Getting blood out of boat carpet

[Teri C.]

Fishing was awesome on Percy Priest last night. We caught everything. Largemouth, smallmouth, spots, catfish, and stripers. The stripers were busting the top. It was lots of fun. One of the stripers swallowed the hook and while I was getting it out the blood was dripping on the carpet. Wasn't paying attention to the carpet just the fish so now I need to know how to get that out. I put spray and wash on it last night because it was late and I didn't want to deal with it. Suggestions?

 

[Larry Harp]

Peroxide will remove blood better than anything. The color in the the carpet should be colorfast enough to take it but I would test it on the edge of a lid or something just to be sure.



Harpo

 

[Jim B]

I never would have thought of peroxide. What i have always done is a little mild soap and a scrub brush and it comes right out.

 

[JR F]

toothpaste works also,,,,Lye Soap will take it right out..It has to be ther real LYE SOAP...JR

 

[Jim in VA]

There's this new stuff out called "Spot-Shot." For the mechanically minded, its a lot like the brake parts cleaner stuff, only made for carpets. You spray it out of an aerosol can and it makes the stains on carpet disappear and then evaporates out. Its fairly good stuff, but sometimes you need to scrub a bit with an old terrycloth towel to get deep or set in stains. Better than Resolve!

 

[Larry Harp]

Jim, I don't mean to shoot you down but let me give you 411 on Spot Shot and Resolve. I have some experiance in this area because I was the manager of one of the largest carpet stores in Okla City area and then I was a mfg rep. I looked at a lot of warranty claims in those 10 years.



Spot Shot works like a solvent and is very good a getting greasy stains out but it will also disolve the latex binder that hold the tufts in the backer. Whenever I would go out to look at a carpet that was "going bald" (technically called 'poor tuft bind') I would ask them to show me what they used for stain removal and Spot Shot always showed up. If you use Spot Shot DO NOTspray it right on the carpet. Spray it on a clean rag and dab do not rub at the stain. Never ever ever spray Spot Shot directly on the carpet, it's very agressive and will ruin your carpet.



Resolve and other similar grocery store carpet cleaners are basicly soap made from petroleum products and will leave a greasy residue that will over time attract more dirt. It will also yellow light colored carpet. I inspected a claim one time where the homeowners had a small toddler that dribbled juice and food ect. The mother used Resolve on the light beige carpet which caused it to have yellow blotchs all over. It looked like they had a puppy but they didn't.



I'm talking mostly about residential carpet here but care should still be taken with boat carpet not to do more damage than the stain is causing. Boat carpet is a differant animal than the carpet you have in you living room. It is solution dyed, which means the the dye goes in the fiber while it's still in a liquid form before it's extruded into fiber. That makes it more resistant to sun fading and less likely to fade with more agressive cleaners like clorine bleach and peroxide which would ruin your sprayed on dyed carpet in your living room. Still always test for colorfastness before you wade in.



I suggested Peroxide because it is an oxidizer and blood has a lot of oxygen molecules and it will lift it out then wash it away with water.



Harpo

 

[Greg J.]

We have grandkids (toddlers) who always seem to spill/drop juice, etc on the carpet. We recently tried the OxyClean (sp) product and it worked great! Comes in granular form and mix with water according to directions.

 

[Larry Harp]

Oxy is great stuff...in fact I would try that before Peroxide. I use Oxy in my Bissell carpet cleaner...leaves nothing behind and takes out pet stains and smells better than anything.



Harpo

 

[Mini]

Just use a plug next time BEFORE you go.....BBBBWWWHHHHAAAAAAAA





I am going to catch hell for that one.



Mini

 

[Michael Snow]

But what does your wife use to get Harpo stains and smells out?:blink:

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Teri, I had blood on my carpet and used that Castrol stuff in the purple bottle. I can't remember the name but you can't miss it at Walmart or K-Mart. I use it for almost everything. It's great stuff.



Bill

 

[Teri C.]

You're sick, Mini, really sick.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Yeah but damnit...He's FUNNY!:lol::lol::lol::lol:

I thought it was a plug for Oxyclean!

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

:lol::lol::lol::lol: @ Mini



My wife cleans my boat for me

 

[Andrew Zuber]

Does she clean your fish too????



az

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

What fish??? C&R



But if I did have fish to Clean, then YES

 

[Andrew Zuber]

...must be nice!!!!!



az

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

AZ , It was a joke

 

[Mini]

 

[JR F]

It's that Michigan water..........:lol:

 

[Mini]

We have good water...



And sick and demented humor



Mini

 

[TOMMY RICH]

The water is good but,-------------------:lol:

 

[Rusty Williams]

my wife mows the lawn for me . top that!!



rw

 

[Jim in VA]

Okay - rw, my wife mows the lawn AND buys me motorcycle riding gear on b-days, Christmas, etc.!!

 

[Rich Stern]

Teri, very few boat carpet stains can stand up to a decent power washer, with or without detergent. If you don't have a home unit, try the local DIY car wash.

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Teri,

You're supposed to the put the body in the bag BEFORE you stain the boat. Then offload the whole thing with concrete blocks in the deep water. Then, no evidence....I mean mess.

 

[Teri C.]

Rich, I am buying a power washer this weekend and thought I would try some detergent and water first.



Thanks for all the suggestions!

 

[Dan J.]

Ditto Stern. The pressure washer will strip the fibers clean, leaving the color. My carpet springs back up using it and looks new again each time. Just go slow with it and don't start too close. If you do get too close, you probably won't have any stained carpet left to worry about! (LOL!) Good luck!