Keeping your white curtains brilliant: Handy tips for cleaning, bleaching and maintaining them

White curtains offer a dual advantage: privacy and natural light. They keep curious eyes at bay while allowing a steady stream of sunlight inside, enhancing the house's charm and brightness.

However, there's a minor downside. White fabric tends to attract dust and dirt, which, over time, can cause the curtains to lose their snowy-white hue.

Apart from gathering pollutants, curtains can also absorb household odors. If not washed regularly, the airborne dust particles they collect could harm our health.

It's common for many households to wash curtains semi-annually — before Christmas and Easter. However, this infrequent washing often leads to curtains turning rather yellow, and removing this undesirable color from white fabric can be quite challenging.

If you want to restore the white color to your curtains, use around 1.76 ounces of baking soda in your washing machine. Baking soda is known for its bleaching properties and water-softening ability, preventing the fabric from getting overly creased.

Sometimes, the yellowing is so severe that baking soda cannot bleach the curtains completely. In such cases, one could opt for stronger products like specialty curtain bleaching agents. These are typically available in supermarkets and drug stores. These agents are formulated with powerful cleaning substances and bleaches, safe for synthetic fabrics.

Certain synthetic materials, for instance, nylon, are not suited for ironing. These materials tend to crinkle during washing, marring their visual appeal.

If you desire crease-free curtains without ironing, wash them on the lowest possible temperature setting and avoid adding other fabrics to the drum. Remember to set the spin cycle to the lowest possible speed, too.

Be generous with fabric softener—fill the compartment to the maximum. A sufficient amount of softener will ensure that your curtains remain pliable, reducing the visibility of any wrinkles. Hang your curtains as soon as the wash cycle ends; don't let them dry fully.

Combining minimum spin speed and abundant fabric softener will help your curtains straighten and look smooth once hung.