Updated at: 26-09-2022 - By: Sienna Lewis

It’s safe to say that curtains have gone a long way in the last few decades. In fact, prehistoric man employed animal hides to block out sunlight and decorate their caves long before cotton or synthetic fabrics were discovered. Curtains are now available in a wide variety of fabrics, colors, and designs from which to choose. You may have to bleach your curtains to lighten their color or eliminate stains if you’re on a tight budget. In truth, you just need a few minutes’ worth of home bleach or hydrogen peroxide at a concentration of 3% to get the job done.

Step 1

White curtains with minor stains can be dried in the sun to remove the stain. Remove the curtains from the washing machine and dry them on a clothesline outside after cleaning them with a cup of household bleach and a light detergent. Stains fade when exposed to the sun’s rays.

Step 2

Add a cup of household bleach to half-filled hot water in the bathtub. Allow your shower curtain to soak for around 20 minutes in the tub. Soaking your shower curtain will remove mold and mildew stains, making it whiter and brighter. Dry the shower curtain by draping it in the sun after rinsing it in warm water.

DIY Bleached Curtains | Idea Central - The CB2 Blog

Step 3

Add one cup of bleach to your washing machine to lighten dark-colored curtains. Stop the washing machine before it rinses, but let it agitate. Keep an eye on the color of the curtains once they’ve been bleached. When the curtains have bleached out to the desired lightened tone, restart the rinse cycle. To dry the curtains, hang them outside in the sun.

Step 4

Your kitchen sink should be half full with hot water when you open the faucet and stop the drain. Incorporate a tablespoon of household bleach. Remove the color by soaking the curtains in the sink for several hours. Drain and rinse the darker-colored curtains before hanging them in your home. Warm water can be used to rinse and dry the bleached curtains.

Step 5

Hydrogen peroxide can be used to eliminate yellowing from lace curtains. Add two cups of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide to a sink of cold water and soak the curtains. Drip-dry the curtains after soaking for one hour.

Tip

Lemon juice can be used to bleach stains on white drapes. After cleaning, let the curtains to air dry in the sunshine. The sun and lemon juice work together to lighten the stain.

Warning

Don’t dry a curtain made of 100% cotton in the dryer. Cotton shrinks, so expect some shrinkage in your curtains as well. When using household bleach, proceed with caution. Bleaching your curtains isn’t the only thing you’ll have to worry about.

Curtain Bleaching Basics

In order to avoid bleach damage to your curtains, make sure the label reads “no bleach” before using the product. Opt for sun-bleaching instead. Bleaching is possible with most cotton and most synthetic textiles. Silk, wool, spandex, non-colorfast textiles, and leather should not be bleached.

Spot-test your curtains in an unnoticed region before bleaching them. See how the bleaching solution affects the curtains. You can bleach the remainder of the curtains if your test spot holds up and gives you the results you want.

Bleach is poisonous, so be careful when using it. Put on a mask and goggles to protect your eyes from the hazardous chemicals. The color of your clothes will fade if you use bleach on them. Also work in a well-ventilated area, opening nearby windows during the process.

Toxic bleach should be handled with care. You should use protective gear such as gloves and a face mask, as well as safety goggles. When washing clothes, avoid slathering bleach on them. Open neighboring windows while you’re at it to keep the air moving around you.

Methods 2: How to Bleach Curtains?

Colorful curtains are lovely, but let’s face it: sometimes a change is all that’s needed. When you learn how to bleach curtains, you’ll discover a whole new world of fabric colour.

Changing the color of your curtains by bleaching them or simply attempting to lighten them is an affordable method to give your home a fresh new look. It may be a difficult endeavor, but the end result is worth it.

Prepare the cloth by washing and drying it as needed. Bleach your curtains by soaking them in the heated solution. Add additional color removers as needed during the hour-long simmer.

Some individuals find it difficult to lighten dark-colored drapes by bleaching them. These tips and tactics can help you hang those bright and shiny curtains in no time at all.

DIY Bleached Curtains | Idea Central - The CB2 Blog

Step 1: Preparation for colored fabric

Before you begin the process, you must wash and dry your curtains to ensure they are clean. Preparing the solution while the curtains are hanging to dry is simple: combine water with soda ash, dish soap, and a spoonful of all-purpose color remover.

Step 2: Create the mixture

Using a large pot set to high heat, combine all of the ingredients and bring them to a boil. Adjust the heat setting to bring the mixture to a gentle boil after the water has boiled. How much water and other liquids you need to boil depends on the amount of fabric you intend to cook.

Boiling water can be used to soak your curtains for about an hour. If you’re not using a pot to wash your curtains, you’ll need to ensure that the water is hot enough to complete the operation.

Step 3: Color remover treatments

Add an additional 14 teaspoons of color remover to the solution every fifteen minutes while the fabric is simmering in hot water. Stir the mixture to ensure that it is properly distributed throughout the fabric.

Step 4: Draining

To remove the hot water from the curtains, turn off the heat and remove the pot. Rinse it thoroughly before serving. When rinsing the mixture from the curtains, be mindful of the heat that emanates from them. Rinsing them in the washing machine is always a safe option.

Step 5: Bleaching process

We’re now ready to begin the bleaching process itself. Prepare the bleach solution by mixing one cup of bleach with four gallons of hot water in a bathtub or a large saucepan. Adding extra bleach to your colored curtains will make them lighter in hue. Allow your drapes to soak for at least a couple of hours.

Tip

Try using oxygen bleach instead of chlorine-based bleach if possible.. Chlorine can harm certain materials, leaving them dry and crisp or discoloring them in an unattractive way.

Step 6: Rinse the curtain.

Remove your curtains from the bleach mixture after four to five hours of bleaching. Launder your drapes with care, using a mild detergent. Wring out the extra water when it has finished running on a moderate cycle.

Hang them on a clothesline in the sun to dry. Flatten them out and avoid bunching the fabric together before hanging them on the wall. Alternatively, you risk creating curtain wrinkles that are difficult to remove.

Drying the curtains should reveal a shift in color saturation. All traces of the previous color, as well as any streaks, should be gone. To get a whiter result, you may have to repeat the process if your curtains are quite dark.

Bleaching white curtains

With the proper knowledge and technique for bleaching curtain, we may re-color our curtains to their original dazzling white hues. Regardless of the quality of the cloth, it is well known that it will eventually yellow.

Fortunately, a cup of bleach and a cup of hydrogen peroxide can bring them back to their former glory. Just like in step five, combine boiling water and a cup of bleach. The whitening effect can be boosted by using baking soda and pure lemon juice.

Instead of soaking them for several hours, it is recommended that you merely leave them in for about 60 minutes. After that, just wash and dry your curtains in a hangar. Instead of leaving them out in the sun to dry, put them in the dryer.

Safety note

You may wish to check your curtain manufacturer’s directions before using this method to remove stains and fabric color. If you wash your curtains with hot water, you may want to avoid some types of cloth.

Depending on the fabric, drapes may carry a “dry clean only” label. As a result, washing them in either hot or cold water could cause harm to the fabric. So, exercise caution when working with fabrics of this nature.

To sum up, you should know how to bleach curtains at any given time. By undertaking a DIY curtain dyeing project, you can refresh the look of your home’s interior design. The bright white shine of ancient and yellowed drapes can also be restored by using this product.

How to Sun-Bleach Colored Curtains

You may be able to sun-bleach your curtains if you only wish to lighten or tone down their color a little. Using this method is completely safe and non-toxic. Summer is the best time to use this method because the days are long and the sun is shining brightly. Take the following steps:

  1. Curtains should be wet or washed.
  2. Use a clothesline or a clean surface outside to hang the curtains. Place them where they will receive the most direct sunlight.
  3. Lemon juice sprayed on the curtains can brighten them even more. Lemon juice and 8 glasses of water should be combined in a pitcher. Spray the curtains evenly on both sides with the solution after pouring it into a spray bottle. Even more bleaching power is provided by the lemon juice when it reacts with the UV rays of the sun.
  4. For two to three hours, leave the curtains out in the sun on one side. Then, turn them over and wait for two more hours. More times you may need to perform this step if the curtain color is darker.

How to Bleach Curtains With Color Remover

To avoid damaging curtain fabric, color-removal products use a nonchlorine bleach instead of chlorine bleach. Fabric can be lightened or darkened with the help of these products. All of the aforementioned fibers can be cleaned with a color remover. Curtains can either be simmered on the stove or immersed in hot water in a bathtub or large container to remove the color.

To use a stovetop color remover, follow these instructions:

  1. Launder the curtains in a washing machine with a light detergent and warm water.
  2. Make sure the curtains are completely submerged in a large stainless steel saucepan by filling it with adequate water. Bring the water to a gentle boil.
  3. Add a packet of color remover according to the package guidelines when the water begins to simmer.
  4. Pour in the curtains one at a time into the crock pot. Stirring occasionally, cook for 10 minutes at a low simmer. Verify the hue. Allow it to boil for an additional ten minutes if you’d like a lighter shade.
  5. As soon as the heat source has been turned off, carefully pour the hot water into the sink. Remove the curtains and wash them in cool water until the water runs clean. Afterwards, hang them back up.
  6. Hang the curtains to dry after washing them in the washing machine with a moderate detergent.

To use a bathtub color remover:

  1. Curtains should be pre-washed in a washing machine with mild detergent in warm water.
  2. Add a packet or packets of color remover to the hot water in a bathtub or other container, following the instructions on the packaging.
  3. Using your hands or a wooden spoon, agitate the water while the curtains are submerged. Keep repeating this process until the curtains are the desired shade of white. In terms of time, the process can take anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes depending on the type of fabric and the color that you choose.
  4. Using a hose, hose down the curtains with cool water to remove any dirt or debris.
  5. Hang the curtains to dry after washing them in the washing machine with a moderate detergent.

How to Bleach Curtains With Chlorine Bleach

Chlorine bleach may be your best option if you want to significantly diminish the color of your curtains. In your washing machine, you can carry out the procedure.

How to Bleach Curtains - Krostrade

Before bleaching, make a solution of 1/4 cup water and 2 teaspoons of chlorine bleach to see if the cloth reacts. Into the mix, add a hidden portion of curtains. Blot dry after a minute. Bleaching can proceed as long as the fabric is resistant to bleach.

To make your curtains look like new again, use this method of chlorine bleaching:

  1. Add 1/4 cup chlorine bleach to each gallon of cool water in your washing machine tub to make a bleach solution. Immerse the curtains for five to ten minutes in the solution.
  2. After that, simply wash as usual with a moderate detergent.
  3. Add 3/4 cup of chlorine bleach to the bleach dispenser cup of the washing machine and repeat the process if the curtains are still too dark.
  4. Hang the curtains to dry after the cycle is complete.