If you love the look of white curtains in your home, you know how hard it can be to maintain their brightness and beauty. White curtains can easily become yellowed and dull due to environmental factors, body oils, antiperspirant stains, improper storage, and sun damage.
But don’t despair, there are ways to restore your white curtains to their original glory. In this post, we’ll share with you some easy and affordable ways to whiten your yellowed curtains using common household products.
The best way to whiten yellowed curtains is to use a laundry product that can remove stains and brighten fabrics, such as oxygen bleach, laundry bluing, chlorine bleach, or color remover. You can also use natural methods like vinegar, lemon juice, or baking soda to whiten your curtains.
In this post, we’ll show you how to use these methods to whiten your yellowed curtains and give you some tips on how to prevent them from yellowing again. Let’s get started!
Before we get into how to whiten your curtains, let’s understand why they turn yellow in the first place. There are several factors that can cause white curtains to yellow over time, such as:
Now that you know what causes your curtains to yellow, let’s see how you can whiten them using different methods. Depending on the type of fabric and the severity of the yellowing, you may need to try more than one method to get the best results.
Oxygen bleach is a gentle yet effective laundry product that can remove stains and brighten fabrics without damaging them. It works by releasing oxygen molecules that break down the dirt and grime that cause yellowing. Oxygen bleach is safe to use on most fabrics, including polyester, synthetic fabrics, cotton, linen, and printed fabrics. However, do not use it on silk, wool, or leather.
To use oxygen bleach to whiten your curtains, follow these steps:
Laundry bluing is an old-fashioned laundry product that can improve the brightness of white fabrics by adding a blue tint that counteracts the natural yellowing that occurs during regular laundering. The blue tint is barely noticeable but it makes the fabric appear whiter to the eye. Laundry bluing is added to either the wash or rinse cycle. Always dilute it in cold water before adding it to any type of washer.
To use laundry bluing to whiten your curtains, follow these steps:
Chlorine bleach is a powerful laundry product that can remove stains and whiten fabrics by breaking down the color molecules. However, chlorine bleach can also damage fabrics if used incorrectly or too often. It can weaken the fibers, cause holes, and make the fabric more prone to yellowing. Chlorine bleach is only safe to use on 100% cotton or linen fabrics. Do not use it on synthetic fabrics, silk, wool, or leather.
To use chlorine bleach to whiten your curtains, follow these steps:
Color remover is a laundry product that can remove stains and whiten fabrics by stripping away any dye or color molecules. It can also restore the original color of faded or discolored fabrics. Color remover is safe to use on most fabrics, except for silk, wool, or leather. However, it may affect the color of printed or dyed fabrics, so test it on a small inconspicuous area first.
To use color remover to whiten your curtains, follow these steps:
Vinegar is a natural and inexpensive way to whiten your curtains. It has acidic properties that can remove stains and brighten fabrics. Vinegar is safe to use on most fabrics, except for silk, wool, or leather.
To use vinegar to whiten your curtains, follow these steps:
Lemon juice is another natural and inexpensive way to whiten your curtains. It has antibacterial and antifungal properties that can remove stains and brighten fabrics. Lemon juice is safe to use on most fabrics, except for silk, wool, or leather.
To use lemon juice to whiten your curtains, follow these steps:
Baking soda is another natural and inexpensive way to whiten your curtains. It has alkaline properties that can remove stains and brighten fabrics. Baking soda is safe to use on most fabrics, except for silk, wool, or leather.
To use baking soda to whiten your curtains, follow these steps:
Whitening your yellowed curtains doesn’t have to be a difficult or expensive task. You can use some simple and effective methods that you probably already have at home or can easily find at your local store. Oxygen bleach, laundry bluing, chlorine bleach, color remover, vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda are all great options to brighten your white curtains and remove any stains or discoloration. J
ust make sure to test a small hidden area of the fabric first and follow the care instructions on the label of your curtains. With these tips, you can enjoy your white curtains for years to come.
Dale is the colorful mind behind HuetifulHomes.com, where he shows you how to create a home that is as fun and fabulous as you are. He has a passion for color and a knack for DIY, with years of interior design experience he shares his tips and tricks on how to create a home that reflects your personality and style. He believes that color is the key to happiness, and he wants to help you make your home more Huetiful.
