Different methods may be used to get blood out of cloth car seats and/or car upholstery. The effectiveness of any blood stain removal method mainly depends on the type of upholstery you have in the car.
Blood tends to sleep through the threads of a car upholstery before clotting, especially on cloth car seats. The longer the blood stain remains untreated, the harder it gets to remove. This is why you need to remove blood stains on your car seats as soon as they form.
The easiest way to remove blood stains from a cloth car seat is to use dishwashing detergent and water solution.
Discussed below are some of the most effective methods of removing blood stains from a car seat.
Remember Blood is a very difficult stain to remove, so timeliness is key to success.
Method 1: Using Liquid Dishwashing
First, you need to mix the solution by mixing a tablespoonful of liquid dishwashing detergent with about two cups of cold water. Mix them in a large bowl and stir well for them to mix thoroughly.
Apply the solution to the drained area on the car seat using a soaked cloth. To achieve this, soak a clean, white cloth into the detergent solution and apply it to the stained area on the seat. Allow it to soak for a few minutes. Afterward, you need to brush the area gently to loosen the stain from the cloth fabric.
This may be done using a conventional toothbrush. You should never use a scrub brush to brush the stain as it is too aggressive and may cause the stain to sink even deeper into the seat fabric. Using a clean wet cloth, blot the area using dabbing motions in order to rinse the detergent solution.
Inspection
Inspect the seat to see whether the stain was removed entirely. For stubborn stains, you may need to repeat the above-described steps several times for efficient cleaning. If the stain was not removed, just reapply the solution and scrub the area gently using a toothbrush before rinsing it with a clean wet cloth.
Final Rinse
Once you have verified that the stain was removed completely, you will need to rinse the area thoroughly. Wet a clean cloth in cold water and use it to remove the remaining detergent solution from the seat fabric. Again, this should also be done using dabbing motions.
Once done, you should use a clean cloth towel to dry out excess water from the car seat. Just bloat the towel to the cloth seat fabric to wick out excess moisture. You should then allow the seat ample time to dry out, preferably with the door opened.
Method 2: The Cocktail Mix
This method is especially good for vinyl car upholstery, you will need to use a solution of water, ammonia, and dishwashing detergent. Pour some water into a clean spray bottle. Add about half a teaspoonful of liquid dish-washing detergent and a tablespoonful of ammonia into the bottle and shake well to mix them.
Ammonia is known to be a strong cleaner that is very effective at breaking blood proteins down. For safety purposes, you may need to test the solution on a small area of the seat to see whether it has any negative effects. Now spray the solution on the stained area of the vinyl car seats.
Allow the solution to sit on the stained area for about five minutes, which gives the ammonia ample time to break the stain down for thorough cleaning. You should then scrub the area gently preferably using a toothbrush. Thereafter, blot the area with a clean cloth before rinsing.
Visual Inspection
Check to see whether the stain was removed entirely. If not, spray the solution onto the affected area, scrub and blot it with a clean cloth yet again.
Rinsing
Once the blood stain is not visible on the car seat, you can proceed to rinse the solution off the seat. Dampen a clean cloth using cold water and use it to rinse the solution off from the seat. After every pass, squeeze the solution off the cloth, rinse the cloth, and repeat the process for thorough rinsing.
Use a clean towel to remove excess moisture from the cleaned area. Finally, allow the seat some time for it to dry completely by leaving the windows open.
How to Clean Blood Off Leather Car Seats
For efficient removal of blood stains from a leather car seat, you should consider using the cream of tartar. Make a solution of this cream by mixing one part of it on one part of lemon juice. Mix them thoroughly in a bowl until you get a uniform paste.
Cream of tartar is very efficient at removing deep-colored stains, including blood stains from leather. Using a toothbrush, apply the paste into the stained area of the seat while running it gently. Allow the paste to sit on the stain for about 10 minutes for the best results.
Step1 : Remove Paste From The Seat
Use a damp, clean rag to remove the paste from the seat, and check whether the stain was removed entirely. If not, you should reapply the paste and rub it gently onto the stain using a toothbrush before cleaning the paste from the seat.
Step 2: Rinse Off Paste From The Seat
Using a clean damp cloth, rinse off the paste from the seat repeatedly until it is all removed. Leaving the cream on the seat may have damaging effects on the leather in the long run. Be sure to rinse it off thoroughly. Dry out the excess moisture from the seat using a clean towel.
Step 3: Air It Out
Leave car windows open for the seat to air dry under normal temperature conditions. Unlike other upholstery materials, leather needs to be reconditioned after such a deep cleaning process. Use the appropriate conditioner to do this.
Conclusion
As mentioned earlier in this guide, different cleaning methods have varying degrees of effectiveness depending on the material you are cleaning. If the bloodstain is already dry, you should first scrape or brush the hardened blood off the seat surface, regardless of the upholstery material.
To prevent damage to your car seats, it is advisable to apply the least possible amount of the cleaning solution to the stain.
Fixing a stuck car seat can be challenging, but it’s important to do so before attempting to clean blood stains from cloth car seats, vinyl, or leather.
If you’ve lost your car keys at home and also need to address blood stains on your car seats, following the right techniques can help you tackle both problems effectively.
If you would rather use commercial stain removers, get the ones that are specifically designed to dissolve blood protein. All in all, the above-described methods should remove a blood stain from your car seat. Note that, a bloodstain is easier to remove when fresh.
While a full-size spare tire can temporarily solve a flat tire issue, it’s important to address blood stains on your car seats as soon as possible, to avoid long-term damage and unpleasant odors.
