How To Remove Blood Stains From Bathroom Flooring Tile

It's only natural that a household bathroom floor is susceptible to staining over time. Bloodstains are some of the more notoriously difficult to deal with. Knowing what your tile is made of will help you figure out how to best remove blood stains from your bathroom flooring tile without causing any damage.

The materials your bathroom tiles are made from will determine the best way to approach cleaning them and removing stains. Porcelain or ceramic tiles are less porous and thus less susceptible to staining. They can often just be wiped down with a commercial cleaner to remove blood. Marble, granite and limestone tiles are all more porous, meaning blood could actually permeate the surface of the tile and darken the color.

The porosity of your tile can also impact the types of cleaners you can use on it. Harsher cleaning products, such as those containing bleach, can be harmful to porous tiles and should be used with caution. Consult the packaging of your cleaner to check that your tile type is suitable. If you're in any doubt, it's best to start out with a gentler cleanser before working your way up to something harsher.

Before starting the stain removal process, make sure you're taking the right safety precautions. You'll want to wear gloves when working with most bathroom floor cleaners. It's also important to keep the room well ventilated.

The best time to treat a bloodstain is when it's fresh, so time is of the essence. Once your bloodstain is dry, it'll be more difficult to lift — although not impossible.

You should first thoroughly clean the tile. A great natural option for this can be made from a cup of vinegar mixed with a gallon of warm water. For areas of prominent staining, you can create a natural tile cleaner from baking soda and water, mixed to form a thick paste. This can be applied to stains, allowed to dry, then removed using vinegar.

If the more natural methods have not worked, you can try to lift bloodstains using a product containing hydrogen peroxide. Or you can use bleach; as long as you dilute it, it should not cause damage to a tiled bathroom floor. Mix 1/2 cup of bleach with a gallon of water and apply it to your stains. Once you see your stains lifting, remove the bleach mixture using water. Make sure you fully rinse and dry the area to finish.

Once your tiles are cleaned, you may need to treat your grout stains separately. You can use the same mixture of baking soda and water to try to lift the stains. You can also try making a paste with baking soda and a small amount of hydrogen peroxide to intensify the stain lifting.

There are also specific grout-cleaning products, such as Goo Gone Grout & Tile Cleaner, on the market that help remove stains. Apply your cleanser of choice, allow it to sit for 15 minutes or the amount of time recommended on the product packaging and then rinse with water. Apply a grout sealant after cleaning to help prevent it from staining again in the future.