Correct washing of curtains in a washing machine

From time to time, many people have a question - how to wash the curtains correctly or in what mode to wash the curtains in the machine. It is obvious that washing the curtains by hand is a very thankless task. At first glance, it seems that the curtains are a simple product that you just need to put in the washing machine and turn on the standard washing mode. However, in reality, even simple products made of different materials can shrink or even be damaged. In addition, the washing process can be further complicated by the presence of additional locks, hooks, decor or eyelets.

How to wash in a washing machine

Washing curtains has its own characteristics and general rules. First of all, before washing, you need to determine what fabric the product is made of. The fabric of the product is the main recommendation on which mode to wash the curtains. The basic rule here is this: the thinner the fabric, the more gentle the regime should be. All delicate or complex items that can be damaged are best washed in a cloth bag - this way they will retain their fresh look.

It is important to consider that all curtains shrink slightly after washing. Only products made of synthetic materials do not change their size: polyester or nylon. Linen shrinks most of all, cotton fabrics are slightly reduced in size. Silk, organza give minimal shrinkage.

Also, the design of the curtains also affects the question of which mode to wash the curtains in the machine. It is easiest to wash regular items from straight cloths. Many people have questions about how to wash products with a complex structure: from threads, Roman blinds or curtains with fasteners, for example, with eyelets. Models made of threads, with complex drapery or lambrequin should be washed before washing and put in a fabric bag.

At the same time, the rain must first be braided into a weak braid and tied with a string in several places. This will prevent the threads from getting tangled.

Preparatory stage

Any curtains must be prepared before washing. To begin with, you just need to shake them out - to remove excess dust, the remains of pet hair. It is better not to shake curtains with eyelets, but to use a vacuum cleaner. To do this, they must be laid out on a sofa or on a clean floor and walked over them with a vacuum cleaner with a special furniture brush.

Then, if possible, all hard objects are removed from the products, especially those that can come off: hooks, clamps.

After that, the curtains must be inspected for:

• Possible damage.
• Stains or traces of grease.
• Pollution.

Fabrics can be damaged either at the attachment points or at the hem. If there are small gaps, they should be sutured first.

If dirt or greasy stains are found, it should be sewn with large stitches with any contrasting thread. After that, they are soaked for 30-60 minutes, then the stains are washed off. Do not rub thin fabrics, as this can damage it. It is better to lift it out of the water several times and then brush over the stains.

Mode selection

The mode for washing curtains is selected according to the fabric. All items are washed separately from other items, and the machine should be loaded about halfway, as the curtains should move freely in the drum. It is important to check the weight of the products and the capabilities of the machine, because if you load an amount of fabric for which the device is not designed, then it may break.

After loading the curtains, it remains to select the water temperature and mode. The water temperature is selected depending on the type of fabric:

• Up to 30 degrees - silk, veil or organza.
• 30 degrees for dyed flax.
• 30-40 degrees - acrylic, viscose, plain linen and colored cotton.
• 40-50 degrees - unpainted cotton or taffeta.

When determining which mode to wash curtains in a machine, it is better to give preference to the most gentle option or choose "hand wash". It is better not to use spinning for thin curtains in principle. For cotton and linen, spin with a minimum number of revolutions is suitable.

Selection of funds

When choosing cleansers, it is better to give preference to liquid options: gels or shampoos for washing.

Powdered substances can leave streaks on the fabric. In addition, powdered products may not completely dissolve and remain in the fabric even after washing in the form of small crystals, which can subsequently lead to allergies. Especially often, such crystals get stuck in thread or rope products.

Washing depending on material and type

Each material and type of product also has its own small characteristics. In addition to the correct mode, there are several more secrets that will allow you not only to wash the curtains, but to preserve their appearance and not break the washing machine.

Blackout

Blackout curtains are usually made of dense fabric that provides complete blackout. They are often made of dense velvet or tapestry and have a relief pattern. Therefore, many have a question: how to wash blackout curtains in a washing machine.

If blackout curtains are made of dense curtain fabric, for example, from tapestry, then they will be very unpretentious in washing. You can erase them in any mode. For cotton material, you can choose a temperature of 50 degrees, for flax, it is better to set it to 40 degrees. The spin should be set to the minimum.

If the blackout curtains are made of thick velvet, then they need to be washed with a delicate cycle or with the "hand wash" option. It is better to set the temperature to 30 degrees.In this case, the fabric must be placed in a bag, pre-folded with a pile inward.

It is also better not to wash thick velvet curtains at all, but to do with dry processing or take them to dry cleaning.

With eyelets

Eyelets in the fabric can damage the washing machine and even break it. They can also be damaged themselves, for example, crack during the washing process. Therefore, if possible, curtains with eyelets should be washed by hand.

If you still need to use a washing machine, then you should try to remove the eyelets - some designs provide for this possibility. Plastic rings are usually easily removable. If it was not possible to remove them, then they must be put into the drum only in a fabric protective bag. It will protect the parts of the device and the eyelets themselves from damage.

The temperature for plastic eyelets must be set to 30 degrees, metal products will withstand 50 degrees. The mode is chosen sparing, but you do not need to squeeze them.

With hooks or rings

Many people ask themselves whether it is possible to wash curtains with hooks and whether it will damage the hooks themselves and the washing machine. Indeed, hooks or rings are objects that can damage or damage parts of the washing machine. Therefore, it is better to remove them before washing. Plastic rings are usually easy to remove.

Iron hooks are most often sewn to the canvas or sewn into the curtain tape. Therefore, most likely, they will have to be cut and then sewn again. Despite the fact that this is a very laborious process that requires perseverance, the time spent will be rewarded a hundredfold. In this case, you do not have to repair the washing machine or buy new hooks.

If there is no way to remove the hooks, it is better to choose a hand wash. Or, as a last resort, wash the curtains in a bag on a delicate cycle. But it is worth remembering that even such a wash will be a serious risk for curtains and washing machine parts.

Thread

Washing thread curtains is no different from cleaning regular products. The only caveat is that before putting them in the drum, the threads need to be braided into a weak pigtail, which is tied with a rope every 30-40 cm. It is also advisable to put the pigtail in a bag. These actions will protect the threads from damage, tangling and falling into the machine parts.

The temperature and type of washing must be selected according to the material from which the threads are made. Spin is selected in the same way.

You need to dry such curtains in two stages: first, let the pigtail drain, spreading it on a board in the bath, in the sink or in another similar place. This process usually takes 2-3 hours. During this time, the pigtail must be periodically turned over, shaken and lightly squeezed by hand. After the bulk of the water drains, the curtains need to be hung up. In this form, they will dry completely.

Linen

The main difficulty in washing linen curtains is their shrinkage. Flax tends to shrink the most. Therefore, you need to choose the minimum temperature - about 30 degrees. If the products are made of thick fabric, then the mode can be selected as normal. For delicate fabrics such as batiste, choose a delicate or hand wash.

For thick fabrics, you can set the minimum spin.After washing, they need to be hung on the dryer in several folds, and after drying, iron them with an ordinary iron.

You cannot even wring out delicate cambric curtains by hand - this will damage them. Before drying, they need to be folded in the bathroom or sink, allowing the bulk of the water to drain off. In this case, the fabric must be squeezed several times, but not twisted. The curtains can then be hung on the curtain rod. In this form, they will not only dry out, but also smooth out.

With beads

The difficulty of processing products with beads, rhinestones, shells or other additional decor is that it can come off and get into the mechanism of the washing machine, which will damage it. Large decorative parts such as shells can crack or break. Therefore, if possible, it is better to remove all such parts or simply wash such products only by hand.

If the beads are small and there are a lot of them, then the curtains can be machine washed in a bag. The temperature is set at 30-40 degrees, depending on the material. The mode of the machine must be selected "hand wash".

The bag will not save products with large decor, so it is better to wash them only by hand.

Models with small beads can be wrung out by hand, but it is important not to twist them. Products with sharp or large decorative elements cannot be squeezed out, as the fabric can be damaged. The material should be allowed to drain and then carefully hung on the cornice to dry.

Curtains

Curtains are made of thin delicate fabrics: silk, cambric, organza. Therefore, when processing, they require additional delicacy. It is better to wash such products in the following ways:

• With your hands.
• In an automatic machine on the "hand wash" mode.
• Be sure to use a cloth bag.

When hand washing, curtains should not be rubbed, this may damage the fabric. The use of chemical bleaching agents is not recommended for this material, as they are quite aggressive on the fibers and can damage them.

When washing in the machine, the temperature is set to 30 degrees, and the manual mode is selected.

In no case should you squeeze out delicate curtains. When washing in the machine, the machine must be allowed to rest in the drum so that the water is glass. Then they need to be laid out in the sink or in the bath, allowing the bulk of the water to drain off. After that, the thin fabric should be hung on the curtain rod.

It is not recommended to hang curtains on drying, as during drying, creases are formed, which will then be difficult to eliminate.

Can I wash it by hand

Complex designs with hooks, eyelets or rich decor, as well as delicate items, are best hand-washed. This is the easiest and most reliable way not to break the automatic machine and protect the curtains from damage.

However, many housewives fear this option, as they are afraid to rub off their hands or injure their backs. Knowing simple secrets, these unpleasant moments can be avoided.

The curtain fabric does not need to be rubbed. To remove dirt and stains, it is enough just to repeatedly dip the curtains in water and get out of there. Stubborn stains can be brushed off.

It is better to put a basin of water on some kind of elevation: a table or a board in the bathroom.This will avoid repeated flexion of the back and overloading of the lower back. It is better not to use the bath for washing because of the high probability of injuring your back.

You need to squeeze the curtains, only slightly squeezing them. The water should be allowed to drain for 2-3 hours.

After the water has drained off, the curtains can be hung to dry or directly on the cornice.

Removing tough stains

If grease, ink, paint or other stubborn stains have formed on the fabric, these stains must first be cleaned.

For tough stains, it is best to use home remedies:

• Salt.
• Soda.
• Soda and vinegar.
• Citric acid.
• Hydrogen peroxide.

For fabrics with a pattern, salt, soda, vinegar are suitable. Light-colored fabrics can be cleaned with lemon juice or citric acid. Fine fibers are best treated with salt.

To remove stains, you must first slightly moisten the place of pollution, then remove the dirt and only then soak and wash the curtains.

Drying curtains

There are three ways to dry such bulky products:

• Pre-position in a container or on a surface where water can drain. This will greatly facilitate further manipulation of heavy, wet curtains.
• Hang to dry in several folds. This method is quite convenient, but it will require subsequent ironing.
• Hang wet curtains immediately on the cornice. It is important to ensure that water does not drip onto the floor and damage the floor covering. This method avoids ironing.

Thin fabrics and models with decor are usually immediately hung on the cornice, since they are difficult or impossible to iron.

Dense fabrics, on the other hand, are best left to hang on the dryer and then ironed. Hanging dense, heavy curtains on the cornice will immediately be difficult.

Ironing rules

You can iron only items made of dense, even fabric. Do not iron:

• Thin curtains.
• Products with decor from beads, rhinestones.
• Thread curtains.
• Velvet models.

The heating temperature of the iron is selected according to the fabric, while it is better to turn on the steaming mode. Steam will iron the curtains faster.

Ironing option - steam treatment of curtains by weight, if the design of the iron allows it. For steam treatment by weight, you must select the "steam release" mode.

Items that cannot be ironed must be hung up immediately. If this is not planned, then they can be dried in the usual way, then folded and removed. Creases and wrinkles that form during this process can be removed later by moisturizing and hanging the curtains.

Another option for ironing already dried curtains is to steam them by weight and let them dry.

How to wash without ironing

To reduce the harsh heat treatment of your fabric, you can wash it without ironing it later. Usually this method is used for velvet or thin tulle.

The procedure for such washing:

1. Collect some water in the bath, about 5-10 cm at the bottom.
2. Pour in the detergent previously diluted in water and stir.
3. Carefully fold the curtains along their length in several layers.
4. Lay out the curtains at the bottom of the tub and drown them in the water.
5. Brush the curtains on several sides.
6. Drain the bathroom, leaving the curtains on the bottom.
7. Collect and drain clean water several times, gently rinsing the fabrics in it.
8. Finally drain the water from the bath, leaving the canvas to lie on the bottom.
9. After 30-40 minutes, raise the curtains and get cold, let the water drain.
10. Leave the cloth on the bottom of the bath again and repeat the procedure 2-3 times.
11. At the end, you can hang wet curtains. Alternatively, the fabric can be allowed to dry completely in the bath and then removed. To do this, it must be regularly shaken off and turned over until completely dry.

Features of washing organza tulle

Thin organza tulle is best hand washed in a bath or basin. This will not only protect the product from damage, but also create convenience during subsequent processing. In an automatic machine, organza must be washed only in a bag. It is not recommended to iron this product; it is better to hang it wet.

These simple care tips will help keep your curtains fresh, clean and tidy for years to come.

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