Increasingly, Halloween fans want to learn how to make their own washable, non-staining fake blood, ideally without food colouring, because stage blood is a key addition to so many costumes and effects. Sadly, the stage blood available in stores tends to stain, and ketchup-water recipes don’t turn out well. Seriously, though: fake blood that won’t stain – is it possible? Of course it is! Give me five minutes of your time and I’ll walk you through a simple method for making your own realistic, non-staining fake blood.
Believe me, I understand the hassle of fake blood that leaves stains. I’ve had to wash stains from my skin, clothes, and towels, as well as from my walls after some Halloween parties. So without further ado, let’s get right to my favourite method for making your own washable, non-stain version!
What You’ll Need…
Let’s begin by organizing everything that you’re going to need. Fortunately, there are actually only three ingredients you’ll need to have on hand to make your own non-staining fake blood. That’s right – three steps, three ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Corn syrup
- Poster paint (red)
- Cocoa powder
Methodology
As you may have gathered from the list of ingredients, the key difference between this and other types of homemade fake blood is the substitution of food colouring (which stains) with poster paint, which is a common type of children’s washable paint (and hence doesn’t stain).
Here’s how to make your own non-stain fake blood in three easy steps:
- Pour some corn syrup into a bowl. The amount you use will depend on how much blood you want to make, but as a starting point, just pour the same amount of corn syrup as you want for your finished amount of blood (i.e., if you want 4 ounces of blood, use 4 ounces of corn syrup).
- Add a bit of red poster paint, using no more than a teaspoon to start. It’s always easier to add more later if you need to. Mix well.
- You’ll notice that the blood will be rather bright. To darken it and get a more realistic look, mix in a small amount of cocoa powder. As with the paint, don’t use more than a teaspoon to start. Too much cocoa can give the blood a granular texture.
And voila – you’re done! Super easy!
Making your own stage blood is as much an art as a science, of course, so you’ll want to practice until you find the exact combination that works best for the colour you’re trying to achieve.
Hope this helps!
Get more helpful Halloween party tips in the Hosting section or look for some more party inspiration in the Ideas section.
Hi I love the steps but am I able to do this another way that only lasts up to 6 hours because I wanna scare my friends at school and what if you don’t have these ingredients to make the fake blood?
Hi Heidi. The only way I currently know to reduce the duration is to add water, but that will also clarify the blood and make it look brighter. If that’s not a problem for you, feel free! If you don’t have the ingredients, your best bet is to purchase the highest-quality fake blood you can find, but read the label carefully to find out about possible staining.
Will this stain walls? We are doing an office prank and I need to know that it will clean up ok.
It shouldn’t. I’ve tried it once with success but I’d be careful not to leave it on for days at a time.
You think this would be okay to use in a bathtub? – Up to possibly two days?
Absolutely!
Hi, can you use acrylic paint instead of poster paint? Also, is this suitable for putting near mouths and noses?
Yes, but not in.
Hi, this recipe sound great! Could I use to look like blood is coming out of someone’s mouth?
Absolutely!
Can I put it on my car without damaging my paint job
Thanks for the question Sonya. You should be able to, but to be perfectly honest I’ve never tried it so I can’t say for sure. If you try it, please definitely do let us know the results!
Will it wash out of hair? Thanks in advance!
Absolutely, Emily. Thanks for the question and feel free to reach out if you need anything.
can this go bad or can it last a while?
Hi veron. It can last quite a while, but may need some stirring prior to use as the cocoa can sometimes settle if it’s been sitting for a while. Let me know if you have any other questions!
I want to use this to set up a crime scene to teach the Boston Massacre. Will it wash off of a parking lot?
Hi Darcy,
Yes, it will. Let me know how the lesson works out!
This worked great I made quite a bit but it worked great there was a slight stain after cleaning it off with a paper towel but it went away with a little face wash it was great even had enough to cause a big scare to my friend’s mom
Hi kai,
I’m glad to hear it! Sounds like it worked well. Let me know if you have any other questions!
I need to use this for a musical, but I need to wash it off of the hands quickly. How much scrubbing does it take to get it off the hands? Would hand sanitizer do the trick? Thanks for the help!
Sanitizer would definitely work, but so does soap and warm water. Hope the musical is a hit! Let me know if you need anything else.
Can we put it in our eye for like…to cry fake blood??
Thanks for your question Yusra. I wouldn’t recommend putting anything in your eye, including this, as eyes are incredibly sensitive and doing so could easily irritate them. If you want to pretend that you’re crying blood, my advice would be to put a drop just below your eye, near the tear duct, and let it drip. Very similar effect – no risk! If you need anything else, just let me know.
Thanks! This really helped me because last year I used store bought fake blood and it stained my face. 🙁
You’re welcome!
can i put this on my face?
Absolutely.
Do you mean corn syrup instead of the cornstarch? Cornstarch is a powder and having that powder and the cocoa powder would just make the poster paint all clumpy and not a liquid. Also, you say to start with 4 ounces of cornstarch, which also leads me to believe that you are referring to corn syrup since that is a liquid.
Yes! Apologies for the typo! I meant corn syrup. I’ve updated the post.
Are the ingredients meant to include corn starch or corn syrup? I tried corn starch with the teaspoon of poster paint and it’s very dough like- not blood like. Is there a possibility of a typo in these ingredients?
Corn syrup. My apologies for the typo. I’ve updated the post. You can also add water or more paint for a more liquid effect.
Help! I need a lot of blood, so I started with a cup of cornstarch. I’ve added 1.5 oz of red poster paint. I now have pink powdery corn starch. Should I be adding water?
Thank you
Sorry Susan. I meant to write corn syrup, not corn starch. I’ve corrected the typo in the post. You can also water if you want to create an even more liquid effect.
Planning on using this for a Jeff the Killer cosplay this weekend–glad to find an easy recipe tht won’t stain the hoodie ^^’
Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
I’m a little confused about how there is enough liquid in this recipe to make realistic fake blood since corn starch and cocoa powder are both dry and you’re using the poster paint sparingly. Am I missing something? Thanks!
My apologies! There was a typo in the recipe. I meant to write corn syrup, not corn starch. I’ve corrected the post.
You don’t add any water? Wouldn’t it be very thick?
You should be using corn syrup, not corn starch. Sorry about the typo. I’ve corrected the post.
Does this dry well on clothes?
Yes, definitely. It will look like coagulated blood.
I want to put fake blood on my car that’s white in color.. Will this method stain my paint?
It won’t stain. 🙂
Could u use some black poster paint, rather than the cocoa?
You can, but it will have a different consistency and colour.
Hi so I have a light blue dress that i want to wear for Halloween as a creepy-Cinderella look but i dont want to buy fake blood. Will this recipe stain my clothes at all? Thanks!
It’s never stained anything in my personal experience. This is the safest option I have ever come across. If you’re concerned, you can of course always test-spot it on an inconspicuous section of the fabric. Let me know how it goes!
What can you use if you don’t have corn starch or poster paint
Corn syrup (not corn starch) is the chief ingredient. I have corrected the typo in this post. My apologies. To answer your question, you can use another kind of paint, like water-based paint if you like, but it may stain a bit.
Any suggestions for washing it out? Particularly out of clothing?
I’ve never had it stain before, but I’d recommend OxyClean MaxForce spray. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes before washing it in the warmest water that the fabric can handle. Let me know how it goes!
I am gonna try this year. We just bought a new house and I want to have a party for my children so I had an idea but didnt want to stain my hubby’s garage doors. So this will not stain any kind of material right? Thank you so much for your knowledge.
Hi Monica. I’ve used this several times and to date, it hasn’t stained anything – I’ve had no issues at all. Your husband’s garage doors should be perfectly safe.
On a related note, cocoa, like chocolate, can stain white clothes a bit, but it’s typically very easy to wash out in the laundry and so it’s not permanent. Oxi-Clean is really good at getting tough stains out. If you’re ever worried about this in particular, simply be sure not to use too much cocoa.
Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.
i love this post of fake blood. i sure will scare the kids this year !
Thanks Lucky! Let me know if you need help with anything!