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How to Get Blood Out of Shoes With Vinegar Or Hydrogen Peroxide

People use shoes for all sorts of purposes – walking, training, dancing, running or even fighting. There are numerous shoe types on the market which have distinctly different specifications. Not all models have the same purpose, so their materials and designs are not always similar.

Wearing shoes for hours everyday can lead to injuries, sometimes showing blood traces on your shoe. These are often unattractive & difficult to clean up.

I have, unfortunately, experienced this issue more than often. That’s because I am an active person who walks a lot. I also perform different sports activities regularly. It is excellent for my body, but injuries occasionally occur too. 

But these may sometimes ruin the look of the shoes even further. The color might change, and the blood stains might partially remain. As mentioned, not all shoes are the same. Some types and models are more sensitive to detergents and sprays.

However, for this article I will focus on the best solutions to get blood out of shoes, according to my personal experience.

Method #1 – Use Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen Peroxide is a very effective chemical to remove red blood stains (wet or dried) from shoes. Dip a fresh cloth with Hydrogen Peroxide, and apply it directly on the stain. Scrub gently until the stain starts disappearing. Now take another fresh cloth dipped in water, and remove any residual Hydrogen Peroxide from the shoes.

I have had great results with Hydrogen Peroxide.

Method #2 – Use White Vinegar

White vinegar is also effective, according to my experience. So it is an alternative solution if hydrogen peroxide is not available to you right now. I always keep white vinegar stocked up, since it is also a great way to clean couches.

Steps To Remove Blood Stains From Shoes

The procedure to use either Hydrogen Peroxide or White Vinegar is the same.

What You Need:

  1. White Vinegar, or Hydrogen Peroxide
  2. Clean Clothes, preferably white
  3. Fresh water

Steps:

  1. Apply hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar to the cloth, and rub the affected area of your shoes.
  2. Keep rubbing for a few minutes, till you see blood stains fading away.
  3. Use a new clean cloth and fresh water to wipe away Hydrogen Peroxide or White Vinegar
  4. (If needed) Repeat the process again till you are happy with the results

Removing Dried Blood Stains

The process largely remains the same, with two small tweaks:

  1. If the blood stain has dried, you can use a coarse piece of cloth so that the dried stain can be gently scrubbed off.
  2. Let Hydrogen Peroxide or White Vinegar sit for a couple of minutes, then wipe it with a clean cloth.  

These Shoes Need Special Attention To Clean

1. White Air Forces

White Air Forces may be sensitive to Hydrogen Peroxide.

Fret not. You can also put your shoes in warm water with sea salt. They should stay there for approximately an hour or two. The solution will remove a big part of the blood stains, and you can use a clean cloth to remove the rest. 

methods to clean shoes due to injuries

2. Canvas Shoes

Hydrogen peroxide can also be used as a cleaning agent for canvas shoes. There are a few other things you can use too – I once washed my canvas shoes with regular warm water and dish soap.

The process took several minutes, and I managed to remove all the bloodstains from the canvas shoes. They looked like a pair of brand new ones. 

3. Vans

For Vans, I will still recommend using Hydrogen Peroxide as an effective way for getting blood stains out.

Howver, if the blood stains are fresh, you can simple use warm water with a little bit of soap.

4. Converse

I once used toilet paper and a little warm water to remove some blood from my Converse shoes. It was possible since they’re made of quality rubber and the stains only covered a small part of them. I think all you need is some elbow grease!

5. Nike Shoes

Nike has produced a lot of different shoe models and they come in a range of materials.

This means different cleaning tactics might be needed depending on the material of the shoe.

For rubber or leather material, scrubbing the affecting spot with a coarse cloth and warm water should be enough.

If you’re not sure, try using hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar. You should always conduct a patch test beforehand, but it’s unlikely that these will cause any adverse reactions if you use them in small doses.

6. Running Shoes

You can often remove little spots of blood on running shoes with a clean cloth and fresh water. The procedure might take a few minutes, and your shoes will look fresh again. 

7. Gym Shoes

Gym shoes are sometimes a mix of soft materials. You can use detergent, hydrogen peroxide, or white vinegar for the process of cleaning. 

You can also soak them in warm water for an hour or two and then remove the bloodstains with a coarse cleaning cloth. 

8. Leather Shoes

Getting blood out of leather shoes is often easy to do, fortunately. Leather is one of the most resistant to blood stains.

I clean my leather shoes with a damp cloth and some warm water. It only takes a minute or two, and they should come up looking great.

9. Suede Shoes

Suede fabric is delicate and can be easily stained with blood. The stains should be cleaned as soon as possible to ensure that they do not set in.

Here are some tips for removing blood from suede:

  1. Clean the surface of the fabric using a damp towel or tissue paper
  2. Apply a generous amount of detergent to the stain and scrub the spot gently for 5-10 minutes
  3. Rinse off the detergent with water, and pat it dry

Our Readers Asked

What are the best detergents for shoe cleansing

I usually use Reshoevn8r. Other options might be available too.

Cleaning Mesh Shoes

I would soak these in warm water with sea salt for an hour or two. If any spots remain, you can remove them with a cloth and a small amount of detergent.

How to Get Blood Out of Pointe Shoes

You can clean pointe shoes in a bowl of warm water. You can leave them there for an hour or two and then remove the stains with a clean cloth and appropriate detergent.

How to Get Blood Out of Birkenstock

I usually apply warm water and liquid detergent. Then, I usually use a toothbrush to remove all the stains. However, a clean cloth might be appropriate for the purpose too.

Wrapping Up

Most of the times, it is sometimes easy to get blood out of your shoes. Resistant materials have good natural protection against blood stains.

If however none of these methods helped you, it might be time to reach out to a local shoe repair shop and have them use their expertise.