Hubby wore his white 100% flax linen shirt (we do historical re-enactment, so it is one that I made) FISHING yesterday at one of our events. Of course, there is now fish blood splattered all over it. Any ideas for laundering and being safe in getting those stains out since of course he didn't even rinse it in cold water after it happened?
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Re: getting blood out of linen?
Sun, August 3, 2008 - 10:48 AMCold water soak overnight in a good detergent. Liquid detergent is nice because you can pour it directly on the spot and then soak. It may take a couple of soaks and washings to get the stain out. Just don't let it heat set between washings. That way if you don't get all the stain out you still have the option of another night of soaking.
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Re: getting blood out of linen?
Sun, August 3, 2008 - 2:06 PMOxyclean is designed specifically to remove organic stains. its an oxygen bleach. It works FANTASTIC! warm water dissolve the oxy in the water and then let the shirt soak. it will come out almost instantly.
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Re: getting blood out of linen?
Sun, August 3, 2008 - 3:25 PMOxyclean rocks : )
I've also used hydrogen peroxide for spot treatments... -
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Re: getting blood out of linen?
Sun, August 3, 2008 - 5:25 PMWhen I worked for a hospital as a housekeeper, we always used hydrogen peroxide. It's great, takes the blood right out. In fact, I keep a big bottle in the laundry room for that exact purpose! Bleach will get the blood out, but will also take the color out of the garment as well. If the linen is white, you could try a combo of both, maybe. -
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Re: getting blood out of linen?
Mon, August 4, 2008 - 12:43 PMwill peroxide whiten a cotton jersey t-shirt? Remove perspiration stains? -
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Re: getting blood out of linen?
Tue, August 5, 2008 - 5:32 AMHmm. I don't know, Soooz. I doubt it would cause any damage. Give it a try : ) -
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Re: getting blood out of linen?
Tue, August 5, 2008 - 10:03 AMI dont know about persperations stains, but I do know I've used peroxide to clean up issues from my "ladies days".
And I have had no problems with the peroxide on some of my delicates, or not so delicates as it were.
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Re: getting blood out of linen?
Tue, August 5, 2008 - 11:19 AMSooz, as much as perspiration is water it is also oil. the only way to get oils out of a garment is with a different oil. You need to apply some clean type of oil cleaner to dilute the offending oil. Stanley Home products used to carry something called a DE-Greaser. I am not even sure they are in business any more. might do a google search on them and see if there are any distributors around. that was one of the BEST products around.
Ohhhh I just thought of something, There is a cleaner made by the Dharma Trading CO called Synthropol!!! that stuff will take ANYTHING out of fabric including unset DYEs. Fabulous stuff.. they make a green version I have not used yet. and yes the name gives it away. if you are concerned about the environment Synthropol is well what it is.....
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Re: getting blood out of linen?
Tue, August 5, 2008 - 12:50 PMIf it's also oil, then wouldn't simple green work? -
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Re: getting blood out of linen?
Tue, August 5, 2008 - 1:05 PMit just might. I have not used simple green in probably 15 years now. gods how time flies.. -
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Re: getting blood out of linen?
Wed, August 6, 2008 - 9:10 AMCitric acid is another great "bleach." (AKA lemon juice) I've used it to get those set yellow stains out of old white linen tablecloths. I put a few tablespoons of powdered citric into the washer and let it soak for several hours. Then I hang it out into the sun. Once the stains are out you can wash with detergent if you want. -
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Re: getting blood out of linen?
Wed, August 6, 2008 - 9:21 AMI have a new white tank top and at first wearing, it showed sweat stains. I spritzed with simple green, washed in cold and it came out perfect. Now I'll try some white shirts with older stains... -
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Re: getting blood out of linen?
Mon, August 11, 2008 - 7:01 PMi used to work in a kitchen... simple green also works for grease stains from food. ;-)
~birdie.
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Re: getting blood out of linen?
Tue, August 12, 2008 - 2:00 AMI used Oxy Clean to get some disgustingly gnarly pit stains out of a vintage cowboy shirt for my boyfriend, who is completely hinky about wearing a strangers' used clothing... he never noticed. But I had to treat and retreat it several times and let it soak in each time. -
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Re: getting blood out of linen?
Tue, August 12, 2008 - 1:12 PMSimple green did not work quite as well on older stains. On top of that, a red shirt that I've had for years bled in the wash, despite it being cold water. I'm going to get some oxy clean, thanks for the reccommendations.
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Re: getting blood out of linen?
Tue, August 19, 2008 - 10:17 AMAlmond Milk will get blood out of natural fabrics. It's really ground almonds in water; maybe soy milk would do the same?
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Re: getting blood out of linen?
Tue, August 19, 2008 - 10:21 AMAnd, it's in period ;-)
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Re: getting blood out of linen?
Tue, August 19, 2008 - 6:30 PMLots and lots of great ideas.
So far hydrogen peroxide hasn't taken it all out, nor has soaking over night... I think I will try the oxyclean next and then the almond milk if that still hasn't taken care of things. -
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Re: getting blood out of linen?
Tue, August 19, 2008 - 8:41 PM
Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook had some suggestions. This book has lots of good info in it!
For Protein stains (Blood, Egg Yolk, Milk, Vomit) Spray diluted dish washing soap solution on the stain, let it sit, rinse in tepid water. If still visible treat the area with enzyme detergent and launder according to label instructions. Diluted dish washing solution solution made with 1 tablespoon fragrance-and-dye-free liquid soap (containing sodium laurel sulfate, or sodium laureth sulfate) and 10 ounces of water. Pour it into a small spray bottle. Do NOT use enzyme detergent on silk, wool, cashmere or angora.
For old perspiration stains treat with an enzyme paste. Buy digestive enzyme tablets at a natural food store, grind 4 tablets and add equal parts water to make a damp paste. Gently rub onto the stain, let it sit for one hour. Launder as usual. Whites can be soaked overnight in hot water and oxygen bleach then also laundered as usual.
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Re: getting blood out of linen?
Sun, August 24, 2008 - 2:13 AMWhat was your result after using the oxy clean? any luck? -
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Re: getting blood out of linen?
Sun, August 24, 2008 - 5:46 PMWell folks, This was a 12 step process.
1. soak the shirt to loosen the gut gunk and blood
2. hydrogen peroxide... the spots faded a little bit.
3. wash in woolite, no difference in spots.
4. see #2
5. wash in plain water, no difference in spots.
6. spray on oxyclean, a little more fading
7. see #3
8. spray on oxyclean again, this time no more fading.
9. see #3
10. Tried the powdered oxyclean... same as the spray on, but a little bit more faded... so...
11. I diluted regular bleach 1:1 with water and spot cleaned with a q-tip. I could see the spots fading away and rinsed quickly and often with water to hopefully minimize the effects of the bleach on the fibers.
12. Wash in woolite one last time... spots 99% gone!
whew.
I was going to try the almond milk idea before using the bleach, but things were getting desperate as we have a bit event coming up next weekend that hubby was hoping to be able to wear the shirt at.
I hope there isn't a next time, but if there is, I am going to give that almond milk a try. -
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Re: getting blood out of linen?
Mon, August 25, 2008 - 1:42 AMThank you for the update was truly curious what you had done with it. -
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Re: getting blood out of linen?
Mon, August 25, 2008 - 2:04 AMI didn't even know there was a spray on oxyclean. I can see why that wouldn't work. I usually always have success with the powder in hot water and let it sit for at least an hour. So sorry you had to go through so much.
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