We are currently in N.C. And visited a relative who had possession of a lot of stuff that has been passed down from deceased relatives. She was given two things of imense value to her. One was the large family Bible, from the 1900's and the other item is a quilt sewn by her great grandmother. The quilt is of the flying geese pattern in blue against a white background. Within that pattern is the name of the woman, her great grandmother, and her husband, her great grandfather, and the date 1930. The quilt is in pretty good shape, with one exception. In the very center is what appears to be a small spot of blood which has penetated through to the back side. I will post a picture of the quilt upon our return home. Needless today, my wife is absolutely thrilled. I am wondering if there are any good ideas for the removal of the blood spot, or whatever it is. I have had good luck removing blood spots from cloth with "zout" and other oxygenated cleaners, but I don't want to completely wash this quilt due to the age and importance of the quilt. Any ideas?
John

No ideas for the spot but can hardly wait to see the quilt!

peroxide applied with a qtip.

dissolve some oxiclean and dab it carefully with a swab. put paper towel under to minimize the spread of liquid

I agree with GrannyMo.

I have a friend that owns a big swim suit shop. To remove blood, make-up, stains of any kind, they use Resolve carpet cleaner in a spray bottle. I couldn't believe how that stuff removes stains without harming the fabrics until I saw it with my own eyes.

what about trying Hydrogen peroxide

yeah, I agree with the hydrogen peroxide. It gets rid of rust stains too.

After you apply the peroxide you need to thoroughly wash out the peroxide or it will eat through the fabric.

Try Oxyclean it works wonders.

Grandma's Spot Remover, which comes in small little bottle at fabric and quilt shops.

I use this as well and I agree it works wonders. I had stuck my finger with a pin and bled on my sewing table cover. Sprayed the spots and it took absolutely every bit of blood out and left cloth looking like new.

My mom was told by the man that owned a dry cleaners to use salt water for a soak. It was to remeove a lot of dried blood from a jacket. I'm not sure if it worked, just remember that is what he told her. I have a quilt that my mother worked on with me, and she got a drop of blood on it. She made a joke saying she gave her bloodf so that I had something to always remember her by. tHAt small blood stain stayed on the quilt!

old set blood stains are tough. Good luck

old set blood stains are tough. Good luck How big is the stain? I have an old stain remover booklet and it says 2 tbsp. ammonia in 1 gal. water. Rinse real good. Maybe apply with q-tip. But this seems to be for fresh blood stains, I think.

I have no idea, but would love to see the quilt.

Hydrogen Peroxide should do it. Be sure to rinse the peroxide out.

I use Grandma"s secret spot remover as it does remove blood or just about any kind of stain. i got mine from quilt in a day web site. not sure if you can fine it in stores as i have never seen it.

Oxyclean.... used it to get dry blood out of a tshirt that had been thru the washer and dryer many times with the blood on it.. Has to soak but it did the trick and wont harm the fabric.

Peroxide on a q-tip would work. I received my grandmother's quilt and the batting is actual cotton picked from the farm and it is made from feed sacks. Hand-quilted with string. My grandparents were farmers in North Carolina and didn't have much money. I treasure the quilt and am trying to figure out a way to wash it. My mother told me "not" to wash it the regular way.

I have removed blood with peroxide but don't know how it would work on an old quilt. You could use qtips and clean it with a mild solution of clorox if the background is really white and not offwhite. Otherwise you could use qtips and oxyclean and try that.

I know this might sound weird but try using a little bit of your spit on the spot. The enzymes in your spit will take out a blood stain in most cases without causing a problem with the fabric.

The answer to removing fresh blood from pin pricks, etc., is your very own saliva. I had a young lady here fitting her bridal gown one day and she dragged her finger on my pins and bled on the bodice. Quickly, I grabbed muslin and told her to 'spit' on it..we rubbed every trace of the blood away so the dress wouldn't have to be cleaned before the wedding. It's true! The same enzymes in both--but it has to be your own blood and your own saliva.

That's great to hear. I have Great-Grandma's hand sewn quilt and it has rust spots all over it. Thank you.

Yes, peroxide on a q tip, but I would test a very small area on the back..

yep, Doctor told me about use that. works great.

Before you try anything else (IMHO) ( I know it sounds wierd) I would try to spitting on it. Your wife should do it because it is from her family. There is something about the enzymes in the saliva and blood. She may have to do it alot, though. I have tried it on my quilts. And it works. I would hate to try chemicals on such old fabric. It wouldn't hurt to try. Good luck

Try saliva, your wife's might work best as the blood was probably her relative's. Please post a pic?

I am in agreement as I just removed blood from my carpet with Peroxide and it removed it beautifully and did not harm or bleach the rest of the carpet. Good luck, anxious to see the quilt, I love family memorabilia.

I have spotted with hydrogen peroxide and it just seems to 'eat' the blood up. It won't hurt it, so worth a try.

UNIQUE DISTRIBUTING…..”STAIN AND ODOR SOLUTION”

http://www.uniquedistributing.com/Un...r-Stain-Eater/

The product has an enzyme that will eat and nibble the blood and not leave a stain.....

Check this out!! They have a toll free number as well.

Be very careful with an old quilt. I found a quilt top made by my grandmother made in about 1920 for my mother but never finished. I found the top in a brown paper bag some forty years after my mother died, in 1984 and it was stained. I did everything wrong and tried all I could think of to get the blood stains out. WRONG MOVE I know now. Never wash or use any chemical but ORVIS a neutral soap to wash the quilt, and be careful. You can buy QRVIS at anyplace that sells farm foods for animals for it is used to wash horses and farm animals. This is what an archivist told me too late. Don't use WOOL LITE she said. But I'd done the damage and over the years parts of the quilt have continued to fade in the vegetable dyes blocks. This was a feathered star, hand sewn with a green star center of vegetable dye. I was not into quilting but had the quilt finished and hand quilted in Ozark, Missouri and love it anyway> Justme CA

As a nurse who used to wear white, and blood being a common occurrence, we used Hydrogen Peroxide...
Michelle

Are you sure it is blood? Some wood acid (like a cedar chest or wooden drawer) leave dark brown stains. Doubt you will get an acid stain out. Good luck.

Are you sure it is blood? Some wood acid (like a cedar chest or wooden drawer) leave dark brown stains. Doubt you will get an acid stain out. Good luck.

I'd leave the blood stain as part of the history of the quilt. More harm than merit in trying to remove blood that old.

Be sure to use cold water. Warm or hot water will set the stain.

Another product worth considering is Carbona Stain Devils. They make formulas for various stains and one is specifically for blood and dairy. In our stores they are in the laudry isle in their own display rack--look for yellow bottles, about 3 inches tall. I have luck with getting blood out with that, Grandma's Stain Remover or H202 (peroxide). Sometimes on old, set-in stains, I will use all three. Definately want to get it all rinsed out after treating. If you don't want to get the whole quilt wet, lay the part with the stain over a bowl and maybe used a large rubber band or something else to get it tightly stretched and held in place. Then you can work on the stain, rinse and turn it over to work on the other side. Hope this makes sense. Of course, you will have to take it out to empty the bowl as it fills with water. I also use a soft bristled tooth brush to work on the stain as I'm using these products.

I work in the medical industry and you would be amazed at how the peroxide does work on blood. Even older stains. Go slow and steady, as this fabric may be more effected than newer ones. Good Luck!!!

I ruined a quilt by using peroxide to try and remove blood. I don't know if it was because the quilt was not prewashed and it reacted with the chemicals on the fabric, but I would test it first just to be sure. The peroxide ate through the fabric and bleached out some of the colored fabric. Be careful and TEST first!!!