DIY GUIDE · CLEANING · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to wash curtains yourself
A day, including drying. £5–£15 in detergent and replacement hooks.
Read the label, take them down safely, loosen the tapes, wash cool and gentle, rehang damp.
- Every step, start to finish
- Checked October 2026 — sources at the end
- Honest about when to call a pro
FIRST, THE HONEST ANSWER
Do it yourself, or get a cleaner?
Do it yourself if…
- The care label shows a washtub symbol — machine or hand wash — rather than a crossed-out tub or dry clean only
- The curtains are unlined, or the lining is the same washable fibre and the label covers the whole curtain
- Each curtain fits comfortably in your drum with room to move, or is small enough to hand wash in the bath
- You can reach the track or pole from a stepladder without going near its top three steps
Get a pro if…
- The label says dry clean only, or shows a crossed-out washtub
- They are blackout, thermal-coated, interlined, velvet, silk or heavily lined in a different fabric
- They are very large, heavy or floor-to-ceiling in a stairwell or tall bay you cannot reach safely
- They are old, sun-weakened or valuable — fabric that has rotted in the sun can tear in a wash
Safety first
- Take curtains down from a stepladder with all four feet on the floor and its locks engaged; HSE says not to stand on the top three steps unless there is a proper handhold.
- Face the window, keep your weight between the stiles and move the ladder rather than reaching sideways — heavy wet or dusty fabric pulls you off balance.
- Get a second person to take the weight of long or lined curtains as you unhook them.
- Never use bleach on curtains; the retailer's guide says it damages the fabric, and it reacts with other cleaners.
- Lead weights in the hem and metal hooks must come out before washing; they damage the drum and the fabric.
- Do not hang wet curtains from a pole or track that is not designed for the weight — let them drip on a line first.
| MATERIAL | COVERAGE | FOR THIS JOB |
|---|---|---|
| Colour-care or non-bio liquid detergent | The light-load dose | One pair per wash |
| Replacement curtain hooks | To replace bent or broken ones | A pack covers a pair |
Will it fit in the drum?
A curtain fits if its dry weight is well under the delicates load your machine allows — delicates loads are much smaller than cotton loads. Weigh it by standing on scales holding it, minus your own weight. A pair of unlined 168 × 183 cm curtains at about 1.2 kg each fits a 7 kg drum as a delicates load one curtain at a time.
If the drum would be more than half full, wash one curtain per load or hand wash. Overloading causes creases and an uneven clean.
The sewn-in label decides everything. A washtub means washable, with the number inside it the maximum temperature and a bar or two underneath meaning a gentler cycle. A hand in the tub means hand wash. A circle means professional cleaning, and a crossed-out tub means do not wash. If the label is gone, treat them as dry clean only.
Some machines have a curtain programme. One maker's version uses more water and lower spin speeds, and drains by spinning at the end so the curtains come out damp enough to hang, with fewer creases. Another maker's manual washes machine-washable curtains on its delicates programme at 30°C or cold with a low spin, and suggests a pre-wash because curtains are usually full of dust.
Large or delicate washable curtains can be hand washed in a bath of cool water with a little detergent. Squeeze the fabric gently rather than rubbing it against itself, rinse thoroughly, and let it drain before hanging.
Many curtains are dry clean only, and blackout or thermal-coated curtains and linings are usually labelled for professional cleaning. Take the hooks out and untie pencil-pleat strings before sending them. In between, vacuum and air them.
A colour-care or non-biological liquid detergent, at the dose for a light load. Avoid bleach and optical brighteners on coloured fabric, and skip fabric conditioner if the curtain has a coating.
A soft brush attachment run down the curtain from top to bottom every month or so lifts dust before it settles in. Hanging curtains outside on a breezy, dry day freshens smells without any water.
THE PART THAT DECIDES THE FINISH
Preparing the curtains — by type
Before anything goes in the machine, find your curtains below and do their prep.
Unlined washable cotton or polyester
The easiest to wash at home.
- Measure the drop and width of each curtain and write it down
- Take out every hook and any metal glider
- Loosen the heading tape strings so the fabric lies flat, without pulling the cords out
- Shake the curtains outside to get the loose dust off
Pencil pleat with gathered tape
The heading most people have.
- Knot the ends of the cords together at one side so they cannot pull out of the tape
- Ease the gathers out until the curtain lies flat
- Count the hook positions you used so you can match them when rehanging
- Leave the tape on — it is sewn in and washes with the curtain
Eyelet curtains
Metal or plastic rings in the heading.
- Check the label: metal eyelets can mark in a wash
- Wash on the gentlest cycle, inside a large laundry bag if possible
- Keep the spin low so the rings do not dent the drum or the fabric
- Rehang straight onto the pole while damp
Lined curtains
Face fabric and a separate lining.
- Check the label covers the whole curtain, not just the face
- If the lining is detachable, take it off and wash it separately
- If the face and lining are different fibres, expect different shrinkage; consider a dry cleaner
- Blackout or thermal linings: do not machine wash unless the label allows it
Voiles and nets
Light, sheer and easily snagged.
- Shake them out and soak in cool water first if they are grey
- Wash in a laundry bag on a delicates cycle or by hand
- Use a short, low spin or none at all
- Hang them back up wet; they dry in hours and the creases drop
Curtains with weights or ties
Lead weights, chains or fixed tie-backs.
- Unpick or remove lead weights from the hem pockets, or put the curtain in a laundry bag as the machine maker suggests
- Take off tie-backs and wash them separately
- Remove any trimming that is glued rather than sewn
- Check for weak, sun-rotted fabric along the leading edge before washing
THE JOB
How to wash curtains, in order
Read the label and measure
10 minFind the sewn-in care label, usually on the back of the heading tape or the bottom corner. Check that it allows washing and at what temperature. Measure the drop and width of each curtain and write them down, so you can tell if they have shrunk and ease them back.
- Photograph the label
- No label: treat as dry clean only
- Check whether there is a separate label for the lining
Mistake to avoid: Washing a dry-clean-only curtain because it looks like cotton. Coatings, linings and some weaves are why it says dry clean.
Take them down safely
20 minSet the stepladder square to the window on a firm, level floor, with all four feet down and the locks engaged. Climb only to a step where your waist is below the top and you can keep a hand free. Draw the curtain to the end of the track and unhook it a section at a time, while a helper takes the weight below.
- Face the window and keep the ladder in front of you
- Move the ladder along rather than leaning to the side
- Drop hooks into a tub, not a pocket
Mistake to avoid: Standing on the top step to reach a high track. HSE says to stay off the top three steps unless there is a handhold.
Shake, vacuum and prepare
15 minShake each curtain outside to get rid of loose dust. Remove every hook and weight. Tie the cord ends of pencil-pleat tape together at one end and ease out the gathers so the curtain lies flat and the whole width is cleaned. Put voiles and eyelet curtains in a large laundry bag.
- Knot the cords so they cannot disappear into the tape
- Check for small tears and mend them before washing
- Brush off any mould spots outside
Mistake to avoid: Washing pencil pleats still gathered. The folds stay dirty and come out in stripes.
Pre-soak or pre-wash for dust
30 minCurtains hold a lot of dust, which turns to grey water the moment they get wet. Either run the machine's pre-wash, as one maker's manual suggests for curtains, or soak them for half an hour in a bath of cool water and drain it before the main wash.
- A grey first rinse is normal
- Cool water for the soak, never hot
- Drain and gently squeeze; do not wring
Mistake to avoid: Going straight to a main wash. The dust redeposits on the fabric and the curtains come out dull.
Wash cool and gentle
1 hrLoad one or two curtains loosely, well short of a full drum. Choose the curtain programme if your machine has one, or delicates at the label's temperature or lower — one maker uses 30°C or cold. Add a light-load dose of colour-care detergent. Set a low spin.
- Wash a pair together or in identical loads
- Never above the label temperature
- Leave out fabric conditioner on coated fabrics
Mistake to avoid: Using a hot cotton wash. Cotton and linen curtains shrink and linings pucker.
Or hand wash in the bath
45 minFor curtains too big for the drum, half fill the bath with cool water and a little detergent. Push the curtain under and squeeze the fabric gently in sections rather than rubbing. Drain, refill with clean water and rinse the same way, twice. Let it drain over the side of the bath before lifting.
- Squeeze, do not rub or wring
- Rinse until there are no suds
- Wet curtains are heavy — lift with help
Mistake to avoid: Wringing a wet curtain. It stretches the fabric and sets hard creases.
Take them out while still damp
10 minTake the curtains out of the machine promptly at the end of a low spin, while they are still damp. The retailer's guide says machine-washed curtains should keep some moisture and be hung damp to avoid deep creasing. Shake each one out and pull it gently to its measured length and width.
- Do not leave them sitting in the drum
- Check the measurements now and ease them back if needed
- Hang voiles straight back up wet
Mistake to avoid: Tumble drying curtains to save time. Heat shrinks them and sets creases, and the label rarely allows it.
Let them drip, then rehang
30 minIf they are dripping, hang them over a line for a short while until they stop. Re-gather the heading tape to the width you had before, tie the cords off neatly, and refit the hooks at the same spacing. Rehang them from the stepladder as before, with a helper holding the weight.
- Match the hook positions to the photo or count
- Tuck cord ends into the tape pocket
- Close the curtains while they dry so the fabric hangs straight
Mistake to avoid: Hanging soaking curtains on the track. The weight pulls gliders out and can drag a pole off its brackets.
Let the creases drop
OvernightLeave the curtains closed and let them dry where they hang, with the window slightly open if it is not raining. The weight of the damp fabric pulls most creases out. Run your fingers down the pleats to set them while still damp.
- Keep the heating on low for air movement, not high
- Ease the hem straight if it has dropped unevenly
- Check after a day before reaching for the iron
Mistake to avoid: Ironing straight away. Most creases drop by themselves; ironing a curtain that did not need it risks scorch marks or shine.
Finish and maintain
15 minOnce fully dry, check for any remaining creases and iron only if the label allows, at the temperature it shows, on the back. From now on, vacuum the curtains with a soft brush tool every month or so, top to bottom, and keep them away from the glass so condensation does not mark them.
- Iron on the reverse, with the steam the label allows
- Vacuum from the top down
- Air them outside on a dry day between washes
Mistake to avoid: Letting curtains rest against wet glass every winter. Condensation leaves tide marks and mould along the leading edge.
The mistakes that shrink and spoil curtains
- Ignoring a dry clean only label or a blackout or thermal lining
- Washing hot or tumble drying, which shrinks cotton and linen and puckers linings
- Washing pencil pleats still gathered, so the folds stay dirty
- Overloading the drum, which leaves creases and grey patches
Stop here and get a curtain cleaner
- The label says dry clean only or shows a crossed-out washtub
- They are blackout, thermal, interlined, velvet, silk or lined in a different fabric
- They hang somewhere you cannot reach safely from a stepladder, such as a stairwell or a tall bay
- The fabric is sun-rotted, very old or valuable
| WHAT YOU SEE | WHY, AND THE FIX |
|---|---|
| The curtains shrank | Washed too hot or tumble dried. While damp, ease them back to the measured size by pulling gently along the length; a small shrink often relaxes as they hang. Large shrinkage cannot be reversed. |
| The lining has puckered | Face fabric and lining shrank differently. A curtain cleaner can sometimes steam-finish it under tension; next time dry clean, or remove and wash the lining separately. |
| Deep creases that will not drop | They were spun too fast or left in the drum. Dampen the creases with a mist of water and let them hang closed; iron on the reverse only if the label allows. |
| Grey or patchy after washing | Dust redeposited, or the drum was overloaded. Wash again with a pre-wash, one curtain per load. |
| Water stains or tide marks | Dried unevenly or touched wet glass. Rewash the whole curtain rather than spot cleaning, and hang it away from the window. |
| Colours look faded along one edge | Sun damage, not dirt. Washing cannot restore it; rotate pairs and consider a lining. |
| Mould spots along the leading edge | Condensation on the window. Brush off outside, wash at the label's highest temperature, and keep curtains off the glass. |
| The heading tape has gone limp or uneven | Cords pulled through or gathers uneven. Re-gather from the knotted end and tie off; if a cord has come out, a new tape can be sewn on. |
WHAT YOU SAVE
What it costs to do it yourself
| Colour-care or non-bio liquid detergent | £7.25–£11 |
|---|---|
| Replacement curtain hooks (if needed) | £2.50–£4.99 |
| Total, typical | £5–£15 |
| DIY total | £5–£15 |
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
One bottle of detergent covers many washes, so the per-pair cost is a fraction of this. The comparison is with professional cleaning per pair.
RATHER NOT?
Curtain cleaners near you, with prices shown
The ones who cover your area, nearest first, with one score from every review. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
Leave curtains open during the day for the first few days so any damp in the heading dries out.
Old curtains that are past washing can go to textile recycling banks or the household waste recycling centre's textiles container; your council's recycling pages list where. Broken plastic hooks go in general waste.
Vacuum them top to bottom every month or so and shake them out when you change the seasons.
With the measurements, so next time you know what the curtains can take and whether they shrank.
Washing curtains: questions people ask
If the care label shows a washtub, yes: hooks out, tapes loosened, a curtain or delicates programme at the label temperature or lower, a low spin, and rehang while damp. If it says dry clean only, no.
No higher than the number in the washtub on the label. One washing machine maker washes machine-washable curtains on a delicates programme at 30°C or cold.
Only if the label covers the whole curtain. Face fabric and lining often shrink differently, so many lined, blackout and thermal curtains are dry clean only.
Take them out of the machine damp and rehang them straight away; the weight of the fabric pulls most creases out as they dry. Iron on the reverse only if the label allows.
The Locufy UK price guide puts curtain cleaning at £25–£110 per pair, typically £55. Large, lined and interlined curtains cost more, and take-down and rehanging may be extra.
Vacuum them every month or so and wash or dry clean washable ones once or twice a year, more often in kitchens or homes with smokers or pets.
MORE GUIDES
More DIY guides
Sources — checked October 2026
- Bosch — which washing machine programme to use: the curtains programme
- Miele — washing machine operating instructions: curtains on delicates, pre-wash, weights
- Beko — things you can wash in a washing machine: curtains, check the label
- Dunelm — how to care for your curtains
- Smartblinds — how to clean curtains: cotton and linen shrinkage
- HSE — types of ladder and using them safely: stepladders
- Sainsbury's — price check: non-bio liquid detergent, October 2026
- B&Q — price check: curtain hooks, October 2026
- GOV.UK — recycling collections: find your council