How to Get Period Blood out of Mattress – Blood Stain Treatments That Work

How to Get Period Blood out of Mattress – Blood Stain Treatments That Work

Not only does having periods come with mood swings, various cramps and pains, and the financial cost of having to buy period products – it also involves dealing with stains for many of us. If you have irregular periods that surprise you, you probably have to deal with period blood stains on your underwear on a regular basis. If you have heavy periods, you probably have to deal with leaks on your underwear, clothes, bedding and even mattress. It’s annoying but it’s much easier when you know how to deal with the stains. In this guide, we’ll specifically look at how to get period blood out of mattress materials. We will also look at different products that can be used for blood stain removal. Additionally, we will also look at some tricks for avoiding leaks in the first place. Let’s get started.

How to get period blood out of your mattress 

I have very recent personal experience dealing with this issue. What’s worse is that we have a brand new mattress which I’m determined to keep stain free as long as possible! Stupidly I had gone to bed wearing a pair of period pants that don’t offer protection all the way up the back and experienced a leak even though I had combined these with a night cloth pad that had been changed just a few hours earlier. Ah, the joys of very heavy periods…

I woke up early in the morning and discovered that I’d leaked through my clothes so hurried back to check the mattress and there was a stain on the sheet and the mattress. I needed to act quickly to save our new mattress. Speed is important when dealing with blood stains so do act as soon as possible if this happens to you.

Using bicarbonate soda for removing blood stains

After taking the sheet off, I did some quick googling and decided to try the bicarb method. You simply mix a bit of bicarbonate of soda with some cold water to make a paste then dab this onto the stain with a cloth. If you have a mattress cover or a mattress that has a removable cover, remove this before doing this as otherwise you can make the strain travel through further with the added moisture and pressure. Always use cold water when dealing with blood stains as warm water will set the stain and make it even harder to get rid of.

If needed, do the same bicarb treatment on the mattress itself. Leave to work for 30 minutes, then wipe off and use a clean, damp cloth to dab at the stain if needed.

If you can still see a bit of a stain, it’s time for another treatment. I tried using a bit of washing powder that I mixed with cold water. I applied this with a cloth and gently worked the stain. We only had non bio powder but bio powder is even better at stain removal so use that if you have it available to you. Leave the mattress to dry fully, then vacuum clean the area to remove any traces of bicarb and washing powder.

Wash your bedding (and mattress protector if applicable) as soon as possible too. Choose a cool temperature setting and use a generous amount of detergent. Add a stain remover like Vanish or similar to the wash if you have it too.

Summary – Steps for getting period blood stains out of your mattress

1. Treat the stain as soon as possible with a homemade bicarbonate soda and cold water paste. Dab the stain gently to work the paste into the stain.
2. Leave for 30 minutes to work its magic.
3. Wipe off and dab the stain with a cloth dampened with cold water.
4. If required, treat the stain with a mix of washing powder and cold water.
5. Leave mattress to fully dry.
6. Vacuum off any residue. Done!

This method worked really well for me so I do hope that it works well for you too!

Other blood stain removal products you can try

There are many other methods and products that you can try too. Below are a few options:

• Hydrogen peroxide is a powerful blood stain remover. You can buy it from your pharmacy.
• You can also use distilled white vinegar in a similar way to the bicarb method above.
• There are specific blood stain removal products on the market too, such as Save My Knickers Stain Removing Powder (review here) or Dr. Beckmann – Devil Blood & Dairy Stain Remover.

How to avoid period leaks when you have heavy periods

The best way to avoid blood stains on your mattress is to avoid period leaks. There are a few things that you can do to minimise the risk of leaking during your period:

• Layer up! Several layers of protection is a great way to minimise the risk of leaks. I love using period pants combined with cloth sanitary pads overnight. Just remember to choose a style of period pants that suit your sleeping style. Some period pants have absorbency that goes all the way up the back of the pants which is great when you are a back sleeper and so on. Go for a heavy absorbency or overnight option and combine with a heavy sanitary pad if your flow is heavy. There are lots of great period pants available on the market.
• Use a mattress protector. If you can, add a mattress protector to your mattress. This will help reduce the risk of the actual mattress staining if you do leak. You can also simply lay an old towel on your bed or between your sheet and mattress for a free option.
• Know your cycle. Keeping track of your cycle and flow is always a good idea. This will help you see patterns – perhaps you are always heavy on night 2-4. Then you can be better prepared and add extra layers or change your period protection during the night if needed.