fold old beach towel under me and the bloody coffee went everywhere.

GREAT start to the chuffin day

Arial gets stains out without having to boil wash, I would have tried a different detergent.

I used Ariel fabby, Gawd knows what i'm going to do about the mattress, looks like a murder scene. I am now sat in a nappy on top of a pampers care mat

Oh dear.

The hot wash shouldn't hurt - IIRC my mum used to tell me about her nan doing her linens in a boil wash - a huge pan on the stove.

If they survive the wash, but the stains are still there, the best bet is a paste of baking soda and water, rubbed well in - it works for most 'organic' stains.

Failing that, try diluted hydrogen peroxide (you can get a bottle from the chemist). You need it about the same strength you'd use for washing a wound.

Good luck!

The stains didn't come out. I must have toxic periods. That or the sheer amount of blood did em in

If it's nice tomorrow, try hanging it out damp in the sun. Might fade the stains.

Blood needs to be removed, before washing, with cold water. It comes out really easily. Coffee removal needs hot water. I have found that Tesco quite cheap handwash, not value, haven't tried that, seems to get rid of most stains. I don't know what it does to your hands, though.

I was too busy squealing with a dripping towel between me knees to think of handwashing

I'll stick it in a cold bath with a ton of bleach in the morning I think

Rub a bit of hand sanitiser gel into the stains and scrub with an old toothbrush. Gets out most stains, and should work on your mattress too.

I think hanging it up in direct sunlight might be your only hope now unfortunately.

It took me many ruined sheets to finally realise that hot water won't remove blood and once it's set in with a hot wash that's basically it .

Next time as ILove says, cold water and some Vanish or similar. Leave to soak for as long as it takes, rubbing on the stain from time to time. It'll eventually come out even if it's dried in.

Bleach doesn't seem to do anything with old, hot washed blood stains

Hope it comes out cheesy

Sorry, this is a bit bolting the stable door etc but making a salt solution of 0.9% (9 grams dissolved in 1 litre of water) - if memory serves me - will rinse the blood out easily, then wash the item normally.

It's not the whole blood that stains, rather the haemoglobin (i think) that is released when the red blood cells lyse - which will happen if the blood is in contact with water [years working for the blood transfusion service ages ago emoticon]

don't know about coffee though

If it's real linen it's probably tough as old boots. I'd try bleach.

Just a warning - linen can go yellow if you hang it in the sunlight while it's damp.