How to Wash Sheer Curtains So They Stay White with No Ironing

Step by step

1. 1

   Shake out the dust before washing

   Take the curtains down and shake them out hard on the balcony or in front of an open window. Dry dust that has settled into the fabric for months turns into a gray film that's hard to remove once it gets wet. A few vigorous shakes get rid of most of the dust and pet hair.

2. 2

   Soak them if they've yellowed

   If the curtains are yellowed or dull, soak them for an hour in lukewarm water with baking soda or salt added. Use about four tablespoons of baking soda per basin of water and stir until it dissolves. Soaking loosens the grime, so the actual wash works much better.

3. 3

   Put the curtains in a laundry bag

   Slip a delicate curtain into a zippered laundry bag, ideally one with a fine mesh. The bag protects the thin fabric from snagging on the drum and stretching. Remove the hooks and gathering tape beforehand, or secure them so they don't tear the material.

4. 4

   Use a delicate cycle and a small load

   Choose a delicates cycle at 30°C (86°F) and wash only one or two curtain panels at a time. The curtain needs to float freely in the water, because in a cramped drum it will crease and won't wash clean. Use a mild detergent for delicate fabrics, without optical brighteners if the fabric is colored.

5. 5

   Reduce or turn off the spin

   Set the spin to the minimum, around 400 rpm, or turn it off entirely. A strong spin presses the thin fabric into hard creases that are difficult to smooth out later. A curtain that's still dripping slightly is exactly what you want for the next step.

6. 6

   Hang the wet curtains up right away

   Hang the curtains back on the rod straight from the machine, still damp. The weight of the water pulls the fabric taut and straightens it out, so ironing becomes unnecessary. If the curtain is only slightly damp, gently tug the bottom hem to speed up the effect.

How to whiten sheer curtains with home remedies

You don't need harsh chemicals to whiten sheer curtains. Dissolve a few tablespoons of baking soda in a basin of lukewarm water and soak the curtains in it for several hours or overnight. Baking soda softens the water and brightens gray discoloration, and it removes odors while it's at it.

For stubborn yellowing, citric acid works well, at about two tablespoons per basin of water, acting much like a natural bleach. You can also add half a cup of salt to the soak, because salt handles the film left by dust and smoke. After soaking, wash the curtains normally at 30°C.

Why wet curtains don't need ironing

Most sheer curtains are sewn from light fabrics that fall straight under their own weight. When you hang them up wet, the water weighs the material down and smooths out the creases from the drum. Within a few hours the curtain dries already straightened on the rod.

This only works if you don't crush the fabric with a strong spin cycle. That's why minimal spin and hanging them up quickly matter more than any ironing. If small creases remain anyway, run a cool iron over them through a cloth or use a garment steamer.

How often to wash sheer curtains

Curtains in the living room or bedroom only need washing every three to four months, because they soil slowly. In the kitchen, where grease and odors settle, do it more often, roughly every six to eight weeks. Curtains in a smoker's home or by a busy street also need more frequent washing.

Regularly shaking out the dust and vacuuming the curtains with a soft brush attachment stretches the time between washes. The less often dust turns into grime, the easier it is to keep them white. Don't wait until the fabric visibly grays, because then it's much harder to bring back. Opening a window after cooking also helps, so grease and steam don't settle on the fabric.

Frequently asked questions