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How to Clean Curtains Without Shrinking Them: A Room-by-Room Guide
How to clean curtains at home without shrinking them: vacuuming, washing, blockout linings, sheers, velvet, outdoor curtains and mould in humid climates.
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Updated October 2026 · By Sam K, Fabrica Kraft
Quick answer: Vacuum curtains every month with the upholstery brush on low suction, working from top to bottom. Wash or professionally clean them about once a year. Before washing, check the care label, take out all hooks and weights, and wash in cold water on a gentle cycle with mild detergent. Skip the dryer: hang curtains to dry, ideally back on the rod while slightly damp, so their own weight pulls out the creases.
Curtains quietly collect dust, pollen, cooking smells and, in humid parts of Australia, the odd spot of mould. Because they hang there looking fine, most people forget to clean them until they notice a grey tinge along the hem. The tricky part is cleaning them without shrinking them by 5 cm or wrecking the lining. Here's how.
How often should you clean curtains?
| Task | How often |
|---|---|
| Vacuum or shake out | Monthly (fortnightly if you have pets or allergies) |
| Spot clean marks | As they happen |
| Full wash or professional clean | Once a year |
| Kitchen and bathroom curtains | Every 3 to 6 months |
| Outdoor curtains | A rinse every couple of months in the warmer seasons, plus a full clean each spring |
Homes & Gardens suggests the same once-a-year baseline, with more frequent cleaning in high-use rooms and rooms that get a lot of sun.
Step 1: Vacuum regularly
This is the easiest way to keep curtains clean and put off washing them. Use the upholstery brush attachment on low suction.
- Start at the top and work down.
- Pay extra attention to the folds, the heading and the hem, which catch the most dust.
- Do the back (or the lining) too.
- Vacuum the windowsill and floor underneath at the same time.
Step 2: Read the care label
The label decides everything. Look for it along a side hem or near the heading. You'll usually see one of these:
- Machine wash symbol: safe to wash at home. Note the maximum temperature and go lower.
- Hand wash symbol: wash gently by hand in cool water.
- Dry clean only, or a crossed-out tub: don't use water. Take it to a professional.
No label? Treat it as delicate. Test a hidden corner first, or ask a curtain cleaner.
Step 3: Wash at home (if the label allows)
- Take everything off. Remove hooks, rings, weights and tie-backs. Metal hooks can snag fabric and rust in the wash.
- Shake them outside to get rid of loose dust.
- Pre-treat marks with a dab of mild detergent.
- Use cold water and a gentle or delicate cycle. Heat is the main cause of shrinking, especially with cotton and linen.
- Use mild detergent. Skip bleach and fabric softener, which can fade colour and weaken fibres.
- Don't overload. Wash one or two panels at a time so they have room to move.
- Use a low spin. A hard spin sets deep creases.
Too big for your machine? Wash them in a clean bath with cool water and mild detergent, swish gently, drain, refill to rinse, then press out the water. Don't wring.
Step 4: Dry them the right way
Don't tumble dry. It's the fastest way to shrink curtains. Instead:
- Hang them over a clothesline or airer, out of harsh direct sun, which can fade colour.
- Better still, rehang them on the rod while they're slightly damp. The weight of the fabric pulls out most creases as it dries. Open the window for airflow.
- If they still need it, iron on a low setting or steam lightly once dry.
How to clean different types of curtains
Blockout and lined curtains
Blockout linings are often coated, and they can crack, peel or pucker if washed hot or tumble dried. Check the label for both the face fabric and the lining. If either says dry clean only, take them to a professional, and tell the cleaner the curtains have a blockout lining. Between cleans, vacuum and spot clean. Our blockout curtains guide explains more about how these linings work.
Sheer curtains
Sheers are light and delicate, but they show dust and smoke stains quickly. Wash them in a large mesh laundry bag on a delicate cycle with cold water, and rehang them damp. They dry fast and usually need no ironing. See our sheer curtains guide.
Velvet curtains
Don't soak velvet. Water can crush the pile and leave watermarks. Vacuum gently in the direction of the pile, steam to lift flattened areas, and use a professional cleaner for a full clean.
Outdoor curtains
Outdoor curtains face dust, pollen, salt air and rain. Brush off loose dirt, then wash with mild soap and lukewarm water and rinse well with a hose. Leave them hanging open to dry. Many solution-dyed outdoor fabrics, such as Sunbrella, can also be machine washed cold and air dried. See our outdoor curtains.
Mould on curtains
In humid places like Brisbane, Cairns and Darwin, and in bathrooms everywhere, curtains that sit against cold, wet glass can grow mould along the hem.
- Take the curtain down and shake it outside.
- Mist the spots with white vinegar mixed 1:1 with water, leave for an hour, then wash as normal.
- Dry completely before rehanging.
- Prevent it: open curtains during the day, run the exhaust fan, and wipe condensation off windows in winter.
Avoid bleach unless the care label says it's safe. It will strip colour from most curtain fabrics.
When to replace instead
Sun damage can't be washed out. If your curtains have faded in stripes, gone brittle or started to split along the folds, cleaning won't save them. Replacement curtains made to measure will fit the rod you already have. Browse our made-to-measure curtains and measure using our mm guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can you put curtains in the washing machine?
Many can, if the care label shows a machine wash symbol. Remove all hooks, use cold water and a gentle cycle, and don't tumble dry.
How do you wash curtains without shrinking them?
Use cold water, a gentle cycle and a low spin, then air dry. Heat from hot washes and dryers is the main cause of shrinking.
Can you wash blockout curtains?
Some can be washed cold on a gentle cycle, but many coated linings are dry clean only. Check the label for both the fabric and the lining.
How do you clean curtains without taking them down?
Vacuum them with the upholstery brush, spot clean marks, and use a handheld steamer to freshen them and remove light creases.
How do you clean sheer curtains without taking them down?
Vacuum them gently on the lowest suction with the brush attachment, holding the fabric from behind so it doesn't get sucked in. Then freshen them with a handheld steamer. For marks or yellowing, take them down and wash them cold in a mesh bag.
How do you wash very large curtains?
Wash one panel at a time on a gentle cold cycle so it has room to move, or use the bath if it won't fit in your machine. Large or lined curtains that say dry clean only are best left to a professional curtain cleaner.
How do you clean drapes?
The same way as curtains: vacuum monthly, check the care label, and wash cold and gentle or have them professionally cleaned. Heavy, lined drapes are often dry clean only.
Should I iron curtains after washing?
Usually not. Rehanging them slightly damp lets the weight of the fabric smooth out most creases.
