First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Use cold water only. Hot water sets blood.
- Blot, don't rub.
- Pretest any product on a hidden spot.
- Keep the pillow out of the dryer until the stain is gone.
Blood on a pillow is a protein stain, and heat is what sets it, so cold water is your first move on any fresh spot. The fill matters as much as the stain, because foam, hybrid, polyester and down pillows each need a different wash, and you should check the label before you add anything. A fresh mark is far easier to lift than one that has dried overnight or been through the dryer, since machine drying makes the stain more permanent.
If blood keeps showing up on your pillow overnight, a removable cover you can wash often makes it easier to manage. For a pillowcase, rinse the spot in cold water and treat it with an enzyme laundry pretreater before it goes in the wash. If the spot has dried, check that it's gone before the dryer touches it.
Before you start
What pillows can take
Use with care6
- Water
- Soaking
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
- Scrubbing and abrasives
- Heat, once the stain is out
Avoid2
- Hot water
- Chlorine bleach
7 items
What you'll need
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- Clean, dry white cloth or white paper towelsBlots up the blood without transferring color. (opens Amazon)
- Mild liquid detergentUsed in small amounts on the spot before the wash. (opens Amazon)
- Soft brushWorks problem spots on a down pillow without damaging it. (opens Amazon)
- Detergent made for downNeeded if the pillow is down or feather and goes in the machine. (opens Amazon)
- Enzyme presoak productFor old or dried stains that need a longer soak. (opens Amazon)
- 3% hydrogen peroxideFor the last traces of blood after the soak and wash, on white or colorfast fabric only. (opens Amazon)
- A medicine dropper (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Strip the pillow and read the label
Take off the pillowcase and any protector, then find the care label sewn into the pillow. The label decides whether a washing machine is an option at all, and which cycle and temperature to use.
If the label is missing or can't be read, don't guess. Spot-treat the stain with cold water only, and keep the pillow out of the machine until you know what it's filled with.
Step 2 of 7
Blot the fresh stain with cold water
Act quickly, because fresh blood comes out far more easily than blood that has sat for more than 24 hours. Blot with a clean, dry white cloth or white paper towel, pressing lightly and moving to a clean section as it picks up color.
Don't rub. Rubbing spreads the blood and can damage the fibers.
Careful. Hot water sets blood and makes it harder to remove, so use cold water instead.
Step 3 of 7
Pretest any product on a hidden spot
Before any detergent touches the stain, dab a little on an inconspicuous part of the pillow or cover and let it dry. Stop if color transfers to the cloth or the fabric changes.
Step 4 of 7
Wash foam or hybrid pillows gently
Unzip the cover and wash it in cold water on a delicate cycle, then lay it flat to dry without a dryer. Sponge the foam itself with warm, soapy water, and rinse the sponge often so you aren't pushing the blood deeper.
Careful. Never machine wash or fully submerge a foam or hybrid pillow, because it can trap water and grow mold.
Step 5 of 7
Wash polyester-type pillows in cold
For polyester, down-alternative or hollow-fiber pillows, dab a little detergent on the stain before the wash. Machine wash on a gentle or delicate cycle in cold water, and wash two pillows together so the load stays balanced.
Tip. Check the stain before the cycle ends. It should look lighter than when you started.
Step 6 of 7
Hand-wash down or feather pillows
Down or feather pillows go in the machine only if the label allows it. Use a detergent made for down, wash at a low temperature, and add an extra rinse, since leftover detergent can reduce fill power. To hand-wash instead, use lukewarm water and a little detergent, work the problem spots with a soft brush, and rinse until the suds are gone.
Step 7 of 7
Dry on low until fully dry
Once the stain is gone, tumble dry on low, air-fluff or no heat until the center is completely dry. Watch for cool damp spots, odor or clumps, which mean the pillow isn't finished.
Tip. Down may need several low-heat cycles, so plan for more than one run.
Careful. Don't put the pillow in the dryer while any of the stain is still visible, because heat makes it more permanent.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for blood on pillows
Pick a mild liquid detergent for the spot work, and use one made for down if your pillow is filled with down. Skip any product that is chlorine bleach, since it doesn't suit this stain or most pillow shells.
Puracy Laundry Stain Remover
ECOS OXO Brite Stain & Odor Remover Pre-Wash Spray
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on pillows, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light before using any heat. 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
The stain should be gone or down to a faint shadow, and the fabric should match the rest of the pillow. Once the pillow is dry, the center should feel even all the way through, with no cool damp spots, clumps or odor. If any of those are still there, the job isn't finished.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your pillows
Removable pillow cover
A removable cover is the easiest part to save. Wash it on its own in cold water on a gentle cycle, and check its label before you add any detergent. If the cover came off a foam pillow, keep the foam itself out of the machine.
Dry the cover flat or on low, and only once the stain has lifted completely.
Pillow stained overnight
A stain you find in the morning has usually dried, which makes it older than one you'd see right away. Start with the same cold-water blot, using a clean white cloth to lift whatever is still wet. If the spot has dried stiff, go straight to the enzyme soak in the set-in section.
Don't leave it while you decide. Fresh blood lifts more easily than blood that has been drying for a day.
Pillowcases
A pillowcase follows the same order as the pillow: cold water, a blot instead of a rub, and a pretest before any product. Check the label before washing, and use the gentlest cycle it allows.
Test any peroxide on a hidden spot first, since it can change the color of dyed fabric. Keep the dryer off until the spot is gone and the fabric is fully dry.
Nosebleed on a pillow
Nosebleed blood is still blood, so the approach doesn't change: cold water, a blot instead of a rub, and a pretest before any product. Treat the cover and the pillow itself the same way.
Keep the cold water going until the stain stops lifting, and check the spot in good light before you move on.
Old, dried or set-in stains
A stain more than 24 hours old needs more than the cold blot. Soak it in warm water with an enzyme product for at least 30 minutes, or for several hours if the stain is aged.
Dried blood needs the same soak, and you should scrape off any crusted matter first. Dried and old stains may take several rounds before they're fully gone, so repeat the soak rather than reaching for the dryer.
If the stain went through the dryer, it's probably set, and you should expect only partial results. For what's left after the soak and wash, dribble 3% hydrogen peroxide on with a medicine dropper, let it sit for 1 to 3 minutes, and rinse it out well. If the stain or smell still won't come out, replace the pillow.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on blood on pillows?
Plenty of home remedies float around for blood, and most of them either set the stain or aren't safe on pillows. Some go in the wash, some are only an option afterward, and the rest are best left alone.
Helps2Skip4
Chemical safety
Never mix these
Some products in this guide react dangerously with each other. Use them one at a time and rinse with water in between.
Hydrogen peroxide (3%) + Oxygen bleach (OxiClean)
OxiClean's maker says it should not be mixed with household chemicals other than detergent in the wash.
If they mix by accident: Don't use the mixture; ventilate the room and avoid breathing fumes or touching it; call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for disposal advice or if anyone feels unwell.
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't mix bleach with other cleaners.
Chlorine bleach has no place on down-filled pillows, and it shouldn't be used on silk, wool, spandex or colors that aren't colorfast. Never mix it with ammonia, vinegar, rubbing alcohol or other cleaners, since mixed products can give off toxic fumes. Rinse each product out with plain water before you move to the next one.
Don't store the pillow while it's damp.
Never use or store a pillow until its center is completely dry. Moisture trapped in natural fill causes clumping and odor, and it will show up after the stain itself is gone.
Don't twist or wring a wet down pillow.
Press the water out instead, and keep the fill spread evenly so the pillow dries without clumps. Wringing can distort the shell and bunch the down in one spot.
When to call a professional
If a down pillow's shell is dry-clean-only, take it to a dry cleaner and talk through the method before anything goes on the stain, because dry cleaning can strip the down's natural oils. If the stain or smell won't come out after all of this, replacing the pillow is the better call.
Questions
Why do I have blood stains on my pillow?
Blood usually comes from something that bled while you slept, such as a nosebleed or a small cut. The cause doesn't change the cleaning method, so start with cold water and a blot instead of a rub.
Can I use hot water on blood on a pillow?
No. Hot water sets blood, which makes it harder to remove, so start with cold water every time. Warm water only comes in later, in the enzyme soak for old or dried stains.
How long can a blood stain sit before it becomes permanent?
There's no exact cutoff, but fresh stains come out far more easily than stains older than 24 hours. Once a stain has set, expect the enzyme soak and possibly several rounds of treatment.
Can I put a foam pillow in the washing machine?
Only the cover goes in the machine. The foam gets sponged with warm, soapy water, because it holds water and can grow mold if it stays wet.
Can I use bleach on a down pillow?
No. Down-filled pillows should never be bleached or ironed. For the stain, use a detergent made for down and a soft brush instead.
What if the stain is gone but the pillow still smells?
Make sure the center is completely dry, with no cool damp spots, because trapped moisture causes odor. If the smell stays after that, replace the pillow.
Does hydrogen peroxide remove blood from a pillow?
It can take out the last traces of blood after washing, but only on white or colorfast fabric. Test a hidden spot first, and leave it on for just 1 to 3 minutes before rinsing.
Blood on other materials
Other stains on pillows
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.