Washing net curtains in a machine, step by step
Most net curtain fabrics can go in an automatic washing machine. The exception is curtains whose care label allows dry cleaning only. Here is how to machine wash net curtains in seven steps so they do not crease or tear.
- Take the curtain down from the rod and shake the dust out of it on the balcony or outdoors.
- Remove the hooks, rings and all metal parts. In the machine they would tear the fabric and could even damage the drum.
- Read the care label, which is usually sewn on near the heading tape. The manufacturer states the maximum temperature and the right cycle there.
- Fold the curtain loosely into a mesh laundry bag and do not squash it into a ball.
- Fill the drum no more than halfway and always wash only the curtains from one window at a time.
- Choose a delicate cycle or a curtain cycle at up to 30 °C.
- Set a short spin at low speed, around 400 rpm.
An overloaded drum and high spin speeds leave sharp creases in thin fabric that stay after drying. So it pays to wash in smaller loads, even if it takes longer. Take the curtain out of the machine straight after washing and hang it up so it does not crease.
Temperature and cycle by fabric
For most net curtains 30 °C is the safe limit. Choose a higher temperature only when the label clearly allows it.
- Wash voile, chiffon and polyester curtains on a delicate cycle at up to 30 °C. In hot water synthetic fibres lose their shape for good.
- Linen and cotton shrink more than synthetics, so they need a low temperature and careful drying. Linen also creases naturally and will not be perfectly smooth even after ironing.
- Wash lace and embroidered curtains by hand in lukewarm water, or in a bag on a delicate cycle. A few drops of liquid detergent are enough. Do not wring them; let the water drip off on its own.
Detergent and fabric softener
For white net curtains use a liquid detergent for delicates or a special curtain detergent. Wash coloured ones separately with a colour detergent so the pattern does not fade. Use only as much detergent as needed, as its residue stays in the fabric. Skip fabric softener. Most guides warn that it weighs the fibres down, so the curtain lets through less light and may turn yellow over time.
Drying and ironing
To stop the curtain creasing, hang it on a drying rack straight after washing and let it dry spread out. Hanging loosely without folds, it dries almost smooth and usually you will not need to iron it. Skip the tumble dryer, as hot air shrinks the curtain and twists the heading tape. If the fabric still creases, iron it on the lowest setting through a cotton tea towel or smooth it with a steamer. Voile and synthetics only need steaming from the back. With the window slightly open the curtain dries faster.
How to whiten net curtains
Before washing, soak grey or yellowed net curtains for several hours, ideally overnight, in a solution of a household product. Let the curtain lie loosely in the bath or a large basin, then wash it as described above. Test the solution on a small piece of fabric at the hem first. Do not use chlorine bleach on net curtains, as it weakens the thin fabric, which then tears easily.
Why net curtains turn yellow and grey
How to whiten yellowed net curtains, and where to start with grey ones, depends on the cause.
- Cigarette smoke turns net curtains yellow fastest.
- A radiator under the window heats the fabric, so the curtain above it yellows sooner.
- In the kitchen, steam and grease from cooking settle right in the fibres.
- Street dust gets into the curtain through the open window and the white gradually turns grey.
- Fabric softener and too much detergent stay in the fabric and turn yellow over time.
Whitening net curtains with household products
You will find the products in the table in almost any home. We do not give amounts, because guides differ on them by a factor of several, and soaking long enough matters more.
| Product | How to use it | When it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Table salt | Dissolve in water and soak the curtains for several hours before washing | Yellowed curtains |
| Baking soda | Soak overnight, or add to the machine with the detergent | Odours, for example from smoke |
| Baking powder | Stir into a bath and soak the curtains for several hours or overnight | Very grey curtains |
| Vinegar | Soak overnight, or pour into the machine | Nylon and other synthetic curtains |
| Plain laundry soap | Grate into warm water and leave the curtains in it overnight | Grey and yellowed curtains |
You can wash net curtains with baking soda even without soaking, just add it to the machine.
When to leave it to professionals
Net curtains whose label allows dry cleaning only belong at the dry cleaner's. Also hand them to professionals when they are long and heavy or when whitening at home did not help.
At VESTA we offer net curtain washing in Prague with steaming and ironing. On request we take the curtains down ourselves and hang them back. We collect them from your home and return them after washing. Washing usually takes 5 working days, express within 48 hours for an extra fee. We do not whiten curtains, but after professional washing they are noticeably lighter. If they stay grey, we sew new net curtains made to measure.
Frequently asked questions
How often should you wash net curtains?
It depends on the room. In the kitchen and where people smoke, wash net curtains more often, as grease and smoke build up in them quickly. You can tell it is time to wash them by a grey tinge or a smell. Wash them more often in a home with an allergy sufferer or pets, too. Between washes it is enough to vacuum the curtain gently with an upholstery nozzle or shake the dust out of it.
Why did my net curtain shrink after washing?
Most often because of a higher temperature than the fabric can take, or a tumble dryer. Linen and cotton are at greater risk, and voile can shrink above just 30 °C. Shrunk polyester will not go back to its original size, so always follow the temperature on the label and dry the curtain on a line, not in a dryer. Shrunk linen can be partly stretched back by steaming or ironing while damp.
Can I wash net curtains together with curtains?
Better not. Curtains are heavier and often a different colour, so a white net curtain would turn grey in the same load. Makers of curtain fabrics also recommend washing them separately so other items do not pick up their dye, and the two fabrics may shrink differently. So a net curtain sewn to a curtain is better left to professional washing, which we also offer in Prague. Wash white net curtains separately from coloured ones too.