How to properly wash curtains at home?

General recommendations

The main question that housewives ask is how often the curtains need to be washed. Regularity depends on several factors:

• Room. It is logical to wash kitchen curtains more often than curtains from the bedroom - they are more susceptible to dirt and grease settling. It is also necessary to wash the curtains more often in the children's room - the dust settling on the fabric can cause the development of allergies in the baby.
• Type of curtains. Straight curtains without folds are less prone to dirt, unlike complex designs with draperies, lambrequins, ties and other details.
• The cloth. Velor and velvet curtains, openwork tulle will get dirty more than smooth materials at one time.
• The location of the house. If the windows overlook the road or the apartment is located near the industrial zone, the curtains act as a filter, absorbing all the pollution into themselves. Wash them often to keep the air in your apartment cleaner and fresher.
• Family composition. The more tenants in the apartment (including adults and children, pets), the faster the curtain gets dirty.

The standard washing interval for curtains is once every six months. This process is usually combined with window cleaning. It is not recommended to wash less often, only more often (once every 3 months) - if you live in a dusty metropolis, family members are prone to allergies, you have animals at home or curtains are made of fleecy material.

Next, we will analyze the nuances that need to be considered depending on the type of fabric. But first, tips that are relevant for washing any curtains:

1. At what temperature to wash the curtains is determined by the type of material, but it is better not to set the value less than 40 ° C. In cold water, dirt may simply not be removed.
2. Remove all hooks and clips before washing. The exception is soft plastic hinges, which will not damage the drum.
3. Wash stubborn stains or pre-soak for a couple of hours, then you can wash the curtains.
4. Use liquid gels or capsules for the washing machine - they do not leave streaks, they wash well.
5. Any fabrics (especially heavy and prone to stretching) are best dried horizontally on a dryer. Only light, non-stretching materials are hung on the rope.

Features of washing by fabric material

There are 4 options for curtains, which need to be washed in different ways:

• in the washing machine on standard mode - cotton, blackout;
• on a delicate wash cycle - viscose, acrylic, velvet, organza;
• in a special bag in a typewriter - models with eyelets, thread;
• exclusively hand wash - options with glass beads, beads, beads, other decor.

Silk, organza, veil

Delicate tulle should be washed in a delicate mode, the water temperature is not higher than 40 ° C, the spin is not higher than 600 rpm. It is advisable to purchase special mild detergents suitable for these fabrics from the store.

You don't even need to iron the finest organza and veil - just hang a damp cloth on the window, it will smooth out on its own.

Important! It is necessary to wash silk and organza separately - there should be only curtains in the drum, it is forbidden to add other things.

Linen or cotton

Depending on the exact composition of the material, the curtains can be washed in different water:

• low degrees 30-40 ° С - for 100% natural materials;
• high 40-70 ° С - for cotton and linen curtains with the addition of anti-shrink components.

The most common powder is suitable, it is not even necessary to use liquid gel for washing curtains. Dry as convenient - on a rope or a special dryer. Before hanging, be sure to steam - natural fabrics wrinkle a lot.

Blackout

Light-blocking curtains have a different composition, recommendations for washing are usually found on the product packaging. If the tag is lost, try the following machine wash settings:

• sparing regime;
• water up to 40 degrees;
• spinning up to 600 revolutions.

Heavy curtain fabrics are removed from the machine and hung on the curtain, otherwise they may wrinkle. If the material is not loose, remove it and iron it after it is completely dry.

Important! Curtains with an acrylic layer cannot be machine washed, only by hand.

Acrylic and viscose

The requirements are almost the same as for silk and veil:

• gentle cleaning program;
• water up to 40 ° С;
• special mild detergents;
• rinse with conditioner;
• spinning at minimum (up to 400-600) revolutions;
• drying in the shade;
• neat ironing at a low temperature.

Taffeta

The curtains in the washing machine are not afraid of hot water (up to 50 ° C), but they cannot stand spinning - set a maximum of 300 revolutions, and it is better to squeeze it with your hands through a soft towel.

Pile fabrics

It is better to entrust high-quality washing of curtains made of expensive velor or royal velvet to a proven dry-cleaner. If you decide on self-care at home, set the following settings on the washing machine:

• sparing regime;
• water 30 ° C;
• quick wash;
• without spin function.

Important! Before putting it into the machine, the cloth is folded with a pile inward, after washing it is dried horizontally with a pile upward.

Thread curtains

Filament curtains made of muslin or other synthetics are cleaned in two ways:

1. The curtains are braided, put in a special bag and loaded into the washing machine on a delicate mode.
2. They use hand wash, soaking them for a couple of hours, and then rinsing them in clean running water.

Advice! Dry the threads directly on the eaves, you do not need to iron them.

How to wash in a washing machine?

Let's fix on what mode to wash the curtains, at how many degrees and by what means.

Deciding on a detergent

The best option is liquid gels. They are available for natural, synthetic, white, bright, dark, delicate, dense and other materials. Choose the most suitable option in terms of composition and color.

If you plan to use regular laundry detergent, add an extra rinse to prevent white streaks from forming on the curtains.

Choosing the right mode

You won't go wrong if you put a delicate setting for any curtains in the washing machine at 30-40 degrees with a minimum spin.

Handwash

You should wash the curtains with your hands in about the same way as using the technique: liquid easily rinsed gels, cool water, wringing with a soft cloth, horizontal drying.

Nuances for models with decor

It is not difficult to clean curtains of a straight shape without decorative elements, which cannot be said about models with a complex design.

Curtains with hooks

Be sure to remove the metal hooks - then determine what fabric the curtains are made of and follow the recommendations.

Plastic hangers can be left on the belt, the main thing is to close each one before loading into the drum.

Curtains on eyelets

Metal eyelets, unlike hooks, cannot be removed - therefore, in order to protect the curtain rings and the machine drum from scratches and damage, load the curtains into a spacious mesh bag.

Fringed models

Depending on the length and complexity of care, you can use one of the options:

1. The short, easy to disentangle fringe will easily transfer the machine wash in a special cover.
2. Long, constantly knotted, it is easier to wash gently by hand.

Follow our recommendations and your laundry will turn into your favorite household chore.