Period stains can be a bloody nightmare, but your favorite pants or panties don’t have to look like a crime scene forever!

Here’s what to do:

1. Run a sink or bucket full of ICE COLD water (hot water permanently sets bloodstains), and fully immerse the stain for at least ten minutes, preferably overnight.

2. Next, treat the specific stains:

• For whites, dip a clean white cloth in hydrogen peroxide (available at any grocery or drugstore in brown bottles for under a buck) and gently rub the bloodstain. Peroxide has an amazing ability to lift bloodstains, but if that doesn’t work, soak the item in a stronger solution of one part bleach mixed with six parts water for a couple of hours. Make sure you don’t splash (bleach take color out of clothes and carpets) and wash your hands immediately afterward.
• For colors, try making a solution of two parts water mixed with one part salt. Immerse the fabric, rubbing the stained area gently with salt to erase the stain.

3. After treating the spots, wash in cold water (never hot) and inspect before drying. If the stain is gone, feel free to pop the fabric in the dryer, but if it’s still there, let it hang dry, because the heat of the dryer will set the stain. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 until you’re stain free.

If your underwear is the main clothing casualty, having a designated set of six or seven black cotton “period panties” is a good way to avoid this problem. You won’t be able to see the stains!

Excerpted from the book "Body Drama" by Nancy Redd.