Fake blood is the cheapest way to make a prop, a scene or a costume look like it has a story, and the ingredients are mostly kitchen staples. If you would rather skip the mixing, ready-made fake blood is easy to find on Amazon. Below are three recipes from published guides, what each one is best for, and how to keep it from ruining your furniture. Once you have a batch, it pairs well with a graveyard scene or a corpsed skeleton.

Which fake blood recipe should you use?

What do you need to make fake blood?

Most of what you need is already in a kitchen. Grab a mixing bowl, a whisk or spoon, and measuring cups, then pick the ingredients for the recipe you want. The shopping shortcuts below are tagged search links:

• Corn syrup for the thick gel base
• Red food coloring, plus a little blue and green if you want a more realistic, darker shade
• Cocoa powder or chocolate sauce to thicken and darken the mix
• Liquid laundry detergent for the washable version
• A small spray bottle for the thin recipe
• Disposable gloves so your hands do not turn pink

How do you make thin spray fake blood?

This is the quickest version. Tom’s Guide says to combine water and red food coloring, using as much water as you want, and keep adding color until you reach a bright shade. Pour it into a spray bottle and spritz as needed. Because it is mostly water it runs, so it works best as splatter on a fence, a sheet or the side of a prop rather than as a thick pool.

How do you make thick corn syrup fake blood?

Reader’s Digest gives a basic recipe of 3/4 cup corn syrup, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring, 5 drops of blue food coloring, 2 drops of green food coloring and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Here is how to work it:

1. Mix the base. Stir the water into the corn syrup. Reader’s Digest says to aim for runny, but not so runny that it drips straight off whatever you put it on.
2. Add color gradually. Add the food coloring a little at a time until you like the shade. The blue and green drops take away the cartoon-red look.
3. Thicken it. Slowly stir in the cornstarch. A drop of water mixed into the cornstarch first helps prevent clumps.
4. Let it rest. Leave it at room temperature for about 10 minutes before using it.

For an even thicker, darker gel, the same guide suggests 3 parts corn syrup to 1 part water, red food coloring and at least 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder, adding more cocoa until the consistency is right. Tom’s Guide offers the same idea: add chocolate sauce or cocoa mix one tablespoon at a time, then add water to loosen it or cornstarch to thicken it.

How do you make washable fake blood?

If the blood is going on a costume you want to wear again, use the detergent method. Tom’s Guide replaces the corn syrup with liquid laundry detergent and mixes 2 parts chocolate sauce or cocoa mix to 1 part detergent, then adds red coloring. It says the costume should wash out well afterward. The trade-off is that detergent blood is not edible and should stay off the face, eyes and skin, which Reader’s Digest also warns about for its detergent-based recipe.

How do you keep fake blood from staining?

• Test first. Dab a little on a hidden corner of the fabric, prop or surface and wait before committing.
• Work outside or on a covered table. Tom’s Guide recommends applying the thin recipe outside the home.
• Do not use rental costumes. Tom’s Guide warns that corn syrup blood stains easily, so keep it off anything you have to return.
• Clean up fast. FX Elements says quick cleanup is key before staining sets in, and that shaving cream can help dissolve syrup-based blood.
• Wear old clothes and gloves. Reader’s Digest notes that its basic recipe will stain skin and clothing.

Where does fake blood work best in a home haunt?

A little goes a long way. Drip the thick gel down the front of a skeleton or mannequin, spritz the thin version across a white sheet hung in a doorway, or leave a trail of drops leading to a witch cauldron scene. Keep it away from anything you cannot wash or repaint, and bring props indoors when rain is in the forecast. If you are just starting your haunt, our beginner’s home haunt guide shows where effects like this fit in your layout.

Is it worth buying ready-made fake blood instead?

If you need a large amount or want a consistent color, buying can be simpler. Amazon carries a bulk gallon of ready-made fake blood. Check the label for whether it is meant for skin, costumes or props only. Homemade blood, on the other hand, lets you control the thickness and shade, which is why many haunters mix their own for scenes.

Ready to build the rest of the scene? Build your graveyard or corpse a skeleton next.