How to Whiten Net Curtains

If your net curtains are looking a bit down in the dumps, and somewhat grey in colour, you might be thinking of re-homing them in the rubbish tip.

But that’s not necessary. Most of the time net curtains look old and drawn because they’ve lost their sparkle. In a nutshell, they’ve lost their glowing white colour.

It’s easy to bring your net curtains back to life, though – whiten them again!

Not sure how to whiten a net curtain? You’re in the right place. Read on to find out what you need to do to breathe new life into your discoloured nets today.

Pre-whitening

If you want to get the best results from your net curtain whitening session, I’d recommend considering some of my tips below:

• Always pull your net curtains down before you try and work with them.
• You need to remove any rings or bracelets you’re wearing in case you rip the material.
• Net curtains are delicate, so there’s no need to be rough with them when you’re whitening them.
• You should really think about removing as much dust as you can off your net curtains before you try and whiten them – hoover them.

Let’s get to the whitening!

Whitening Net Curtains

There are many ways that you can try to whiten net curtains. Some methods below are based on products that most of you’ll have at home, and other methods require you to pop to the shop to get a few things.

It’s entirely up to you what method you want to try first, or you can give all of the methods a go if you like.

Method 1: White Vinegar

White vinegar is great at working out old stains that have formed on net curtains. Its acidic nature gets to the bottom of grotty net curtain dirt, and it helps to bring the curtains back to their former glowing glory.

What you need:

• A bath or bucket
• White vinegar
• Warm water
• Gloves

How to:

1. Pop some gloves on.
2. Fill a bucket or bath up with warm water – no need for the water to be boiling hot.
3. Add in 1 cup of white vinegar to the warm water.
4. Swish the water around.
5. Open a window so that air can circulate.
6. Drop the net curtains into the water slowly.
7. Move the net curtains around in the water – agitate them.
8. Leave the net curtains in the water and white vinegar for an hour.
9. Tip out or release the water.
10. Gently squeeze the net curtains so that extra water falls off them – don’t be rough.
11. Rinse the net curtains under warm water to get any excess white vinegar out of them.
12. Wash the net curtains thoroughly – read our article to find out how you wash net curtains correctly.

An optional extra step that you could try is to add lemon juice to the water. Lemon juice is good at masking the smell of vinegar, which can be quite strong and unpleasant. A few drops of lemon juice should do the trick.

Not sure about this method? Check out some more methods below.

Method 2: Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is an alternative to white vinegar. It has antibacterial and antifungal properties, so it’s good for tackling any grime that appears on net curtains. It just so happens that when it’s getting rid of certain germs, it’s also making your net curtains whiter. Plus, it smells nice!

What you need:

• A bath or bucket
• Lemon juice
• Warm water
• Gloves

How to:

1. Wear some gloves.
2. Fill a bucket or bath up with warm water – boiling hot water is not essential.
3. Add in 1 cup of lemon juice to the warm water.
4. Move the water around so the products mix together.
5. Open a window so that the smell doesn’t overwhelm you.
6. Put the net curtains into the water gently.
7. Move the net curtains around in the water.
8. Leave the net curtains in the water and lemon juice overnight.
9. Tip out or release the water the next day.
10. Gently squeeze the net curtains so that any extra water falls out of them.
11. Rinse the net curtains under warm water.
12. Now wash the net curtains thoroughly.

By the end of this method, you should have lovely white net curtains and a very fragrant home!

Not convinced by this method? Check out a few more methods below.

Method 3: Denture Cleaning Tablets

Denture tablets are really easy to get hold of and they’re quite cheap to buy-in. They can be bought from most shops, and they’re usually found in the aisle with toothpaste and toothbrushes.

You can whiten net curtains with Steradent or other denture cleaning tablets. They’re exceptionally good at getting rid of tough grime and for whitening various items. They’re good for net curtains because they’re not too harsh!

What you need:

• A bath or bucket
• Denture cleaning tablets
• Warm water
• Gloves

How to:

1. Pop your gloves on.
2. Grab yourself a bucket or use your bath.
3. Fill either of these up with warm water.
4. Add 2-3 denture tablets into the water.
5. Mix the water around.
6. Put the net curtains into the water.
7. Swish the nets around in the water for a little while – agitate them.
8. Allow them to soak overnight.
9. Rinse the net curtains under warm water the next morning.
10. Wash the net curtains thoroughly.

This is a very straightforward method, and although denture cleaning tablets may take overnight to work their magic, the results are usually very good.

But, if you’re still not happy with this method, there are more options to try below.

Method 4: Diluted Bleach

Bleach is very good at whitening various materials, and net curtains are no exception. However, if you plan to work with this method, you should be careful to choose the correct bleach for the job, that you use the right amount of bleach and that you dilute the bleach.

What you need:

• A washing machine
• Diluted bleach
• Gloves
• Detergent

How to:

1. Put your gloves on.
2. Put your net curtains into your washing machine.
3. Follow the instructions on the bleach bottle to find out how much bleach to add to your washing machine.
4. Add in your chosen detergent.
5. Start a soak cycle, if you have one OR move onto step 6.
6. Set your washing machine up to do a delicate cycle.
7. Choose a low-temperature setting on your washing machine.
8. Run the delicate cycle.
9. Hang your net curtains out to dry.

Although bleach works well and it will make your white net curtains very white, you don’t really need to use this product. You should be able to get as good a result from using white vinegar or any of the other methods listed here.

You’ve must be extra careful when using bleach because over time it can cause yellowing. Which is basically creating a whole new problem for you to solve.

Check out some other methods below.

Method 5: Bicarbonate of Soda

Bicarbonate of soda can work wonders on net curtains! They can transform them from dark, mildew ridden curtains, to glimmering white shields that hang in your window.

What you need:

• A bath or bucket
• Bicarbonate of Soda
• Warm water
• Gloves

How to:

1. Pop some gloves on.
2. Grab yourself a bucket or use your bath.
3. Fill either of these up with warm water.
4. Add a cupful of bicarbonate of soda into the warm water.
5. Mix the water around.
6. Put the net curtains into the water.
7. Move the net curtains around in the water for a little while.
8. Allow them to soak for one hour.
9. Rinse the net curtains under warm water.
10. Wash the net curtains thoroughly.

If you have tough stains on your net curtains, bicarbonate of soda can work these out for you.

Just grab a cotton cloth, soak it in some warm water then press it into some Bicarbonate of Soda. The mixture will become quite thick.

Next, you need to press the cloth, with the bicarbonate of soda, onto the stained areas. Re-soak the net curtains in warm water and rinse any excess product.

If none of the DIY methods above has tickled your fancy, you may want to consider buying a product off the shelf to help you whiten your net curtains. Read on for more details.

Method 6: Specialised Products

So, if you don’t fancy trying your hand at a homemade remedy, you can buy specialised goodies that can help you to whiten net curtains.

There are many products available to buy online and in stores, but there are often mixed results with shelf-bought items. Further to this, some people like to mix a method mentioned above with an off-the-shelf product to get the best end result. It’s up to you though!

Below are examples of products you could try.

• Dylon Curtain Whitener – Dylon is a well-known brand. It’s one product you need to house in your home, along with many of Dylon’s other products. See it on Amazon.co.uk.
• Dr Beckmann Glowhite Fabric Whitener with Stain Remover – This product can also be used on various goods including clothes. Plus, it provides each item with a UV protective coating, which is quite handy considering nets go in the window where there is sunlight! See it on Amazon.co.uk.
• Swirl Net Curtain Whitener – This particular product is one that has mixed results, so I would use this on net curtains that are not covered in too much dirt and aren’t too heavily discoloured OR I’d use this product alongside one of the methods listed above. See it on Amazon.co.uk.

This is not an exhaustive list, and you may find other products in your local supermarkets that work just as well for you.

If you do know of a great product that hasn’t been mentioned, be sure to pop a comment below, so we can tell everyone else!

For the future…

The most common reason that net curtains don’t stay white is that they’re exposed to a lot of dirt and changing environments. So, if you want to keep your white net curtains white, you really need to keep on top of cleaning them.

Here are a few basic tips for you:

• Hoover your net curtains weekly.
• Open a window frequently, so that air can get to them – helps limit mould growth too.
• Don’t smoke near your net curtains – this encourages yellowing and obvious discolouration.
• Wash your net curtains regularly by giving them a quick soak in white vinegar – every few weeks will do.
• Give your net curtains a thorough clean every few months – that’ll help them to keep their colour, shape and they’ll be hygienic too.

Don’t be too upset if you notice that your nets get dirty quickly, it’s inevitable that dirt will gravitate towards them. After all, they’re hanging up in a window all day every day, gathering up whatever floats into the room.

 

Conclusion

Whitening net curtains may seem like a tedious task, and you might think that it would be easier to buy new nets. But in reality, whitening net curtains is quite simple.

The key is to keep on top of cleaning the curtains so that they don’t get too dirty or too discoloured in the first place. Regular maintenance will mean that your white nets will be white for longer, and they might actually stick around for longer as well.

 

FAQs

Can I wash my net curtains with other white clothes in the washing machine?

I’d advise you not to do this because net curtains are quite fragile. For example, if you washed net curtains with a top that had studs or jewel embellishments on it, these would likely snag the net and ruin it. Best to wash net curtains on their own.

Should I take my net curtains to a launderette?

Most net curtains can be washed at home, either by hand or in a washing machine. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this yourself, you should make enquiries with local launderette businesses in your area to see if they can help you out.