Brush or vacuum your curtains to remove excess dirt.
Use a soft-bristled brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner to gently remove dust and debris from your curtains.This often makes a big difference in your curtains’ appearance, especially if it hasn’t been done in a long time. It will also make it easier to clean them later on.
Take your curtains down and fill a bucket or basin with water.
Remove the curtain rod from the wall and slip the net curtains off one side of the rod.Lay the curtains aside, then fill a bucket, basin, or bathtub with lukewarm water. Be sure to add enough so that the water will cover the curtains completely.
Prepare a cleaning solution.
For tough stains, add 1 cup (236 ml) of vinegar to the water. If you want, include a tablespoon (14.7 ml) of lemon juice to freshen the vinegar smell and help clean the curtains. If you don’t want to use vinegar, add a bit of gentle laundry detergent instead.
- If your curtains are made of linen, do not use vinegar. The vinegar will burn them.
- Vinegar is great for removing smells and getting your nets a bright white color once again. It can also remove mildew & mold
Soak your curtains for at least an hour.
Submerge the net curtains in the bath, and agitate the water so the cleaning solution gets into the fabric. For the best results, leave the curtains to soak for at least an hour, or overnight. This should remove any dust, dirt, and odors that have gotten into your curtains.
- If you used laundry detergent, it may be enough to let your net curtains soak for 15-30 minutes.
- Do not scrub the curtains while they soak, as this may damage the fabric.
Drain and soak with baking soda to tackle tough stains (optional).
If your net curtains are particularly dirty, drain the water from your container and fill it with fresh, lukewarm water. Mix in 1 cup (250 g) of baking soda and soak the curtains for another hour, or overnight. The baking soda will help lift stains and remove any remaining dirt or odors.
- Baking soda is also excellent at removing mildew and mold and will help whiten your curtains.
- If stains still remain after the baking soda soak, mix 4 tbsp (80 g) of baking soda and ¼ cup (59 mL) of water to create a paste. Apply the paste directly to the stains and rub it into the fabric. Then, apply a little undiluted white vinegar to the area. Alternatively, use a commercial stain remover fit for net curtains.
Wash your net curtains on a delicate cycle.
Most net curtains can be washed in a washing machine, but check the care label to make sure. If it’s safe to do so, simply wash your curtains on a delicate cycle with your usual laundry detergent. To make them extra soft, add fabric softener or 2 tbsp (30 mL) of vinegar to your rinse cycle. Remove the curtains before spinning, or put them on very low spin to prevent wrinkles.
- Wash your curtains with other white items to bulk up the load.
- If your curtains are hand wash only, submerge them in a basin of cool water with a bit of laundry detergent or dish soap. Gently agitate the water, allow the curtains to soak for about 15-30 minutes, then rinse them until no soap remains.
- If you already pretreated your net curtains with laundry detergent and didn’t do a baking soda soak, you likely don’t need to wash them again. Simply rinse them until no soap remains.
Allow your net curtains to air dry.
Do not put your net curtains in the dryer, as this will cause them to shrink. Instead, hang them up outside (if possible) and allow them to air dry completely before rehanging them in your window. If you can’t hang them outside, hang them in their usual spot and wait for them to dry.[8]
- If you handwashed your net curtains, first remove excess water by laying them flat on a towel and pressing them with the towel.
- It is difficult to iron net curtains without damaging them. Hanging them to dry helps prevent wrinkles in the first place.
Note: If your curtains are made of silk, do not hang them to dry, or the fabric will yellow. Instead, roll the net curtain in a towel to remove excess water, then iron it on low heat to dry.