Q: Any suggestions for removing blood stains from carpet?

A: To remove blood from carpet, I use a lot of cold water. First flood the area with cold water only and extract. Then repeat the process. A wet vacuum or small carpet extractor works great for this.

Then use a rust remover to take out the balance (blood contains iron and other chemicals, so rust remover usually works well). There are also over-the-counter blood and protein removers you could try.

Some carpet cleaners use a little hydrogen peroxide to lighten the area, however, always test an area out of sight for color fastness before attempting any bleaching agents.

If all else fails, I recommend you visit our site at http://www.servicemagic.com and join as a member (it's free). They will put you in touch with a professional carpet cleaning service.

This information is brought to you by John Fuchs, Senior Carpet Inspector of Carpet Warehouse in Rancho Cordova, CA