Oops… Here’s How to Get Rid of Period Stains

Written by Cinestie Olson

If you’ve never experienced the absolute defeat of staining your underwear, bed sheets, couches, etc. with period blood - consider yourself one of the lucky ones. For literally every other menstruator, however, most of us know this universal experience! Even after years of having a period, we always find ourselves staining SOMETHING each cycle. However, no need to throw away your favorite underwear yet, here are some solutions to restore your hope.

Immediate Cold Water

If your period stains are fresh (especially in underwear), rinse the stained fabric with cold tap water! Rinsing immediately can get out a lot more blood than you think. You can also leave the stained pieces to soak in cold water to get as much blood out as you can.

It’s important to NOT rinse with warm water, as it can actually set the stains more quickly. This will make taking out period stains much harder. Urgency and cold water is key for those fresh stains!

Hydrogen Peroxide

If you have hydrogen peroxide laying around, put it to use for your period stains! If you couldn’t clean the blood out right away with cold water, the stains can be trickier to get out. However, soaking a sponge or washcloth with hydrogen peroxide can help. You’ll notice that the stains will fizz and bubble up. This is because when peroxide combines with an enzyme in blood (called catalase), the blood will oxidize and break down. 

Note: hydrogen peroxide can lighten darker fabrics, so make sure to test on a fabric you don’t care about first!

Saline Solution for Dried Blood

Have contact solution laying around? What about salt? Making a saline solution with cold water can lift the dried blood. Throw the stained fabric into the wash after, and you can notice some lifting!

Spit

Yes, believe it or not, your own saliva can get rid of blood stains! Spit contains amylase, which is an enzyme that breaks down food and other organic stains. If you have nothing else laying around, try spitting in those undies :) 

Embracing Your Period Stains

Periods are natural and stains are inevitable (for most of us). There’s no shame in simply just throwing your stained fabrics in the wash and wearing/using them as is!