Illustration: a pair of white knickers with a red stain under a running cold tap

Clothes · Blood

Blood and period stains: how to get them out of clothes, underwear and sheets

Cold water first, never hot. Fresh or dried, on knickers, jeans or sheets, here's the order to try things.

First 60 seconds

Just happened? Do this now, then read the steps.

As soon as you can, hold the stained part under cold running water and gently rub the fabric together to loosen the stain. [2]
Step 1
Rinse both sides of the fabric, then blot the stain with a wet paper or cotton towel. [1]
Step 1
Leave it for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for stubborn stains, then gently rub the fabric together. [2]
Step 4

How doomed is it?

2 out of 5: Fixable

Why I rated it this way

Stains set by heat will be difficult to remove, so treat blood straight away. [3]

Air dry it. Some stains take more than one go. [2][6]

Quick answer

!Cold water only, and no tumble dryer until the stain has gone.
1Rinse it in cold water, from the back
2Rub with soap or liquid detergent
3Pre-treat with an oxygen stain remover
4Soak it in cold water
5Wash cool and check before drying
6Dried or old stains: an enzyme soak
73% hydrogen peroxide (last resort, test first)

Match your situation

Your situation	Try this
Fresh, still wet	Rinse in cold water and rub with soap (steps 1 and 2), then wash cool (step 5). [3]
Period blood on knickers or trousers	Rinse in cold water, pre-treat, soak, then wash with an enzyme-based detergent (steps 1, 3, 4 and 5). [2]
White cotton	Soak in Vanish Oxi Action Crystal White Powder: one scoop (60 g) in 4 litres of water, for 6 hours at most. [1]
Coloured clothes	Soak in Vanish Oxi Action Multi Power Powder: one scoop (60 g) in 4 litres of water, for 1 hour at most. [1]
Dried in, or found days later	Step 6, then step 7 if a mark is still there.
Period pants	Rinse in cold water until the water runs clear, then wash cold. Don't soak them (see period pants). [7]
Wool	Blot with a mild detergent in cool water. [3] Silk, or anything valuable or delicate: see Before you start.
Sheets and bedding	See sheets and bedding. Went through to the mattress? See blood on a mattress.
Already been through a hot wash or the dryer	Heat may have set it. Try step 6, and see stains after the dryer.

Don’t do this

The mistakes that can set this stain or damage the item, from the sources below.

Always rinse blood with cold water. Warm or hot water will set the stain and make it more difficult to remove. [1][8]
Check the stain after washing, and don't put it in the tumble dryer until it has gone. [2][8]
Never mix cleaning products. [10][11]

Before you start

Test on a hidden spot first. Put a little of each product on a part that doesn’t show, leave it 2 to 5 minutes, then rinse or blot. If the colour or texture changes, don’t use that product. [9]
Check the care label. These steps are for washable fabrics. If the label says dry clean only, don’t try them: take it to a dry cleaner soon and tell them what the stain is. [9]
Silk, wool, leather and suede need extra care. Never use chlorine bleach on wool, silk, elastane (spandex) or blends of these. [9] Don’t soak wool or silk, [12] and wash silk with a mild non-biological detergent. [13] For leather and suede, Dr. Beckmann recommends a professional dry cleaner who specialises in them. [14]
Use one product at a time. Never mix cleaning products, and never mix chlorine bleach with ammonia or with acids such as vinegar: the fumes can be dangerous. [10][11] If you need a second product, rinse the first one out well before you start. [9]
Protect yourself. Open a window, wear rubber gloves, and keep products out of reach of children and pets. [10][11]
Mind the bucket. Young children can drown in a small amount of water, so don’t leave a soaking bucket or bowl where they can reach it. [15]
Know when to stop. If the item is dry clean only, valuable or delicate, if the colour or texture starts to change, or if repeating the steps isn’t shifting the stain, stop and take it to a professional cleaner. Not every stain can be removed, by you or by a professional. [9]

What you need

A quick note from me: I’m not a cleaning expert. These steps and products are my recommendations, not professional advice. I’ve tried to make them as accurate as I can, and every step links to its source. Always patch-test on a hidden area first and follow the product label and the care label. More about this

Shop links go to Amazon UK search results. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It never changes what a guide recommends. Product pictures are my own illustrations, not the maker’s packaging.

Cold waterRunning cold water to rinse, and a basin of cold water to soak. Never warm or hot. [1][2]
Steps 1–4
A bar of soapOr a little liquid detergent, rubbed into a fresh stain. [3]
Step 2 Find on Amazon: A bar of soap (Amazon UK search, opens in a new tab)
Coloured-fabric stain removerVanish Oxi Action Multi Power Powder, for colours. [1][2]
Steps 3–4 Find on Amazon: Coloured-fabric stain remover (Amazon UK search, opens in a new tab)
Whites stain removerVanish Oxi Action Crystal White Powder, for whites. [1]
Steps 3–4 Find on Amazon: Whites stain remover (Amazon UK search, opens in a new tab)
Biological detergentAn enzyme-based detergent, made to break down protein stains such as blood. [2][4]
Steps 5–6 Find on Amazon: Biological detergent (Amazon UK search, opens in a new tab)
3% hydrogen peroxideLast resort, only on fabric it won't fade. Test it first. [3][5]
Step 7 Find on Amazon: 3% hydrogen peroxide (Amazon UK search, opens in a new tab)
An old toothbrushOr your fingertips, to work the stain loose in cold water. [6]
Step 1

Not in the UK? Equivalents in the US, EU and Australia

Plain names, not shop links. For the EU I checked the makers’ German sites. Where I couldn’t confirm a product, I’ve written the type of product to look for instead. Always check the label: formulas and directions can differ between countries.

Vanish Oxi Action stain-remover powder
US
An oxygen-based stain-remover powder, for example OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover (a different maker, Church & Dwight) [16]
EU (Germany)
Vanish Fleckentferner Pulver (Oxi Action) [17]
Australia
Vanish Napisan Oxi Action Stain Remover Powder [18]
Vanish Oxi Action Crystal White
US
An oxygen whitening and stain-remover powder for whites, for example OxiClean White Revive powder (a different maker, Church & Dwight) [19]
EU (Germany)
Vanish Fleckentferner Powerweiss Pulver [20]
Australia
Vanish Napisan Oxi Action Crystal White Stain Remover Powder [21]

Step1

Rinse it in cold water, from the back

As soon as you can, hold the stained part under cold running water and gently rub the fabric together to loosen the stain. [2]
Rinse both sides of the fabric, then blot the stain with a wet paper or cotton towel. [1]
Work at the stain gently with your fingertips or an old toothbrush, in a lifting motion, still in cold water. [6]

Can't deal with it yet?

If you're short of time, the best thing you can do is put it in cold water and let it soak. [5] Keep a spare pair of knickers in your bag so you can change out of stained ones. [5]

Step2

Rub with soap or liquid detergent

For fresh stains, University of Georgia Extension says: [3]

Rinse the stain in cold running water.
Rub it with bar soap or liquid detergent.
Rinse again, and repeat.

Step3

Pre-treat with an oxygen stain remover

10 g powder + the same amount of water
Leave 5–10 min

Vanish UK's pre-treatment for period blood: [2]

Mix 10 g of powder with an equal amount of water and stir for 30 seconds.
Apply the mix to the stain and rub it in as needed.
Leave it for up to 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the powder.

Use Vanish Oxi Action Multi Power Powder on coloured clothes and Vanish’s whites powder on whites. Choose a stain remover that suits the fabric, and follow the instructions on the pack. [2]

Test first

Check for colour fastness on a hidden area of the fabric before you use Vanish. [1]

Step4

Soak it in cold water

At least 30 min
Stubborn: overnight
Vanish soak: colours 1 h max, whites 6 h max

Fill a basin or sink with cold water and put the stained item in. [2]
Leave it for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for stubborn stains, then gently rub the fabric together. [2]

Or a Vanish soak, from Vanish UK's blood guide: [1]

Add one scoop (60 g) of powder to 4 litres of water.
Soak colours for 1 hour at most (Multi Power Powder) and whites for 6 hours at most (Crystal White Powder).
Rub the stain before rinsing, then wash as usual or rinse well.

Still showing after a soak? Bodyform suggests a paste of salt and cold water on the stain, left for several hours or overnight before you wash it. [5]

Step5

Wash cool and check before drying

Wash it with an enzyme-based (biological) detergent. Enzymes break down protein stains like blood. [2]
Choose a cold setting on the washing machine: hot water can set the stain. Check the care label first. [2]
Before drying, look closely at the stain in good light. If you can still see it, repeat the steps from the pre-treatment. [2]
Air dry it. Some stains take more than one go. [2][6]

Step6

Dried or old stains: an enzyme soak

For dried blood, the American Cleaning Institute says to pre-treat or soak in warm water with a product containing enzymes, then wash. If a mark is left, rewash with a bleach that’s safe for the fabric. [4]

University of Georgia Extension's order: [3]

Soak in cool water for 30 minutes or longer.
If the stain remains, soak for 30 minutes or longer in lukewarm water with an enzyme pre-soak.
Rinse, rub detergent into any stain that's left, and rinse again.

Sources differ on the water

Vanish says to use cold water on blood, because warm or hot water sets it. [1] The American Cleaning Institute suggests warm water with enzymes for dried stains. [4] To be safe, start cold. If that hasn’t shifted it, use lukewarm water for the enzyme soak, never hot. [3]

Step7

3% hydrogen peroxide

Last resort, test first

3% only
1–3 min, then rinse

If the stain still remains, University of Georgia Extension says: [3]

Put a few drops of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide on the stain for 1 to 3 minutes.
Rinse thoroughly.
Wash it.

Bodyform says hydrogen peroxide works on light-coloured fabrics but can cause colour loss and fading on darker ones, so test it on a small area first. [5]

One product at a time

Never mix cleaning products. [10][11] If you need a second product, rinse the first one out well before you start. [9]

Knickers, bras and period pants

Cotton knickers: use the steps above. Bras and lacy underwear are delicates: use only the gentle steps and see lace and delicates.

Period pants are made to be bled into, so wash them the maker’s way. Modibodi’s method: [7]

Rinse them in cold water just after you take them off, until the water runs clear. Don't leave them to soak: squeezing and rinsing under running water works better.
Wash them on a cold wash, ideally in a delicates bag.
Don't use fabric softener.
Line dry them. Keep them out of the tumble dryer.

WUKA says to wash its period pants at 30 degrees with no fabric conditioner, then air dry. [6] Follow the care label on your own pair.

Blood on sheets and bedding

Strip the bed, rinse the stain with cold water on both sides, and blot it with a wet paper or cotton towel. [1]

Vanish UK for sheets: [1]

White sheets: one scoop (60 g) of Vanish Oxi Action Crystal White Powder in 4 litres of water, soak for 6 hours at most, rub before rinsing, then wash as usual.
Coloured sheets: mix 10 g of Vanish Oxi Action Multi Power Powder with the same amount of water, apply it to the stain, rub as needed, then wash as usual.

Gone through to the mattress? See blood on a mattress.

Stop it happening again

Keep a spare pair of underwear in your bag, so you can change and deal with the stain later. [5]
Match your protection to your flow. A higher absorbency, period pants or a night-time pad can help stop leaks. [5]
A waterproof mattress protector stops blood reaching the mattress. [5]
Treat blood as quickly as you can. If it’s left too long, the proteins set and it’s much harder to shift. [6]

Sources (21)

Answers “how can i get a period blood stain out of white pants..?”, asked on X on 25 Oct 2026 (post; also asked here and here). Checked 25 Oct 2026.

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