How to Get a Period Stain Out of Jeans
Leaks happen. And they’re never fun. But when they threaten to ruin your favorite pair of jeans—well then it’s time to pull out the big guns.
Never fear: We’re here to help. We’ll walk you through the steps to wash those blood stains right away. The key is: The faster you act the better.
But we’ll even go a step further: Help you avoid the problem ever again. With leakproof underwear.
7 Steps for Getting Period Stains Out of Your Jeans
Whether you rock skinny jeans, boyfriend style, bootleg, low-rise, or high-rise… we all know just how hard it is to find “the one” when it comes to jeans. So you want to hang onto the good ones for as long as they’ll last. Then along comes your period with different plans.
Okay, you’ve soaked your tampon or pad and the blood has soaked through your underwear and stained your jeans. What to do? Follow these steps to remove blood stains.
Step 1: Act Fast: Fresh Blood Stains Are Easier to Remove
You probably want to change out of those jeans fast, but don’t just toss them onto the laundry pile on your exercise bike (yes, we know that’s what exercise bikes are for.) You want to get them soaking or under running water as soon as you can.
A fresh blood stain is easier to clean than dried blood stains. If at all possible, get to the blood stain while it’s still wet; a dried-in blood stain is tougher to remove.
Step 2: Keep the Water Cold to Remove Blood Stains
If your instinct is telling you that hot or warm water will be tougher on those blood stains, your instinct is WRONG. Hot water can cause stains to get set into fabrics, which will make them harder to get rid of. Cold water is key to removing blood stains.
You can soak the jeans in a sink of cold water. But it may be more effective to hold the blood stain area of the jeans under cold running water. A little water pressure will help lift a lot of the blood stain out of your jeans.
Fingers cross, this alone does the job of getting as much blood out as possible. But if you’ve still got staining keep following the next steps for removing blood stains!
Step 3: If the Blood Stain Remains, Add Agitation
If the blood stain is fresh and still wet, running water should do the trick. But if it has started to dry, you may have to rub the jeans a little. Denim is a tough fabric, but jeans are often prone to becoming thinner around the crotch and inner thighs, so be gentle with any rubbing.
Rather than rubbing the denim against itself, try gently using your nails, or an old soft toothbrush to gently rub the area where the blood stain is on your underwear.
Still, got a blood stain? Keep following the steps...
Step 4: Use Stain Remover or Detergent + a Gentle Toothbrush
Okay, it’s time to get some cleaning products to help get blood out of clothes. At this point, it’s whatever you’ve got. If you’ve got a stain removal product, go for that. If all you’ve got is liquid laundry detergent, that will do.
Don’t use any products with bleach or hydrogen peroxide in them (unless your jeans are white jeans) as they could fade the wash and you don’t want a bleached spot in your crotch any more than blood stains.
A gentle toothbrush is your best friend to get blood out of clothes. It allows you to spot-treat the stain and add some gentle abrasion where it’s needed. Put some liquid laundry detergent or stain remover in a small saucer or bowl and dip the toothbrush into it. Gently scrub the blood stains with the toothbrush. Rinse regularly under cold water and, hopefully, you will see the stain lifting fully out.
Step 5: Let the Stained Fabric Soak for a Bit
If the stain is particularly stubborn, or your arm is just getting tired from toothbrushing your jeans, you can let the stain remover or detergent sit on the stain for a bit, or leave the jeans to soak in cold water with the stain remover or detergent.
It’s important to not let stubborn stains start to dry. But you can step away for a while and let the detergent or stain remover work its magic. Watch something on Netflix, make some food, and kill some time.
When you come back, give the stain a gentle rub and that should get any residual blood out. of clothes. Give the garment a good rinse with water. If the stain is still not fully gone, repeat Steps 4 and 5 until it’s fully gone.
Step 6: Machine Wash as Usual
Once the stain is gone, you should wash your jeans to make sure there isn’t any residual blood or laundry detergent in the denim. It’s best to turn your jeans inside out before you put them in the wash. A cold wash is ideal. You can wash jeans with other similar-weight and color items (don’t want to waste a laundry day!)
When the jeans come out of the washing machine, double-check the stained area to make sure no trace of blood remains. If there is still staining, go back to steps 4 & 5 again. DO NOT put the jeans in a dryer if there is still staining. This will just lock the stain in making it so much harder to address later. We know you’re tired, but resist the temptation to give up—you’ve already come so far!
Step 7: Air Dry or Machine Dry
We advise letting jeans air dry. You can hang them on a skirt or trouser hanger and they should dry overnight. Air drying is gentler and will preserve the denim longer. And if there is lycra (or stretch) in the jeans, air drying will preserve that stretch for longer
Of course, denim can be machine-dried too and some people prefer this as it slightly shrinks jeans that may have become baggy over time. Try to select a cooler temperature so the dryer isn’t too harsh on the cotton in your jeans.
Never Have Blood-Stained Jeans Again! Discover Period Underwear
Periods happen. And while it's great to know how to tackle blood stains whether they’re on your favorite denim, underwear, or even bedding and towels, it’s even better to avoid them altogether
If you're sick of ruining your favorite garments and bedding, check out our Period Underwear.
Period Underwear is absorbent and quick-drying. Buh-bye panty-liners and unnecessary waste - they are the perfect protection during your period, either as full protection or as a backup to disposable products, like tampons.
How to Treat Blood Stains That Are Already Dry?
We’re not going to lie: Older, dried-in stains are more challenging to get rid of completely. It’s going to be even more challenging if the garment has been through the laundry (especially a hot water cycle or drying machine) a few times and the stain has set in.
You can try to follow us through the same steps for older period stains. But you might want to allow even more time. Start by soaking your jeans in cold water for a few hours (even overnight) to thoroughly soak the stain.
Then use any of the treatments listed above (or some of the less conventional ideas listed below) to see if it will shift that stain. There are no guarantees when you're working with older stains. A lot will depend on the fabric. But if you have a favorite pair of jeans, it’s worth a try.
Again, remember: Cold water is your friend. Don't be tempted by hot water or aggressive washing cycles. You might have to repeat steps and it might take more than one round of washing to completely remove an older stain.
Less Conventional Ways to Remove Blood Stains
There are lots of weird and seemingly wacky tips out there for removing stains. Usually, we would say stick to the steps outlined above. But sometimes you have to work with what you’ve got at hand. Here are some less conventional household items and ingredients that can help with stain removal
Pro-tip: Always test your denim to make sure these substances are colorfast.
Salt
Salt is another great household stain-buster that will help get period blood out of your underwear. You can quite literally use the salt you sprinkle on your dinner! Just mix one part salt and two parts cold water. Gently apply the salt mix to the stain and watch it disappear... Rinse the fabric well under cold running water when you're done. Then follow Steps 6 & 7 above.
Baking Soda
Similar to salt, you can also make a paste from cold water and baking soda (yes, the kind you put in your fridge or freezer to deodorize it). Mix water and baking soda to form a paste and apply to the stained area. Again, always rinse well once you're done. Repeat if you don't get it all! Rinse the fabric well under cold running water when you're done. Then follow Steps 6 & 7 above.
Aspirin
Follow the same method as with the salt or baking soda: Just crush a few aspirins and mix with water to form a paste. Apply it to the stain and you should see it start to budge. Rinse the fabric well under cold running water when you're done. Then follow Steps 6 & 7 above.
Unseasoned Meat Tenderizer
Okay, this one is truly out there. Meat tenderizer is a blend of salt and bromelain used to tenderize... you guessed it... meat. That combo of ingredients also makes it a great stain remover. Use the same method as before: Form a paste out of the tenderizer and water. Watch the meat tenderizer do its job. Rinse with plenty of cold water. Then follow Steps 6 & 7 above.
Things to Avoid When Getting Blood Stains Out of Your Jeans
Other household ingredients may be great for getting blood stains out of sheets or towels (as long as they’re white) but they could only make a worse mess of your favorite jeans. It’s best to avoid the following
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is a common antiseptic, so you might find you have some in your medicine cabinet. But you may not know that hydrogen peroxide is also very effective for stain removal.
However, hydrogen peroxide is a bleach so should only be used on light-colored panties. Avoid using hydrogen peroxide on any dark color fabrics.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice can also be great at removing stains and by cutting the lemon in half, you also have an easy application tool. But citric acid (the thing that makes lemons so great for removing stains) is an acid and can be harsh on colors. You may find it has the same effect as a bleach on darker colors.
White vinegar is similarly a good household product for so many chores, including treating set-in blood stains. But because it is also an acid, we don't recommend it for blood stain removal in jeans.
We hope you found this post informative — but remember: we’re not doctors and this post is not medical advice! While all posts are fact-checked and well researched, we always recommend you chat with your doctor about any questions or concerns you might have regarding a medical condition. We’re here to support and educate, but never with the aim of disregarding professional medical advice you’ve been given. Phew, now that that’s out of the way, you can go on living unapologetically free.