Old Blood on mattress

[brockleybelle]

Got blood on our mattress a while ago (period). Gutted as it's a beautiful bed and like to keep my things looking nice (even if they can't be seen!). I do have a mattress protector but at the time I'd washed it (perhaps I need to buy another...).

Obviously it's an old blood stain. Any tried and tested methods for removing old blood?

Thanks!

We're planning to move in the spring and already dreading the removal men seeing the mattress!!

Hate to be slovenly here but have tried to get a blood stain out of my mattress before and failed. I too was at the thought of the removal men so I cheated and bought an inexpensive mattress cover from John Lewis

Good luck

Thanks Murphyslaw! I didn't know about zipped mattress protectors. That will be a perfect solution if i've been unable to remove the blood by the time we move.

Anyone got any suggestions for removing the blood?

Some tips here

I was told that using your own saliva is the best thing for removing blood!? You could try spitting on the stain, leaving it and then giving a wash, but somehow I can't see it removing an old stain.

I have a Fibrefresh cleaning kit from a company called ServiceMaster which is really useful for getting out carpet and upholstery stains. You could give them a call.

Another suggestion is to get a washable mattress cover, that will wash and dry really quickly - such as this one, so that you know you can definitely have it back on the bed the same day so you don't have this problem again! Isn't it just typical that you use a mattress protector and then the one day it's not on the bed there's an 'accident'!!

Apparently boiling water is the trick, but obv you can't pour boiling water through a mattress. But you could turn the mattress on its side and try, in combo with a hairdryer so the mattress doesn't get soaked?

There are some brilliant fabric cleaners, have you tried them? You just spray a bit on and blot like crazy, can take several goes...but have never had to do this with blood, just wee. My life is VERY glamorous.

I was told by a professional cleaning company that everything comes out, apart from animal urine (nice) so it must be possible.

If I was desperate, I would bleach it with a bleach solution, I'd rather have a bleach stain than a blood one. Or sew some fabric over it when it's moved - I'd be mortified if anyone else saw it