Date: 3 January 2020. Removing Blood Stains.

© janice142

In every boat project it is said that one donates a bit of blood. This happens to me quite frequently. A few years ago I bought a spiffy new shirt at the local thrift store. Then I promptly scratched myself. Today, long after the stain was firmly set into the fabric via multiple trips through a washer and drier I removed said bloodstain. The "secret ingredient" is available at the Dollar Store. Here is what you need to know.
 

The shirt I stained:

 

I thought I had taken a close-up of the shirt before I cleaned it. Alas, I cannot find said picture. The above photo taken in December of 2016 is me at my heaviest wearing the stained holiday shirt. Argh. I keep this photograph in order to firm my resolve to eat well and be healthy.
 

In any event, the Christmas shirt is the only one I have that is not solid white.
I love the embroidered holly berries that decorate the front of the blouse.
 

If at all possible I wanted to save the shirt by removing the blood stains. Bleach did not work. That merely turned the stains a muddy brown.

Folks may wonder why I would wear a pretty shirt when working. Well, it's this way: I am old. Looking neat and tidy is important to me.
 

Except for one decorated Christmas shirt, I wear solid white blouses.
My fancy shirt was stained which did not make me a happy boater.

The blouses I own are here for me to wear. I intend to use what I have versus "saving" for a special day. Every day is special. I enjoy looking nice. That means that mostly I try to be presentable. Even at anchor I still wear pretty things.

To me, dressing neatly shows respect for the people I associate with. I am well aware these ideas are considered old fashioned. That is perfectly okay with me. As Coco Chanel said "I don't care what you think about me. I don't think about you at all."
 

 Now when my blouses get blood stained, I pull out the miracle cure-all: Hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle.

 

Folks might naturally believe that they can pour the hydrogen peroxide already in their locker on the blood for a fast and easy stain remover. You'd be wrong. I have found that multiple sprays to saturate the fabric work better than simply pouring hydrogen peroxide over the problem area.

Another advantage to spraying hydrogen peroxide on the stain is that I use less product.
 

This Christmas blouse had blood set-in STAINS ↓ on the shoulder and front.

The stains were on the shirt for at least a couple years before I remembered that bleach doesn't work to remove blood. Bleach turns blood dark brown, whereas hydrogen peroxide lightens the stain considerably. If you enlarge the above picture (click on it twice) you will see faint yellow marks at the circles. In real life these remnants of the blood stains are barely visible.

Hydrogen peroxide is the secret to removing blood stains in fabric.

Removing blood from clothing is a part of life aboard a boat. Every project requires a drop
or two. Having the means to remove blood stains from fabric is advisable. *H2O2 inexpensive.

*H2O2 is the chemical formula of Hydrogen Peroxide: 2 parts hydrogen and 2 part oxygen. Don't drink it.
 

Side Note regarding Hydrogen Peroxide: One spray bottle lasts a long time. When I run out I'll buy a larger container at Wal-Mart and refill my smaller spray bottle.
 

This is life aboard Seaweed. Some days are filled with simple activities such as cleaning and washing clothes. Even mundane chores are enjoyable aboard a boat. This really is a wonderful life.

Thank you for being a part of my world. Thanks too for reading.  

What is your favorite stain remover?
Do you get out the stains when possible, wear icky clothes, or simply replace the grubby stuff?
 

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