How to Get Blood Stains Out of BJJ Gi

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a hand-to-hand grappling combat sport in which striking is prohibited. Because of non-striking combat sports, blood stains are not a common issue in BJJ but it happens from time to time.   

Blood stains are stubborn and dark stains because they include hemoglobin which oxides immediately when exposed to air. So when blood is spotted on the BJJ Gi, hemoglobin oxides with air and turns into dark brownish stains. This oxidation also sets the stain deep into fabrics. 

If you find a blood stain on your BJJ Gi, try to wash it immediately. Once the strains are dried, it would become difficult for you to remove them and clean your BJJ Gi.

1. Methods to Remove Blood Stains From the BJJ Gi

Removing blood stains from the BJJ Gi can be challenging. Fresh blood stains are less difficult to remove as compared to old and dry blood stains. Fresh stains can be removed by using quality soap or detergents. But old blood stains require a more complicated process. Here we will have some methods to remove blood stains from the BJJ Gi.  

1.1. Wash Immediately with Cold Water

If you found some blood stain on your BJJ Gi during training. Wash your BJJ Gi as early as you can or wash the strained part if you can! If you wash the blood stain early or before drying, stains can be removed without any complicated method or damaging the Gi fabric.

How to Wash the Blood-Stained BJJ Gi with Cold Water

1. Place your blood-spotted BJJ Gi under the tap or shower.
2. Make sure the water must be cold. Do not use hot water to remove the blood stain.
3. Heat-activated blood proteins and set deeply in the fabrics. It will be difficult for you to remove blood stains once blood penetrates deep fabrics.
4. Fresh blood stains mostly wash out after placing them into the cold water.   

1.2. Try Soap and Detergent 

If the stains are fresh, you do not need to wait for any sophisticated method to remove the stain. Soap and detergent can be an instant good option for fresh blood stains. But the quality of soap and detergents matters.

If you are using poor-quality soap or detergent, it can damage the fabric of your BJJ Gi. If you want to remove the stain without damaging the fabrics of your BJJ Gi, good-quality soap and detergents are recommended.

How to Wash the Blood-Stained BJJ Gi with Soap  

1. Rinse the clothes that have a blood stain (use cold water).
2. Apply soap to the stained area gently. Do not rub the area too hard. Now rinse the soap and repeat the process if necessary.
3. Rinse the clothes with cold water. Avoid warm water. Warm water further set the stain.
4. Repeat the whole process if you see any remains of stains.

How to Wash the Blood-Stained BJJ Gi with Detergent

1. Take cold water into a pot. Two cups will be enough.
2. Add one tablespoon of detergent or dishwashing liquid detergent and Mix thoroughly.
3. Now take a clean cloth and soak it in the detergent water.
4. Blot the stain. Do not rub.
5. Repeat the process until the stain disappears from the BJJ Gi.
6. Now rinse it in cold water.  

1.3. Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is a good option for removing blood stains from your BJJ Gi because of its whitening properties. In this way, you can save your BJJ Gi from the damage of chlorine bleach. Chlorine bleach harms the fabric of your BJJ Gi and affects its longevity.

How to Wash the Blood-Stained BJJ Gi with Hydrogen Peroxide

1. Take the stained part of the clothes under the tap and wash it with cold water. Wet the stain so that it can be removed easily.
2. Pour a little amount (½ cup) of hydrogen peroxide directly on the stained part of the cloth.
3. Leave it for five to ten minutes.
4. Now blot it with a wet and clean cloth.
5. Repeat the process until the stain removes or faints enough.
6. Rinse the stained clothes with cold water.  

1.4. Ammonia Water Solution

The ammonia Water solution is another useful and effective method to remove blood stains from BJJ Gis. If the blood stain is old and dried, the blood is set into fabrics. Ammonia is the best option for such old blood-stained BJJ Gis.

How to Wash Blood-Stained BJJ Gi with Ammonia 

1. Mix an equal amount of ammonia with water.
2. Apply the solution directly to the stained area of the BJJ Gi.
3. Leave it for five to 10 minutes until the cloth absorbs the ammonia-water solution.
4. Now blot the spot with some clean and wet cloth.
5. Rinse the clothes with cold water and repeat the process if required. 

1.5. Use White Vinegar

Distilled white vinegar can be used to remove blood stains from the BJJ Gi if the blood stain is fresh. For this purpose full-strength and distilled white vinegar should be used. White vinegar is not harmful to clothes.

But long-term or dried blood stains cannot be removed easily with white vinegar. You have to turn to hydrogen peroxide and ammonia methods for old and dried stains of BJJ Gis.

How to Wash Blood-Stained BJJ Gi with White Vinegar

1. Wash the stained part of the cloth with cold water. Wet the stain so that it can be removed easily.
2. Pour a little amount of white vinegar directly on the stained part of the cloth.
3. Leave it for 5-10 minutes.
4. Now blot it with a wet and clean cloth.
5. Repeat the process until the stain removes.
6. Rinse the stained clothes with cold water.    

1.6. Use Table Salt

Table salt is also a trusted and effective blood stain remover. It not only removes stains but also removes the yellowish hue from white clothes. Salt has strong dehydrating properties so it soaks up the water along with blood stains.

Salt does not affect the quality of fabric and color of Gis. Table salt will make your Gi cleaner without making it look withered.  

How to Wash Blood-Stained BJJ Gi with Table Salt

1. Make a thick solution of salt and water. Use two tablespoons of salt for one liter of water. 
2. Apply this paste-like thick solution on the stain.
3. Leave it for a few minutes.
4. Now rinse it with cold water.
5. Repeat the process if needed.

2. How to Make Your BJJ Gi Soft

Soft Gi is more comfortable than hard ones. Soft Gi helps the athletes to fight with zero friction and escape from the opponent's grip. BJJ Gis often gets stiff after repeated washing or shrinking. Various stain removers also affect the softness of Gi. Here are some tips for making your Gi soft and smooth.

2.1. Use Gi Softeners

Athletes mostly use Gi softeners after washing their Gi to make it soft. Gi softeners are easily available in the markets. Good quality Gi softeners do not affect the quality of the Gis. 

2.2. Use Less Amount of Detergent

Extra use of detergent will also make it stiff and hard. For a blood stain, one tablespoon in 2 cups of water. Use quality detergent and an adequate amount to wash your Gis. Good quality detergent maintains the softness of your Gi.  

2.3. Avoid Sun Dry

An important trick to make your Gi soft is to dry it in the shade. Sun dry your Gi and it will convert into a hardboard. The heat of the sunlight hardens the fabrics of BJJ Gi. On the other hand, when we dry the Gi in the shade, it will cause a cooling effect due to the natural and slow evaporation.

2.4. Wash it with Cold Water

Do not wash your Gi with warm water as you wash other clothes. The fabrics of the Gi harden and become stiff because of warm water. Always wash your Gi with cold water.

2.5. Use a Gi of Good Brand

The softness of Gi also depends on the brand's fabric quality. Good quality Gis do not get stiff easily. But low-quality and inexpensive Gis get stiff after a few washes. Make some effort and buy good quality Gis as you are not going to purchase them again and again.

2.6. Avoid Bleach

The use of bleach to remove stubborn stains from the Gi can also harden your Gi. A lot of other methods are there to remove stains from the Gi and make it like new. Avoid the use of bleach until it is the last method to remove stains.

3. Precautionary Measures

The most important thing about washing a BJJ Gi and removing blood stains is to ensure the fabric quality and softness of the Gi. To avoid any damage to your BJJ Gi, these are some recommended precautionary measures:

1. Avoid washing your BJJ Gi with warm water. Warm water will make the blood stains permanent.
2. Try to avoid chlorine bleach. If you found a stain on your BJJ Gi, you should try some other methods to remove it. Chlorine bleach will damage the fabric of your BJJ Gi.
3. Never use bleach mixed with ammonia. 
4. Try to avoid sunlight for drying your BJJ Gi. Sunlight will harm the durability of your BJJ Gi and reduce its longevity. Sunlight also reduces the shine of your BJJ Gi and your BJJ Gi will look like an old one.
5. Do not let the stain remain on your BJJ Gi for a longer period. Wash the stain as early as you can. Fresh blood stains can be removed easily. Once the blood stain dries, it will become a challenge for you.
6. Test your stain remover solution in a less visible region of your Gi to make sure that your solution will not damage your Gi.
7. Drying methods like a dryer or air drying will set the stain and make it permanent. So try your best to remove the stain before drying it.

4. Conclusion

If you use the right blood-stain-removal method you will again get a spotless Gi without any stain on it. In this article, you have found the best methods to remove fresh or old and dried stains. Choose the right one and make your Gi shine like new.   

Photo Credit: @reddit