Blood stain on a mattress

What to do if the stain is fresh

1. Take off the bedding Rinse the bedding and the removable cover separately in cold water. Wash the cover only as its label allows.
2. Blot Use a clean cloth or paper to blot the stain gently, without rubbing, and change it when it picks up colour.
3. Cold water, and not much Gently blot only the stained spot with a cloth dampened in cold water. Repeat until the cloth no longer picks up colour.
4. Blot and air Use a dry towel to blot the spot gently and leave it uncovered until it dries.

Why only cold water

Blood contains proteins. The University of Georgia writes that stains set by heat are hard to remove and that blood must be treated immediately. The mattress maker Emma puts it even more simply: hot water “cooks” the proteins in blood. That is why hot water, a hairdryer, an iron or a heater can turn a small stain into a permanent one.

Heat is no good for drying either. Dry the spot in the air: air the room, and a fan will speed up the drying.

If the stain has already dried

A dried stain is not worth soaking, because the moisture will reach the core and the stain will not always come out. If the stain is old or has been exposed to heat, it may stay as a brown shadow even after cleaning.

Try once with a little cold water on a cloth, then blot. If nothing changes, do not put other substances on it; send a photo instead. What to do about different stains in general: stains on a mattress.

What not to do

• Do not use hot water.
• Do not rub, only blot gently.
• Do not pour liquid directly onto the mattress.
• Do not use chlorine bleach: it changes the colour.
• Do not apply several substances one after another.

Before using any substance, read the label and test it in a hidden spot. Sources disagree about individual home remedies, so we do not give a recipe. Mattress makers' advice agrees on one thing: little liquid, only on the stained spot, blot.

Nosebleed, period or wound: is there a difference?

The first aid is the same: the University of Georgia's instructions apply to blood in general. Only three things matter: how long ago the stain appeared, how large it is and whether it has gone through the top layer. These also decide whether to clean one side of the mattress or both. In the form you can simply write “blood stain”; we do not need to know the cause in any more detail.

What to write in the form

• How old the stain is and whether it has dried.
• Whether it has been exposed to hot water, a hairdryer or an iron.
• What has already been tried.
• The type and size of the mattress.
• Whether the stain is also on the other side.

If the stain is fresh, do not wait for a reply: cold water and blotting are the first things to do.

The filling changes the risk

In a foam mattress, too much water can damage the structure or leave moisture in the core. In a spring mattress, moisture can cause rust. For latex, do not use strong substances or direct heat. The maker of TEMPUR writes that the material cannot be washed, sponge-cleaned or dry-cleaned, so check the manufacturer's care instructions first.

Cleaning is not disinfection

Cleaning reduces a stain, but it is not disinfection, and we do not claim that a mattress is sterile afterwards. On a mattress in long-term care: mattress cleaning after illness.

What may stay and how to order

Send a photo and the specialist will give you the price and tell you what you can expect. Service: mattress cleaning.

Mattress, single from €30, double from €45 (one side), second side +50%. The minimum order is €45: if the total is lower, you pay €45. Travel is included in Riga and up to about 15 km outside Riga; further out it is from €10.