Are Blackout Curtains Machine Washable?

Blackout curtains are excellent choices for any home that wants to keep the light out as much as possible. Therefore they are so popular in the hospitality industry.

But the one thing you may wonder is how you can wash these curtains as they differ from your usual curtains. So, are blackout curtains machine washable?

Blackout curtains are machine washable. Ensure that you use cold water for both washing and rinsing and that you use mild detergent and a gentle cycle whenever you are washing them. Also, it is best to wash your blackout curtains separately from all of your other laundries.

Because of how blackout curtains are made and designed to be different compared to your usual curtains, they need to be washed in another way as well.

It is essential for you to know how to properly wash these curtains so that you won’t end up damaging and compromising the quality of your blackout curtains.

What are the different cleaning methods?

It is important for you to know the different cleaning methods for your blackout curtains because of how dust, hair, and dander can easily accumulate on them and making them detrimental to your overall health. Here are the different cleaning methods you should know if you have blackout curtains of different types:

There are two major types of fabric construction used for blackout curtains, and the two types require different cleaning methods.

1.    Foam coated

Blackout curtains with foam-coated are the ones that have the white or gray coats that you will find on their reverse sides. In the case of these blackout curtains, you should not soak them in water because of how this can end up damaging them and pulling the coating away from the fabric.

This is why, if you do want to wash them, use mild detergent and don’t use fabric softener. However, it is best when you spot clean these curtains and then dry clean them afterward so that you won’t end up damaging the coating.

2.    Woven triple weave

Blackout curtains that have woven triple weave fabrics are the ones that are generally softer than all of the other types of curtains. They also drape really well and have no coating on the reverse because they used a very dense type of yarn that is tightly woven together to make sure that light doesn’t pass through the fabric.

These are the ones that you can safely wash in the machine but make sure that you use a gentle spin when you do wash them and that you also use detergent so that you will be able to retain the same kind of quality that the curtains have.

Deep clean with soapy water

For those who don’t want to machine wash their blackout curtains or for those who don’t have washing machines, you can still get a deep clean using soapy water. Here is what you need to do:

• Fill a tub with warm soapy water.
• Use soap that is enough for a small load of laundry.
• In the tub, make sure that you hand wash the blackout curtains because of how some machines may end up ruining their layers.
• After hand washing, make sure that you gently squeeze and scrub the curtains using your hands.
• Drain the bath after washing the curtains and rinse them with clean water before drying.

Spot clean with laundry soap

Spot cleaning can also be a good way for you to clean your blackout curtains without using a machine. This is recommended for curtains with dirty spots. Here is how you do it:

• Remove the curtains from their hooks.
• Use laundry soap that is mild.
• Place a drop of soap on the spot that you want to clean. Rub the spot gently with a cloth.
• From there, rinse the problem spot with clean water.
• We recommend that you first use the soap on a hidden spot on your curtains so that you can test whether or not it is mild enough to not ruin the color of the curtains.

Can fabric softener help?

While we often use fabric softeners for different types of clothes and curtains, does it mean that you can also use fabric softener for your blackout curtains? Can fabric softener help?

No, fabric softener will not help your blackout curtains. In fact, fabric softener can even end up ruining the curtains altogether. That’s because fabric softener may cause the coating to pull away from the fabric and then make the curtains less effective. This is mostly true for foam-coated curtains, but it can also be true for woven triple weave curtains as well.

As such, do not use fabric softener when you are washing your blackout curtains if you want them to last for a longer time or if you don’t want to ruin their quality and effectiveness.

Try not to use excess water

At the same time, when you are washing your curtains in a machine or otherwise, it is never a good idea to use excess water. That’s because when too much water builds up, it can also ruin the fabric and the coating on the blackout curtains.

This explains why it is best to use a gentle wash cycle that doesn’t use plenty of water when washing your curtains.

How to wash blackout curtains

Blackout curtains can be washed using hand-washing methods by using a tub of soapy cold water or by using your washing machine.

Using a washing machine requires that you need to use cold water and that you are using mild soap and detergent while putting the machine in a gentle spin.

How to clean blackout curtains

Cleaning blackout curtains can be done by using a vacuum cleaner to remove the dust, hair, and dander on the fabric.

If there are problematic spots, you can clean them using mild laundry soap and a bit of water but make sure that you only apply the soapy water on the dirty spots and not the entire curtain.

How to wash curtains with blackout lining

Blackout curtains without the blackout lining or the coating can be washed using a mild detergent or laundry soap.

It is best to hand wash these curtains to make sure that the machine doesn’t damage the lining, but you can still use your washing machine as long as you put it in a gentle spin.

How to wash polyester blackout curtains

Polyester blackout curtains are the easiest to wash because you can wash them in the machine without a lot of issues. However, we still recommend that you do not use fabric softener and that you only use a gentle spin when you are machine washing your polyester blackout curtains to prevent any issues or damages to the fabric.

How to wash eclipse blackout curtains

Eclipse blackout curtains are also pretty safe for machine washing because they are not like curtains that have linings or coatings.

Still, you need to wash the curtains one by one, and that you have to make sure that you are using a gentle detergent. Wash the curtains in cold water only and then put them on a gentle spin.

How to wash thick blackout curtains?

When the blackout curtains are quite thick, we do not recommend that you wash them in a machine or even soak them in water. Instead, it is best to use a vacuum cleaner when you are washing these thick blackout curtains.

Still, for problematic spots, we recommend that you wipe the spots with a clean cloth and a bit of soapy water but make sure that you do not soak the curtains in water.

How to wash the mud off white blackout curtains?

Washing mud off of white blackout curtains can be tricky because putting these curtains in a machine can potentially spread the mud throughout the entire curtain and giving them an off-white color.

As such, spot cleaning the mud off of white blackout curtains is the best and safest way for you because of how you will minimize the mud spreading throughout the entire curtain.

Spot cleaning your white blackout curtains requires that you use gentle laundry soap, water, and a clean cloth. Only clean the affected portion and not the entire curtain.

Why do my blackout curtains stick together when I wash them?

If you tried washing your blackout curtains in the washing machine, one of the problematic things that you might have noticed is that the curtains stick to one another. So, why do these curtains stick together when you wash them in the machine?

The curtains don’t actually stick together in the washer, but they do so in the dryer. That’s because some blackout curtains have a rubber lining that helps prevent light from permeating through the fabric.

So, when you put the curtains in the dryer, this will make some of the rubber on the curtains melt and then make the curtains stick together.

So, if you have blackout curtains with a rubber lining, do not stick them in the dryer. Only air-dry them instead of using the dryer.