First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Act quickly: fresh blood is far easier to lift than a stain more than 24 hours old.
- Blot any liquid with a clean, dry white cloth or paper towel, pressing gently rather than rubbing.
- Hold off on any product until you've read the steps below.
Blood on paper is a protein stain, and reaching for water is the mistake to avoid, since paper can't take it at all. Books and paper money need different care, and a stain on a valued or fragile page can do more harm if you rush it. Dried blood may only lighten a little, and embedded marks such as tide lines or mold staining aren't something home cleaning removes.
With a book, the bigger risk is the damage you cause while lifting the stain, so stop if the page starts to thin or pucker. Paper money is worth a gentle look before you touch it, because rubbing spreads the stain across the fibers. If the page is valuable or the stain is old, a paper conservator is the safer call.
Before you start
What paper, books & photos can take
Use with care1
- Scrubbing and abrasives
Avoid5
- Water
- Hot water
- Soaking
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Heat, once the stain is out
5 items
What you'll need
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- Clean, dry white cloth or white paper towelsBlots liquid up without spreading it. (opens Amazon)
- Clean nitrile glovesKeeps skin oils and dirt off the paper. (opens Amazon)
- Soft natural-bristle brushLifts loose debris off the surface gently. (opens Amazon)
- Non-colored vinyl eraserGrated into crumbs, it lifts light surface staining. (opens Amazon)
- Air-bulb blowerRemoves loose dust from photographs without touching them. (opens Amazon)
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Decide whether to treat it
Start by asking whether the item is worth treating yourself. If it is valuable, has damage that is getting worse, or gets handled often, stop here and go to a paper conservator. Surface cleaning can't fix embedded marks such as tide lines or mold staining, so a professional is the right call if you see them.
Step 2 of 6
Dry out wet paper
If the paper is wet, blot the liquid with a clean, dry white cloth or white paper towel, then lay it flat to air dry right away. If it can't air dry within two days, freeze it instead.
Careful. Never freeze old photographs or negatives; send those to a photo conservator.
Step 3 of 6
Handle it with clean hands
Wash your hands or put on clean nitrile gloves before touching the paper. Hold it by the edges, and keep your fingers off the image or writing.
Tip. Work on a clean, flat surface so the paper doesn't bend or crease while you work.
Step 4 of 6
Test on a hidden spot
Pick a small, unobtrusive spot, such as a blank margin or the back edge. Lightly brush and erase there first, and watch for smearing or lifting of ink or graphite.
Step 5 of 6
Brush off loose debris
Use a clean, soft natural-bristle brush to sweep away loose dust and flakes. Work from the inside of the stain toward the edges so debris isn't pushed into the area.
Tip. For photographs, use an air-bulb blower in place of the brush, and skip the eraser.
Step 6 of 6
Erase lightly with vinyl crumbs
Grate a non-colored vinyl eraser into fine crumbs, then rub them over the stain in short, random strokes. Brush the crumbs away after each pass, and stop once the stain stops lifting, because embedded marks won't come out this way. For mold stains only, keep humidity between 40-65% so mold does not regrow.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
A good sign is the stain getting lighter with each light brushing and erasing pass while the paper stays flat and dry. Stop if the ink, graphite or paper surface starts to smear, lift or change, because further work will do more harm than good.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your paper, books & photos
Book
Books need one change to the method: skip the eraser entirely. Eraser granules get trapped in the gutter, so the stain can end up worse, not better.
Brush only, working from the stain toward the edges, and keep the book open only as far as needed. If the stain sits deep in the gutter or has dried, stop and take it to a paper conservator.
Paper money
Paper money follows the same rules as everything else here: no water and no cleaning products. Blot any wet spot with a clean, dry white cloth and let the note air dry flat.
Guidance for items of high monetary value is to treat them only in consultation with a conservator, so a bill you care about should go to one first. If the stain is still there once it's dry, leave it alone rather than trying again.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Fresh blood is far easier to lift than a stain that is more than 24 hours old. The dry steps may only lighten an old stain, so don't push harder to finish it.
Once blood has dried, the stronger options used on fabric, such as soaks, enzyme products and peroxide, are off the table for paper because paper can't take water or bleach. That leaves brushing and light erasing.
If the stain is still there after the dry steps, it is probably embedded in the paper, and that's a conservator's job. Accept that a faint mark may be the realistic result, because a page left slightly marked is better than one that has been wet or damaged.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on blood on paper, books & photos?
Most home remedies for blood are liquids, and paper can't take liquids. That's why nearly every common option below is a no, and dried blood doesn't change that. The dry brushing and light erasing steps are the only home methods on this stain.
Avoid7
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use hot water or soaks
Hot water sets blood, so it can make the stain permanent in one try. Soaking is also out, since soaking delicate paper in cold water can cause irreversible damage.
Don't use heat to dry it
A dryer, iron or radiator can set the stain or make it impossible to remove. Keep the paper cool and relatively dry while it dries, away from radiators and vents.
Don't stick anything to it
Self-stick tape can be extremely difficult to remove, even if it is marketed as archival, and sticky notes, glue and magnetic self-adhesive album pages cause the same problem. If tape is already on the paper, leave its removal to a conservator.
Don't use a block or electric eraser
Block, putty, electric and commercial abrasive erasers are too aggressive for paper and can take off more than the stain. Stick with a grated, non-colored vinyl eraser used in short strokes.
When to call a professional
Call a paper conservator when the item is valuable, has damage that is getting worse, is handled often, has embedded stains, tape residue, insect or rust deposits, or whenever you're unsure. Search for a paper conservator in your area, and look for a photograph conservator if the item is a photo. For high-value pieces, make that call before you try any cleaning at all.
Questions
Can removing blood stains from a book cause more damage?
Yes, it can. Water and rubbing spread the stain and can damage the paper, so the book method stays dry, skips the eraser and stops at any sign of smearing.
Can I use vinegar or peroxide on blood on paper?
No. Both are liquids, and paper can't take liquids, so skip them.
Can an eraser remove a blood stain from paper?
A grated, non-colored vinyl eraser can lift light surface staining when used in short strokes. It won't remove embedded stains, and block or electric erasers are too abrasive for paper.
Should I freeze blood-stained paper?
Freeze it only if it can't air dry within two days, and never freeze old photographs or negatives. Freezing is a fallback for paper that can't dry in time, not a cleaning method.
Can I wash a blood stain off a photograph?
No. Photographs get only an air-bulb blower for loose dust, with nothing wet and no surface cleaning. Nothing wet or abrasive belongs near a photograph, so if the stain remains, the next step is a photograph conservator.
What if the blood has already dried on the paper?
Dried blood on paper calls for the same dry approach, and it is harder to lift. If brushing and light erasing don't work, stop and have a paper conservator assess it.
Blood on other materials
Other stains on paper, books & photos
Start from the bigger picture
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.