How to Clean Up Blood

CONTENTS

• The dangers of exposure to blood
• How to clean up a blood spill
• How to clean up blood stains
• Why only professionals should clean up blood
• Contact our team today

Whether you have had a bloody nose and smeared it on your shirt, someone has gotten injured in your property, or a serious incident has occurred, you must act quickly to deal with the blood. Blood is dangerous to be exposed to and can leave behind stubborn stains. 

If you are dealing with significant amounts of spilled blood from an incident like a crime, contact a professional trauma cleaning service immediately.

We offer our trauma cleaning services nationwide, here at ICE Cleaning. Our technicians have been accredited by the National Association of Crime Scene Cleaners, and are experts in the handling and disposing of biohazards. If it's an emergency, they can be on site within several hours. 

Keep reading to find out the best way to clean up blood and why for serious situations you should bring in professional trauma cleaners. 

The dangers of exposure to blood

Coming into contact with blood poses serious health risks. Direct contact with infected blood can expose you to serious pathogens such as HIV, Hepatitis B, and C.

Hepatitis B and C viruses are especially notorious for their resistance against regular disinfectants - they are able to survive outside the body for weeks. This is why thorough sanitisation by trained professionals becomes crucial after any incident involving large amounts of exposed blood.

If the blood is a part of a trauma scene, there could be other biohazards lurking, like bodily fluids which can also harm people's health.  

It's advisable to avoid attempting to tackle the clean-up process by yourself in order to protect your health. Professional cleaners have specialised training that equips them to deal safely with potentially harmful substances in traumatic situations.

How to clean up a blood spill

Cleaning up blood is not a simple task and should be left to professionals. It usually involves many meticulous steps which must be followed closely to ensure all traces of the blood and bloodborne pathogens have been removed. Here is a brief overview of the blood clean up process:

• First, you will need to wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves and goggles to protect your health. 
• The spillage then has to be contained with specialist equipment to prevent the further spread of contaminants. 
• Any solid material must be removed and placed in a sealed plastic bag for disposal. 
• The area should then be treated with high-grade sanitising agents to kill off harmful pathogens present in blood that can cause diseases if not handled properly. 
• Next, all of the blood has to be removed by scrubbing the area thoroughly.
• Lastly, all the surfaces need to be disinfected to ensure no pathogens have been left behind. 

A thorough clean up is required to eliminate any harmful pathogens or the area could be dangerous to re-enter. The wrong method could also make the situation worse, such as spreading the blood around a wider area, or causing the stain to set and become permanent. 

How to clean up blood stains

Blood stains are very stubborn, particularly if the stain has been set. But for small stains, there are lots of things you do to help remove them. It's crucial, however, to note that these techniques should not be used on trauma scenes - those require professional cleaning.

The first approach is washing it with cold water. As soon as you notice a fresh stain, rinse it under cold water immediately. Hot water will set the stain and make it harder to get rid of later.

If this does not work completely, try using hydrogen peroxide. This chemical could bleach some fabrics so always test on an inconspicuous area first. 

A third option is laundry detergent mixed with salt. Make sure your mix forms a paste then rub gently into the stained fabric before washing as usual. Remember not to wash or dry the garment until the stain has fully disappeared because heat will set any remaining traces.

Lemon juice may also aid in removing blood stains due to its acidic nature which helps break down proteins found in blood. Squeeze fresh lemon juice onto the affected area then wash normally. You can learn more about the different ways to clean up small blood stains in this article.

Why only professionals should clean up blood

Blood clean up is an intricate process that requires expert knowledge and training. Wiping away visible stains with household cleaning products does not eradicate all potential hazards, and microscopic traces and bloodborne pathogens may linger.

Specially-trained cleaners will use industrial-grade disinfectants that eliminate pathogens effectively while wearing PPE for their safety. Professional trauma cleaners, like ICE Cleaning's technicians, are trained to handle biohazardous waste safely and dispose of it properly in line with local regulations, too.

Apart from the physical risks, handling such situations can be very upsetting, particularly if you knew the victim. A cleaner can take care of the entire situation in a sensitive, professional manner, and restore the affected area to its previous condition quickly. 

You can find out more about why trauma scenes and crime scenes should always be left to professional cleaners in this blog.

Contact our team today

Our technicians are fully trained to deal with sensitive, difficult situations. We operate nationwide, 24/7, 365 days a year, including bank holidays. We also offer crime scene cleaning, forensic cleaning, road traffic accident clean up, and undiscovered death cleaning services. 

Get in touch with our team by calling 0208 066 0360 or sending an email to enquiries@icecleaning.co.uk to learn more about our trauma cleaning services.