Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup: preserving fake blood

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preserving fake blood

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Props, Scenery, Costumes and Makeup
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URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1846
Printed Date: 12/04/24 at 9:44pm
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Topic: preserving fake blood

Posted By: artlover
Subject: preserving fake blood
Date Posted: 5/10/06 at 10:03am

Just mixed up a huge bucket of blood (corn syrup, water, food coloring and dish detergent). Anyone know how long this can sit unrefridgerated without getting gross? (I have no more room in fridge to store it.) Thought about adding a capful of bleach to the bucket to keep it from getting funky. Has anyone done this before? Will the bleach take away the red food coloring? Thanks.

Replies:

Posted By: Joan54
Date Posted: 5/10/06 at 1:11pm

I have never made blood but think about this logically: water, soap and food coloring will last a long time without "turning" because they have no organics that will rot. Corn syrup can be stored indefinitly in a cupboard provided you put the cap on the jar so probably if you cover the bucket (plastic taped down?) it will last quite a long time. Stay away from the bleach...it's bad for skin, eyes, props and costumes.

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"behind a thin wall of logic panic is waiting to stampede"

Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 5/10/06 at 6:57pm

Joan is right!
Also as bleach is derived from salt water, as sodium hydroxide. I think the sodium content may tend to set the corn flour & you could end up solidifying the blood.
Bleach is highly dangerous stuff - besides setting the blood into the fabric of the costumes & attacking the skin. Me thinks your cast might be all be applying to join the blind society, if it gets in their eyes!

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Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

Posted By: Maus
Date Posted: 5/12/06 at 12:41pm

A little Googling ("stage blood" recipe) and some reading show that the recipe you're using will start to grow mold if not refrigerated. So I would guess your batch could go bad in a week or less. Covering your bucket might help.

-- Tom

Posted By: hoipolloitheate
Date Posted: 5/12/06 at 10:16pm

    Just used some stage blood that was only stored in packets in a box
for the past two months. Not refrigerated. but this was in small amounts. Worked great.

     But no BLEACH. buy more corn syrup and food coloring, much
cheaper than new eyeballs.

         &nbs p;         &nbs p;         &nbs p;   hoipolloi