Ever gotten into your car and noticed a large, mysterious stain on your upholstery? Chances are, it’s dried blood stains.
Blood stains can be one of the most difficult spots to remove from fabric. Plus, the longer you leave it there, the more difficult it is to clean the blemish. But with the right skills and supplies, you can clean blood off car seat and say goodbye to those unsightly marks in no time.
Don’t panic—we’ve got you covered. We’ll show you how to get blood stains out of car seats so you can keep the interior of your vehicle clean and like-new.
Table of Contents
What Is the Best Way to Remove Blood Stains From Car Seats?
Getting rid of those pesky blood stains on your car seat doesn’t have to be difficult—with the right ingredients, it’s actually quite simple. Below are your two options to get blood out of a chair:
1. With household items
What to Prepare?
- A dishwashing liquid
- A few clean towels
- A soft bristle toothbrush (optional)
One of the best and most common ways to remove blood stains from car seats is by using dishwashing liquid.
Here is how you do it:
- Mix dishwashing with cold water to a ratio of 1:32. Stir the solution until it foams up.
- Dab the dishwashing liquid onto the stain and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Use one of the clean white towels or a clean toothbrush to gently rub the stain in circular motions until the blood comes out of the fabric car seats.
- If needed, add more dishwashing liquid while rubbing and repeat steps 1 and 2 until all traces of blood are gone.
- Use another damp towel to wipe off any leftover soap residue, and you’re done getting blood out!
Another means is to mix cold water with some salt, dab a cloth in it and rub the stain. However, I find it not as effective as using the liquid dishwasher.
2. With commercial products
What to Prepare?
Before you get started, you’ll want to make sure you have the following supplies:
- A pair of latex gloves
- Hydrogen peroxide (or enzymatic cleaner)
- Spray bottle (optional)
- A few clean towels
As someone who often has to get period stain out of car seat, I find using hydrogen peroxide to clean car seats the most effective method. However, you should be careful, as you might accidentally bleach your car interior instead.
- Put on your gloves.
- Mix hydrogen peroxide with twice as much water.
- Spot-test the solution on an inconspicuous part of the upholstery. If you notice any sign of discoloration, add more water.
- Dip a towel into this solution and dab it onto the stained area, working from the outside inwards to not spread it too much. You can even apply the solution directly onto the spot, preferably with a spray bottle.
- Allow the solution to sit for several minutes before blotting again with clean water from a new towel – repeat this until there’s no more stain left behind!
- Finally, air-dry or pat the upholstery dry with another clean cloth before inspecting your handiwork!
Keep in mind that you should never use undiluted hydrogen peroxide—it will end up damaging your upholstery.
If you’re worried about hydrogen peroxide’s bleaching power, opt for commercially available enzymatic cleaners instead. With these products, no mixing is necessary, although you might want to spot-test it regardless.
Preventing Blood Stains on Car Seats
Prevention is ultimately the best cure when it comes to get blood out of a car seat. Unlike other surface stains, blood is notoriously difficult to get rid of—so avoiding it in the first place is always the smarter move.
Here are some tips to help you prevent blood stains on your car seats:
- Wear clothing that covers you completely. Any exposed skin can be prone to cuts and scrapes that may lead to contact with the car seat.
- Keep an emergency first aid kit in your car, and make sure it contains clean cloth or bandages in case of any spills or injuries.
- Have a few spare upholstery covers or towels so you can easily place them over your car seat when needed.
- Have a vacuum cleaner handy and keep your car interior clean so there will be no dirt, dust, or other particles that could increase the chances of a stain forming.
- Make sure children wear clothes that are not too tight or constricting—this will help limit any potential for bloodstains when playing in the car.
FAQs
It can be hard to know the right way to deal with blood stains on your car seat. Here are a few useful tips and commonly asked questions to bear in mind when cleaning car seats.
Are commercial cleaning products safe for my car upholstery?
Yes, you can use store-bought cleaning products, but follow the instructions carefully and make sure they’re specifically designed for automobile use. Otherwise, you run the risk of damaging the fabric or causing discoloration in the upholstery.
Additionally, use a gentle cloth or brush to avoid any further damage.
If unsure, you can always spot-test the cleaning product first.
How often should I clean my car seats to prevent stains?
It’s always a good idea to give your car seats a bit of attention every few weeks. For optimum freshness and cleanliness, it’s good practice to vacuum and clean your car seat once a month or apply a protective coating, which is commonly car wax.
Other helpful tips
- If you have leather car seats, use leather cleaner in order to keep the material soft and protect it from dirt and grime.
- Make sure you spot-test any cleaners before using them to lift stains from car upholstery—this way, you can determine if it’s color safe or not.
- Keep dryer sheets handy—if you find yourself with an accidental spill or stain while out on the road, simply wipe down with a dryer sheet for an instant refresher!
Conclusion
Blood stains can be an unsightly addition to your car seats if they’re not dealt with quickly and properly. However, with these easy instructions for how to get blood stains out of car seats, cleaning ugly blemishes is as easy as pie.
So, put away your fears of staining your car seat and know that you can handle blood stains and get them out in no time!
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