The washing of the curtains is different for each type of curtain. The material with which they are made is what most influences the chosen method, although there are also other aspects to assess. Although putting them in the washing machine is the most practical, this quick and easy wash is not always convenient: some fabrics are very delicate and must be washed by hand.
Reading the label on the curtains to choose the most appropriate wash helps to clean them and keep them in good condition, but there are more tips that will help you treat them correctly. Discover how to wash the curtains, the differences between washing by hand and in the washing machine, and the particularities of each fabric by reading this article.
Hand washing curtains
The delicate fabrics of the curtains prevent them from being washed in the washing machine due to the high risk of tearing or tearing. So how to wash the curtains? It is convenient that you wash them by hand by following these steps:
- Prepare a large basin or container with enough space to wash the curtains. Otherwise, as happens when washing blankets, you can also do it in the bathtub.
- Use cold water and lather the drapes with a delicate hand wash detergent.
- After washing them, rinse the fabric with plenty of water to prevent soap residue from remaining on the fibers.
- Use the washing machine to remove water from the fabric: do a gentle spin cycle with only the curtains and no water.
- Hang or line the curtains to avoid wrinkles and they will be completely smooth.
- And when to wash the curtains? You have probably asked yourself this question more than once and the answer is approximate. It depends on the dirt they have accumulated. Even so, the curtains at home are washed every two or three months at most depending on the fabric.
Washing curtains in the washing machine
To wash the curtains in the washing machine, try to previously remove the hooks from the curtains and the rest of the metal elements it contains. If this is impossible, cover them with a pillowcase, tying it with a string. In this way, you will prevent the hooks from damaging the fabric or hitting the drum during the wash cycle.
Then follow these instructions:
- Use a delicate machine detergent.
- Optionally, add a specific additive for curtains with silicone: it will help to smooth the fibers, avoiding wrinkles and providing luminosity.
- Program a cycle for delicate garments with a gentle spin (between 400-600 rpm) and cold water. Thus, the washing machine will take care of eliminating excess water, preventing the curtains from wrinkling.
- Take the curtains out of the washing machine immediately once the washing program is finished so that they do not wrinkle or acquire bad odors due to humidity.
- Hang them so they stretch out fully, finish drying, and don’t wrinkle.
Remove stains from curtains
To remove a stain from your curtains, it is essential that you identify what type it is. Each one requires a specific treatment, so a chocolate one is not treated the same as an oil one.
The following tips will help you remove stains from curtains:
- Stain removers: commercial stain removers are responsible for removing any type of stain from the curtains. If it is a very small one, you can treat it without taking down the curtains: moisten the area and apply the product.
- Bleach: Remove mildew and damp stains by immersing them in cold water and bleach. A couple of hours of soaking, the usual rinsing and washing will be enough to get rid of them. Important! If you are dealing with curtains with delicate fabrics such as thread, avoid this process because bleach is very harmful to this type of fiber.
- Baking soda and vinegar : They also work to remove mold stains. Mix both products and spread them over the stained area, waiting 10 minutes for it to act. Then, rub the stain and put the curtains in the washing machine.
- Since mold stains often appear on shower curtains.
Linen curtain washing
- Linen is a delicate fabric, so washing this material must be done carefully. There are different ways to wash linen curtains:
- Regular linen: Linen curtains can be washed in the washing machine on a delicate cycle at 40 o C, as it is the most robust type of linen.
- Carded Linen: Carded linen curtains are more delicate. They should be rinsed twice without spinning before washing. Program a delicate cycle at 30 o C and a 400 rpm spin.
- Wrinkled linen follows the same procedure as carded linen, but with a spin cycle of 800 rpm.
- Linen and wool: they are composed of very delicate threads. Therefore, you need to do a program with cold water and delicate clothes. The spin cannot exceed 400 rpm.
- Although it is rare in curtains, another type of fabric that can be difficult to wash is wool. In this other article, we tell you how to wash wool.
Washing white curtains
Washing white curtains is more complicated than colored ones because the dirt and dust they accumulate is much more evident. In addition, they lose their white tone over time, acquiring a grayish or yellowish color.
Follow these tips on how to wash white curtains:
- You should wash the curtains separately from the clothes, especially if they are colored clothes.
- Remove stains from white curtains by soaking them for two hours with a mixture of vinegar and baking soda. Afterward, you can wash them in the washing machine as you usually do.
- A trick to whiten the curtains is immersion in bleach diluted with water. The main drawback of this method is the risk of yellowing them over time.
