Guidelines for Cleaning Blood from Carpet



When it comes to conquering stains, some are consistently more stubborn to remove than others. Most stains can be cleaned at home with products from the local grocery store. However, cleaning blood from the carpet should be left to professionals.

Because carpet is a porous material (meaning it contains tiny holes, or pores), returning the carpet to its original state after a spill can be impossible. Even in the smallest amounts, blood on the carpet can be a potential danger to anyone visiting or residing in the home.

Why Is Cleaning Blood Dangerous?

Blood can contain infectious microorganisms, known as pathogens, which can cause disease in humans. Some examples of bloodborne pathogens include:

  • Hepatitis B
  • Hepatitis C
  • Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

Because individuals with certain diseases (like hepatitis) often show no symptoms, people are not always aware of possible infections in the blood. Therefore, it is important to treat all blood and body fluids as if they are contaminated.

The Trouble with Cleaning Blood from Carpet

Because blood is often the result of an injury or crime, your focus following the incident is likely on the safety of the injured, not the stain on your carpet. Therefore, it is not always possible to get to the stain as soon as it happens. Unfortunately, the longer the blood remains on the carpet, the deeper it will sink into the fibers, padding, matting and subflooring, making it impossible to completely clean and sanitize.

Remember: Just because a carpet looks clean doesn’t mean it is clean.

You may want to try to attempt cleaning very small blood stains on your carpet, such as a few drips or smears. To minimize your risks if you choose to clean the carpet yourself is to isolate the area, work quickly, wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), and use designated cleaning products following the carpet manufacturer’s guidelines.

Cleaning blood from the carpet yourself is not the most feasible cleaning method because most surface cleaning techniques are not aligned with OSHA guidelines for bloodborne pathogens. Even bioremediation companies such as Aftermath – who specialize in cleaning up the scenes of homicides, suicides, industrial accidents, and mass traumas – do not attempt to clean blood from carpet.

Aftermath will remove the carpet and other porous materials, completely sanitize the scene, and properly dispose of the biohazardous waste. This helps prevent the spread of infection to the current residents, visitors, and future residents and helps preserve the home’s property value.

As a general rule, if you are dealing with a blood stain that is larger than a dinner plate, you should contact a bioremediation company for help. Aftermath is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Contact Aftermath today for more information.