As a homeowner, you have encountered many unexpected situations, and you have had to solve some tricky problems. Fixing and cleaning things has become a regular part of your daily life.

Often this means dealing with an unusual spill, tear, dent, or break. The problem is how to make things right. And how to do it in the fastest, cheapest, and most effective way.

Sometimes that means cleaning up blood from, well, wherever in your home accidents can happen.

For all of these solutions, it is important to remember that blood can carry an array of diseases, even if the person is asymptomatic. When cleaning up blood or other bodily fluids, you should take precautions to keep the fluid from touching your skin. So wear gloves and take other step to make sure your efforts don’t end up causing more problems.

Cleaning up blood from hard floors

Whenever you are cleaning up blood, there are two concerns. First is getting the liquid up, and second is to prevent staining or marking on the surface.

First, use paper towels or cloth towels or rags that you are willing to throw away.

Then, when the liquid is up, wash the area with a solution designed to prevent staining and to kill any pathogens. In most cases, a very diluted bleach and water solution of about 9 parts water to one part bleach is all it takes. Apply the solution to the affected area and allow it to sit for about 15 minutes.

Finally, again using single-use rags or towels, thoroughly wipe down the affected area. Dispose of all the cleaning materials that touched the blood, or soak items like a mop of broom in a bleach solution.

Cleaning blood from carpet

Carpet presents a unique cleaning problem, because the bleach needed to kill pathogens will likely stain the cloth.

In this case, you should purchase an effective cleaning solution in advance – perhaps from the company that installed your carpets in the first place.

You should still wear gloves and throw away involved cleaning items.

Hire a professional cleaner

In either of these cases, it can often be easier to dispense with the hard work and uncertainty, and instead hire a professional cleaner. Companies like Dry Patrol in the Dayton / Columbus / Cincinnati area have the materials and expertise to quickly restore any blood-stained spot to its original safe state. Why struggle with uncertainty when a solution is just a phone call away?