PHOTO BY ASHLEY ARMITAGE / REFINERY29 FOR GETTY IMAGES
Yikes, you've leaked through your underwear and there's a big ol' patch of red on your bum. Have no fear, Enya is here — to share some tips on how to get rid of blood stains, fresh or crusty!
Depending on your stains, you may want to try different ways to get rid of them to avoid setting the stain into the fabric.
Fresh stains
Good news! Your blood hasn't set in yet. Immediately rinse it under COLD water and use a bit of soap to help. Then just chuck it into your washing machine for a spin.
Important: Do not use hot water, I repeat, do not use hot water! This is because it actually sets the proteins into the fabric even more.
Tough stains
If your stain is dried, and you've already tried the above step but yet the stain doesn't budge, give it a good long soak in COLD water for 6-12 hours to help loosen up the dried blood stains. After that, wash it with cold water and gentle detergent in the washing machine. Even if it doesn't remove the blood stain completely, it will help loosen it up!
Pesky stains
Sometimes, you just gotta try again. Especially with bedsheets, removing stains can be tricky. For pesky stains, wash them in the washing machine with cold water and mild detergent. Take it out ASAP once it's done and dry them under the sun (no dryer! Heat, remember?). If there is still a stain, repeat the steps above till it's gone.
For white sheets, feel free to use bleach.
Old stains
Now, if you forgot to wash — we've all been there — and your stains are now crusty, dusty and musty, things are gonna get a little bit weird. You can use some unseasoned meat tenderiser or vinegar to help break down the blood!
Soak the fabric in cold water, as usual, for about an hour. Then rub the tenderiser generously over the stain. For vinegar, you can soak the fabric in 1 part vinegar to 1 part water. Leave it for half an hour, rinse and pop it back into the washing machine for a COLD spin. You've got the hang of it now, eh?
Stains on colours
Don't fret about destroying your pretty pastel undies! Just mix together 1 part salt to 1 part water to form a paste. Soak the stain in cold water and then use an old toothbrush to scrub the stain with the paste. The stains should come off with just a little elbow grease and then you can give it a spin in the wash once again to remove any residue.
Stains on whites
Oop — she be lookin' like the flag of Japan! For whites, do the good ol' cold soak for 30 minutes, then rub at the bloodstain with some hydrogen peroxide. If that doesn't work, you can soak the fabric in water with a little bit of hydrogen peroxide, the juice of one lemon OR 1 part bleach to 6 parts water for a few hours. Make sure you don't splash this mixture to other fabrics like your clothes or carpets and make sure to wash your hands after handling chemicals like these.
Other Tactics
Baking soda is another multi-purpose ingredient that you can use. Just mix 2 parts baking soda to 1 part water, then rub it over the stain. Leave it until dry and then scrape off the excess with a toothbrush. As usual, pop it into the washing machine for a cold cycle. Okurrr.
Prevention
The best way to handle your period is to always be prepared, and sometimes, over prepare. Track your period so when it rolls around, you're ready for battle. Keep extra period products with you during those risky times and when in doubt, wear pantyliners just in case your period might surprise you today!
If you have some serious flow, put on Premium Night pads (even during the day!) to protect your clothes and sheets. Besides being super thin AND absorbent, they don't shift due to its double wings.
During the day and on medium flow days, feel free to use our trusty Enya Basics pads that truly is your basic necessity during your period.