There are many types of stage blood, from commercial to homemade and each one reacts differently with different types of fabric. Some come out easily with cotton, but not with silk or rayon. Some poly fabric it will roll right off. You have to test each garment with whatever kind of blood you plan to use to make sure it comes out and over time ALL fabrics get either a pinky or yellowy tinge. NEVER EVER use bleach on any commercial or homemade blood, it will make a permanent stain like a grease stain or a hole or if it is silk turn it yellow and brittle.

The most successful way to do crackpot director stuff is to tell them that it will be very labor intensive and expensive, and never 100% reliable results. If they still insist, every night IMMEDIATELY after the bloody garments can come off dunk them in a large bucket or vat of only cold water. Then take each garment and run it under a cold water tap until you get out all or most of the blood, then wash warm water with a mild detergent. Wool can be immediately daubed with a sponge, wrung out and blotted with a clean white towel(so you can see it) let air dry. Shoes and leather need to be damp wiped as well.

The goal is to never to let the stain get 'dried into the fibers and to use as mild a chemical process as possible to keep from setting the stains. Bleach, Shout and Woolite are all too harsh and cause chemical reactions with the blood-sometimes after several successful cleanings. Also no dryer sheets with blood clothes. It means that that wardrobe and stage management will have lengthy clean up each night. The stage will also get tinted and any furniture as well.

From Cassandra Carpenter, Local 829