How to properly wash curtains in a washing machine: simple tips

Curtains are large panels made of textiles. A lot of dust settles on their surface. After touching, the curtain will not get better either - it will only become even more dirty. For this reason, it is recommended to clean them every six months. Many people are interested in how to wash curtains in a washing machine?

This process takes time. The structure should be carefully removed, folded, placed in the washing drum, the required mode should be determined, and the process activated. After this, the item is carefully removed from the machine and clings to the curtain rod hinges. Particular importance in this matter is given to the choice of mode, since many curtains are made of synthetics and need to be handled with care. Let's figure out how to properly organize the washing of such things.

Frequency and methods of washing

Note that the washing mode is determined by certain factors:

Place of residence. If the apartment windows face a busy road, the curtains will get dirty faster. You will have to wash them often.
Location of the apartment. Living on the top floor, dust and washing mashine exhaust will not reach the windows. For residents of the first floors, the frequency of cleaning will be completely different.
Season of the year. If the windows are constantly open, the curtains will collect more dust.

If you take into account all the factors, then you will have to wash such things at least twice a year. The difficulty arises from the question of what material products are allowed to be put into an automatic washing machine. The type of material also affects the temperature at which the washing process will be performed.

There are several options to solve such problems:

The curtains can be taken to the dry cleaner. If the fabric is delicate or has designer decorations, then experimenting with it is not recommended;
some call cleaning teams to your home. Specialists will do an excellent job of cleaning complex drapes, curtains, decorated with eyelets and lambrequins. Special equipment will allow you to carry out steam cleaning without removing the curtain from the window;
Many people prefer to do their own laundry. Let us tell such enthusiasts that the necessary information about the fabric washing process can be studied on product labels.

Before you start washing, you need to clarify which program is best to set. Determine gentle modes and the minimum number of revolutions. There are cases when the spin function is contraindicated for curtains. The optimal water temperature is from thirty to forty degrees. Otherwise, the fabric may become deformed. When washing, it is recommended to use liquid detergents.

Preliminary preparation

Simple manipulations will help facilitate the process of cleaning curtains:

before using the washing machine, the curtains are inspected for contamination;
grease stains are removed using dishwashing detergents and a foam sponge;
After a couple of minutes everything is washed off with water. Dry the damp area to make sure the stain is washed off;
If stains are not recognizable by origin, they must be treated with a stain remover. Proceed with caution, having first studied the characteristics of the chemical composition;
After completing all procedures, the curtains are soaked with clean water at room temperature. First add a little washing powder to the basin. In case of severe contamination, the procedure can be repeated.

Main rules

In order not to cause harm or break the washing unit, it is recommended to comply with certain requirements:

It is recommended to use gentle liquid formulations. Pour them into the tray in small quantities. As a supplement, you can use products that protect the water heater from scale.
Laundry is organized separately from other items. When this is not possible, it is necessary to adhere to the analogy of shades.
Weak threads on the curtain are cut off so that they do not clog the working areas of the washing machine.
It is prohibited to exceed the norm for loading the machine. It is recommended to act in strict accordance with the instructions.
Curtains with hooks cannot be washed. They must be disconnected to avoid causing damage to the machine.
The water temperature and washing mode must correspond to the item being washed so as not to spoil its external characteristics.
If you do not want or have the opportunity to iron the curtains after washing, we recommend using a mild conditioner and washing in cool water. Drying is carried out in a straightened state, sunlight entering the product is excluded.It is prohibited to place curtains on a hot radiator or use heating devices.
Curtains are ironed at a temperature appropriate to the material.

Whitening methods

If the curtains have been in use for a long time, they may begin to turn yellow. There are several methods that will help restore them to their former purity.

Oxygen bleach or tint restorer

The use of such compositions is permitted when washing products made from nylon material. The product is poured into the washing machine, or after washing the curtains are soaked in water with its addition.

Ammonia, hydroperite, hydrogen peroxide

They are used to bleach synthetic products. To do this you need:

add a spoonful of alcohol, five tablets of hydroperite or two spoons of peroxide to a ten-liter bucket of water;
soak the curtains in the resulting solution for about thirty minutes, stirring occasionally;
All that remains is to rinse the products and allow the water to drain.

Zelenka

It is used for bleaching curtains made of synthetics and tulle:

the composition is diluted in water in the amount of two to three drops, salt is added;
the curtain, which has passed the washing stage, is lowered into the prepared solution;
After waiting for some time, the curtain can be removed from the basin.

Salt

The original whiteness can be restored using this product. Four tablespoons of salt are dissolved in five liters of water. Before the main wash, the curtains should be soaked in this solution for about twenty minutes. Washing without spinning and rinsing is performed.

Is it possible to remove difficult stains?

They spoil the appearance of the products and the room as a whole, and create a bad mood for the hostess. There are many different ways to help remove stains of different origins.But general requirements must be met:

Pre-remove dust from the surface of stains;
the lining on the curtain should be torn off;
stains are removed with cotton swabs, the edges are sprinkled with starch;
cleaning is carried out from the edge to the center of the contamination;
The cleaned area is watered with warm water.

Removing grease stains

It is necessary to remove a grease stain immediately, while it is fresh and easier to deal with. There are several ways to do this:

the stain is sprinkled with talcum powder or starch. White paper is placed under the fabric, the stain is sprinkled and left for a day;
The pulp of black bread effectively removes grease stains;
the stain is removed with chalk or tooth powder;
old grease stains are removed with ammonia or glycerin.

Soot removal

Turpentine and soda are great for this. First, a local effect is applied, then the entire item is washed.

The stain is moistened with turpentine, rubbed with a rag, and washed with soapy water. After this, the curtain is washed.

The soot is also removed with turpentine and egg yolk, taken in equal parts. The prepared and heated mixture is used to wipe the old stain, after which the curtain is sent to the wash.

Helps in the fight against soot and soda. It is necessary to dissolve a couple of tablespoons of soda in warm water and treat the stain with dishwasher. The curtain is soaked in the solution for eight hours, then rinsed and dried.

Removing traces of coffee, tea and wine

Often, the curtains become dirty with various drinks, and it is recommended to remove stains from them immediately. Your actions must be fast:

the curtain is removed from the cornice;
blot the stain with a napkin and treat with alcohol;
a solution is prepared - a spoonful of vinegar and the same amount of dishwashing liquid are added to one liter of water;
before the main wash, the curtain is soaked in this solution for half an hour.

How to protect the curtain from dirt

Today, special hydrophobic coatings have been created that are applied to the material. They are used to protect curtains from dirt and dust accumulation. The main advantages are:

material with such a coating is less susceptible to abrasion, retains its shade for a long time;
any liquids that get on the material are collected in drops and flow down without remaining in the fabric;
this type of coating has bactericidal properties.

What to do if the curtains have shrunk after washing?

Sometimes washing leads to the fact that the fabric decreases in length. There are several ways to eliminate this problem. To do this, use one of the recommendations:

the lower hem of the curtain is unraveled and ironed, which will add ten to fifteen centimeters to the curtain;
loops of similar fabric, thick ribbon or decorative cord are sewn to the curtain. They can have the form of bows, ties, straps, buttons - it all depends on the interior and imagination;
lengthening is possible due to a lambrequin or frill sewn along the bottom edge;
you can arrange transverse inserts from other materials;
visual lengthening can be achieved due to sewn-on beads, crystals and other pendants.

Rules for washing certain types of curtains

After general recommendations, you should consider how to properly wash certain items:

Velvet curtains. The material is considered capricious and expensive, it must be handled carefully.Velvet curtains are washed in a machine on a delicate cycle, the products are laid with the wrong side up, with the pile facing inward. The water temperature should not exceed thirty degrees. If velvet is washed by hand, do not twist the curtain; spin carefully. If all the specifications are observed, the velvet curtain will not need to be ironed. The material does not like to come into contact with water, so the process will have to be completed quickly. The product is dried flat, horizontally, on a flat surface.
Roman curtains. They are easy to clean and wash. The fabric is removed from the hooks, since the vertical cleaning method causes distortion of the fabric. The curtains are carefully rolled up and placed in special bags. Taking into account the composition of the material, the desired washing mode is selected. After rinsing the curtains, do not wring them out; the water should drain naturally. The curtains are hung in their places while still damp. The shapes of the curtains are preserved by the slats inserted into the grooves.
Filament curtains. Before cleaning, they must be braided or tied with ropes in several places. After placing the curtains in bags, they are washed on a delicate cycle or by hand. Then the curtains are hung with damp threads on the curtain rod, straightening the threads.
Blackout curtains. They are considered the easiest to care for. Washing is allowed in any mode, using simple washing powder. There is no desire to iron it - just allow the water to drain. Slightly damp material on the cornice will straighten out on its own.
Linen and cotton curtains. Curtains made from natural materials will withstand washing well if the water temperature does not exceed forty degrees.Linen fabric, even if it has patterns, is not afraid of sixty-degree water temperatures. If you have such a curtain in the kitchen and often get dirty with grease, then you need to wash it with a cotton program at high temperature. To make the ironing process easier, the fabric does not dry out. It should be sent for ironing in a slightly damp state. It is recommended to wash cotton curtains by hand so that the fabric does not lose its shape.
Tulle curtains, organza and silk. Such materials do not tolerate high temperatures. A heated iron or water will immediately leave yellow stains, and it will be difficult to bleach the curtains. For this reason, water at room temperature is used for washing, and drying is carried out in a straightened state. Dirt comes off from such materials quickly; no effort is required. Only the volume of detergent compositions should be limited, because it will be difficult to rinse out the remaining foam. To maintain snow-white tulle, wash it every three to four months of use.
Tapestry. The material is dense and heavy and is difficult to wash. For ease of cleaning, you can use a vacuum cleaner or a brush with dry bristles. For particularly difficult situations, use a steam cleaner or a damp sponge. Cleaning can be done locally without removing the curtain.
Flock. The fine pile of this material perfectly attracts dust particles. And when cleaning is done, the curtains should be treated with an antistatic agent. Cleaning of such products is carried out with a vacuum cleaner, sponge and brush. You must work carefully so as not to damage the monofilaments.
Acrylic, taffeta, viscose. Such products are washed in water at a temperature of forty degrees. The use of a washing machine is permitted.Stains must be removed carefully using special cleaning products.
Nylon. Such products accumulate a large amount of dust and have to be washed regularly. The dust is first shaken out, the canvases are soaked in hot water and soda for an hour and a half. Washing is done by hand, then the items are rinsed. To return the curtains to their whiteness and freshness, it is recommended to add blue to the water at the last stage of rinsing.
Curtains with grommet. They are cleaned responsibly. Modern curtain rings are made from high-quality alloys and do not require special care. The metal grommet cannot be removed from the fabric, as it can easily withstand water treatments in the washing machine, withstanding temperatures up to thirty degrees. If the elements are made of plastic, they must be disconnected or washed by hand. There are several conditions - the curtain is folded into a bag and immediately removed from the drum after washing.
Roller blind. It has a special design, is impregnated, and cannot be easily washed off. It is necessary to take it to the dry cleaner or use the manual method. Stains can be removed with a simple school eraser and wet wipes. You shouldn’t rub the stain too hard, just blot it.

Hand washing method

This process is labor-intensive. But he is given preference. As the most careful. In addition, there are products that cannot be machine washed. There are several rules for hand washing:

There should be a sufficient amount of water. It is better to organize washing in the bathtub;
washing powder is not poured onto the surface of the fabric - it is diluted first, then the material is immersed in water;
products made from thin fabric do not rub or wring out;
it is necessary to first test the material for bleach if you plan to use it;
It is not recommended to squeeze out the water - it should drain on its own;
Salt water is used for soaking and washing.

Conclusion

To organize proper washing of products, it is recommended to know what material they are made of. In addition, the decoration of the curtains is taken into account. Simple models can be washed in a machine, the water temperature of which does not exceed forty degrees. But more delicate products will have to be cleaned by hand. By following simple rules, you can easily wash your curtains without any negative consequences.