How to Wash and Steam Curtains Safely | Ona
Share
Read the sewn-in care label first; it overrides every guide, including this one. If it allows machine washing: take the panels down, shake and vacuum off the dust, remove every hook and ring, wash one or two panels on their own on a gentle cycle in cold water with mild detergent and no bleach, tumble dry on low for 10 minutes, then rehang them slightly damp so gravity pulls the creases out.
- Label first: no label, or "dry clean only", means do not machine wash
- Water: cold, up to 30°C (85°F), mild detergent, no bleach
- Load: one or two panels per wash, never a full drum
- Dryer: low heat, about 10 minutes, then rehang damp
- Between washes: vacuum monthly, steam to freshen
Updated October 2026 - general textile-care guidance, not an Ona test result
Start with the label, not the internet
The label sewn into the side hem is the only instruction written for your actual fabric, lining and coating. Follow it over anything below.
US care labels use the symbol system in ASTM D5489, which marks water temperature with dots inside a wash tub rather than numbers:
| Dots in the tub | Maximum water temperature | Dial setting |
|---|---|---|
| 1 dot | 30°C / 85°F | Cold |
| 2 dots | 40°C / 105°F | Warm |
| 3 dots | 50°C / 120°F | Hot |
| 4 dots | 60°C / 140°F | Very hot |
| 5 dots | 70°C / 160°F | (commercial) |
| 6 dots | 95°C / 200°F | (commercial) |
A hand in the tub means hand wash only. A crossed-out tub means do not wash at all. A crossed-out triangle means do not bleach. A crossed-out square with a circle inside means do not tumble dry. A crossed-out iron means do not iron, and an iron with a crossed-out steam symbol means do not steam.
Two things worth knowing about curtain labels. First, the FTC Care Labeling Rule (16 CFR 423) covers wearing apparel and certain piece goods, not finished window treatments, so a curtain panel is not required to carry a care label the way a shirt is. Many do; some do not. Second, when a label does say "dry clean only", the maker is supposed to have a reasonable basis for both the dry-clean instruction and the warning against washing. Treat it as real information, not boilerplate.
No label at all? Treat the panel as hand wash or dry clean, and test first: dab a hidden corner of the hem with a damp white cloth and mild detergent, let it dry, and check for color transfer, a water ring, stiffening or a change in sheen.
Which curtains can go in the washing machine
Most unlined polyester, cotton and poly-cotton panels can. The failure cases are nearly always a coating, a lining, a trim or a weave, not the face fabric.
| Curtain | Machine wash? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Unlined polyester or poly-cotton | Usually yes, cold and gentle | Durable, dries fast, very little shrinkage |
| Unlined 100% cotton or linen | Often yes, cold and gentle | Shrinks the most; see the shrinkage math below |
| Lined panels (separate liner fabric) | Only if the label says so | Face and liner can shrink by different amounts and pull the panel out of square |
| Coated or foam-backed blackout | Usually no | The coating can crack, bubble or peel; hand wash or wipe instead |
| Velvet, chenille, faux silk | Usually no | Pile crushes and water-marks; faux silk rings permanently |
| Sheers and loose weaves | Hand wash or a mesh bag on delicate | Snag and stretch; wet weight distorts the weave |
| Pinch pleat, goblet, pencil pleat with tape | Usually dry clean | Heading tape and buckram shrink differently from the fabric |
| Interlined or weighted drapes | Dry clean | Interlining and lead weights do not survive a drum |
Three checks before you commit: does the panel have a coated back you can feel with your fingertips; is there a stiff band or a tape sewn across the top; and is any trim, braid or tieback sewn on. Any yes means hand wash or dry clean.
How often to wash curtains
General laundry guidance is every 6 to 12 months for a living room or bedroom, with vacuuming in between. Rooms that generate grease, moisture or dander need more.
| Room or situation | Wash | Vacuum or dust between |
|---|---|---|
| Bedroom | Every 6–12 months | Monthly |
| Living or dining room | Every 6–12 months | Monthly |
| Kitchen | Every 2–3 months | Every 2 weeks |
| Bathroom (fabric panel) | Every 2–3 months | Weekly |
| Nursery or kids' room | Every 3–6 months | Monthly |
| Pets, smokers, allergies or high dust | Every 3–6 months | Every 2 weeks |
| Rarely opened formal room | Every 12–24 months | Quarterly |
Vacuuming is what actually keeps the interval long. A brush attachment on low suction, top to bottom, front and back, takes about two minutes per panel and removes most of what makes curtains look grey.
How to wash curtains in the washing machine, step by step
- Photograph the setup. One picture of the hem line and one of how the panels sit on the rod. Rehanging is faster when you can see where they were.
- Take the panels down and shake them outside. Dust that goes into the drum becomes mud. Shake, then vacuum both faces with a brush attachment.
- Remove all hardware. Hooks, pins, clip rings, rings, tiebacks and weights. Metal hooks score drums and tear fabric. Count them into a bag so you can put the same number back.
- Pretreat marks. Dab a drop of mild detergent on the spot, wait 5 minutes, blot with a damp white cloth. Work from the outside of the mark inward.
- Bag it and load light. Fold the panel loosely and put it in a mesh laundry bag. Wash one or two panels at a time and nothing else with them.
- Set the machine. Gentle or delicate cycle, cold water (the 1-dot setting, up to 30°C / 85°F), mild liquid detergent, low spin, no bleach and no fabric softener. Softener leaves a film that attracts dust; optical brighteners in regular detergent can change the shade of an off-white panel.
- Unload immediately. Wet polyester sets creases while it sits in the drum. Shake the panel out and square it up by the hems.
- Dry on low, then rehang damp. Ten minutes on the lowest heat with a dry towel in the drum, then hang the panel back on the rod while it is still slightly damp. Close the panels, smooth each fold downward, and leave them to finish drying in place.
Step 8 is the one that matters most. A rehung damp panel dries under its own weight, which is a better press than any iron and the reason this method beats ironing a long panel on a short board.
Load size: how many panels per wash
Curtains fail in the wash because the drum is full, not because the fabric is weak. A packed drum cannot tumble, so soil stays in and creases set.
Work out the panel's flat area first:
Square yards = (flat width in inches x length in inches) / 1,296
| Flat panel size | Flat area | Square yards |
|---|---|---|
| 42 × 63″ | 2,646 sq in | 2.0 |
| 42 × 84″ | 3,528 sq in | 2.7 |
| 52 × 84″ | 4,368 sq in | 3.4 |
| 52 × 96″ | 4,992 sq in | 3.9 |
| 52 × 108″ | 5,616 sq in | 4.3 |
| 70 × 96″ | 6,720 sq in | 5.2 |
| 70 × 108″ | 7,560 sq in | 5.8 |
Then estimate dry weight:
Dry weight in pounds = square yards x fabric weight in ounces per square yard / 16
Worked example, using 10 oz per square yard as an illustration and not a measurement of any Ona fabric: a 52 × 96″ panel is 3.9 sq yd, so about 3.9 × 10 / 16 = 2.4 lb, and a pair is about 4.8 lb. The simpler route is a bathroom scale: weigh one folded dry panel, because that number also tells you whether your curtain rod and brackets are rated for it.
A 4.5 cu ft washer is rated for roughly 16 to 21 lb of mixed laundry. Load curtains to about half that, because a panel is one continuous sheet of fabric that needs room to move. Practical limits:
| Panel size | Panels per load (4.5 cu ft or larger) |
|---|---|
| Up to 52 × 84″ | 2 |
| 52 × 96″ to 52 × 108″ | 2, or 1 if the drum is under 4.0 cu ft |
| 70″ wide, any length | 1 |
| Any lined or heavy panel | 1 |
Top loaders with a center agitator wrap long panels around the post. If that is your machine, use the delicate cycle, a mesh bag and one panel, or hand wash.
Shrinkage: the math that decides your hem
This is the real risk, and it is easy to quantify. Cotton commonly loses 3 to 5% on its first wash; polyester is far more stable, typically under 2%. Shrinkage is a percentage of length, so the longer the panel, the more inches you lose.
Inches lost at the hem = panel length x shrinkage %
| Shrinkage | 63″ panel | 84″ panel | 96″ panel | 108″ panel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1% | 0.6″ | 0.8″ | 1.0″ | 1.1″ |
| 2% | 1.3″ | 1.7″ | 1.9″ | 2.2″ |
| 3% | 1.9″ | 2.5″ | 2.9″ | 3.2″ |
| 5% | 3.2″ | 4.2″ | 4.8″ | 5.4″ |
Now compare that with the hem finishes Ona's fit guidance uses: float −½″, floor kiss 0″ and puddle +4″ in the product-page size helper, plus a soft break +2″ in the measuring guide.
- A panel hung to kiss the floor has no tolerance at all: any shrinkage shows as daylight under the hem. At 2% on an 84″ panel, that is 1.7″ of it.
- A panel hung to float starts ½″ off the floor, so it absorbs about ½″ before the gap starts to read as a sizing mistake.
- A soft break absorbs about 2″, and a puddle up to about 4″, which is why formal, washable drapes are often hung long.
So if you own cotton or linen panels and want to keep the hem line, do one of these:
- Wash cold and dry cold. Heat drives shrinkage far more than water does. Cold wash, no dryer, rehang damp.
- Pre-shrink before hanging. Wash and dry the panels once before you set the rod height, then hang to the length they actually are.
- Buy long and hem after the first wash, if you are willing to hem.
- Hang from rings or clips, which lets you recover ½ to 1″ of drop by moving the clip position.
Can you unshrink curtains? Partly, and only with natural fibers. Soak the panel in lukewarm water with a capful of hair conditioner for 20 to 30 minutes, then lay it flat on a towel and stretch it gently back toward its original length while damp, measuring as you go. Polyester shrinkage is heat-set and does not come back.
How to dry curtains
| Method | Heat | Time | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rehang damp on the rod | None | 2–12 hours | Nearly every washable panel | Protect the sill and floor with a towel |
| Tumble low, then rehang damp | 120–140°F | 10–15 min | Polyester, poly-cotton | Over-drying sets creases permanently |
| Air dry flat on towels | None | 6–24 hours | Loose weaves, sheers, knits | Slow; turn once |
| Line dry outdoors | None | 4–12 hours | Cotton | Clothespin marks, sun fading |
| Tumble on medium or high | Over 150°F | - | Nothing | Glazing, shine, shrinkage, set creases |
Polyester is a thermoplastic: its fibers begin to soften around 70–80°C (158–176°F) and reported damage starts near 65°C (150°F), which is why a "low heat" dryer setting of roughly 120–140°F is the ceiling. High heat does not just shrink a polyester panel; it glazes the surface into a permanent shine, and that cannot be undone.
If your dryer has no heat setting you trust, use air fluff / no heat for 15 minutes instead. It still relaxes the fabric mechanically.
Rings, grommets, hooks and tape
Take hardware off. Every time. Metal hooks and pin hooks catch the drum and tear the heading. Plastic clip rings crack.
Grommets are the exception people ask about, because they are set permanently into the heading and cannot be removed. If a grommet panel's label allows washing, protect them: fold the heading inward so the metal faces fabric, put the panel in a mesh bag, use the gentle cycle and the lowest spin, and keep the panel out of the dryer, where tumbling metal can dent the drum and the grommets can overheat. Check each ring afterward for loosening. If you are at all unsure, hand wash the panel flat in a tub.
Heading tape with drawn-up pleats should be untied and pulled flat before washing, then redrawn and retied afterward. Tape and buckram often shrink at a different rate from the face fabric, which is the main reason pleated drapes are sent out instead.
How to steam curtains
Steam is the cleaning method for everything that cannot be washed, and the finishing method for everything that can. It relaxes fibers, kills surface odor and lifts light dust without wetting the panel through.
- Check the label for a crossed-out steam or iron symbol, and test a hidden corner for 10 seconds first.
- Fill with distilled water if your tap water is hard. Mineral spitting stains light fabric.
- Let the steamer reach full heat and run it into a towel for a few seconds to clear condensed water out of the hose.
- Hang the panel and close it, so there is a flat surface and some weight pulling down.
- Work in vertical strips, top to bottom. Hold the head 2 to 6″ off the fabric and move steadily. Gravity and the panel's own weight do the work.
- Pull the hem taut with your free hand on the strip you are steaming.
- Steam the face side only on anything with a coated or foam back, and keep extra distance there. Heat and moisture on a blackout coating can make it bubble, harden or peel.
- Leave the panel closed to cool and dry for 20 to 30 minutes before you open it.
Use the steamer's lowest setting for synthetics, and never let the hot plate rest on the fabric. For deeper wrinkles, set creases from folding and the question of steam versus iron, see how to get wrinkles out of curtains .
No steamer? Hang the panel in the bathroom, run a hot shower with the door shut for 20 minutes, then leave it to dry closed. It is slower and does nothing for soil, but it works on creases.
Cleaning curtains without taking them down
For a mid-cycle freshen, or for any panel you have decided not to wash:
- Vacuum, top to bottom. Brush attachment, low suction, both faces, and do the top hem where dust settles most. Two minutes per panel.
- Lint roll or rubber glove for pet hair the vacuum leaves behind.
- Tumble with no heat. If the label allows the dryer at all, 15 minutes on air fluff with a damp cloth pulls out a surprising amount of dust.
- Steam, as above, for odor and surface grime.
- Spot clean with mild detergent on a damp white cloth, blotting rather than rubbing, then blot with clean water so no detergent ring dries in.
- Air the room. Open the window and leave the panels open for a few hours. Most "dirty curtain" smell is trapped air, cooking and damp.
What not to do: never spray a cleaner directly onto a hanging panel, because it runs and leaves a tide line, and never use a carpet or upholstery machine on a vertical panel, because it soaks the fabric and the water ends up on your sill.
Hand washing
The right method for sheers, anything unlabeled, anything coated and anything you care about.
- Fill a clean tub with cool water and a small amount of mild detergent. Swirl it in before the fabric goes in.
- Submerge one panel. Press it up and down for 2 to 3 minutes. Do not scrub, twist or wring.
- Let it sit for 10 minutes, then drain.
- Rinse with cool water twice, or until the water runs clear.
- Press the water out between towels. Never wring a wet panel; its own weight will stretch the weave.
- Lay it flat on dry towels for an hour, then rehang it damp.
A full-length wet panel is heavy and awkward. Lift it supported along its whole width, not by one corner.
"Dry clean only" and what it costs
A dry-clean-only label usually means one of four things: a coating or interlining that water would ruin, heading tape and buckram that shrink differently from the face fabric, a weave or pile that water-marks, or a lining whose shrinkage would pull the panel out of square. Pleated, interlined and weighted drapes are the common cases.
2026 US pricing, as published by cost aggregators:
| How you are quoted | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Per panel, standard fabric | $15–$50 |
| Per panel, silk or specialty | $30–$60 |
| Per set (all panels on one window) | $150–$250 |
| Per linear foot | $5–$10 |
| On-site cleaning, or take-down and rehang | Charged on top |
Ask three questions before you book: is the quote per panel or per set; does it include take-down and rehang; and will they guarantee against shrinkage, since dry cleaning is not risk-free for a lined drape either. For a window with two long lined panels, dry cleaning once a year can cost more than the panels did, which is the honest argument for buying washable curtains in the first place.
If the label says dry clean only and you want to clean it at home anyway, your options are vacuuming, steaming from the face side and spot cleaning. Nothing else.
Stains, mildew and yellowing
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| Greasy kitchen film | Mild dish detergent on a damp cloth, blot, rinse-blot. Wash sooner next time, not hotter |
| Water ring from a spill | Dampen the whole area evenly with distilled water and let it dry flat, so there is no edge to dry into a line |
| Mildew spots | Dry the panel and the window out first, brush the spores off outdoors, then wash per the label. Mildew staining is often permanent |
| Yellowing on a white panel | Usually sun and oxidation, sometimes optical brighteners breaking down. Oxygen bleach may help on cotton if the label allows bleach; chlorine bleach yellows polyester permanently |
| Sun fade on one edge | Not reversible. Rotate the pair left to right once a year so both panels age evenly |
Stopping mildew is a window problem, not a laundry problem. It needs condensation and still air. Wipe the sill and glass down in cold weather, run an extractor fan in bathrooms and kitchens, leave a small gap between the panel and the glass, and open the curtains every day so the fabric dries out.
Ona curtains: what we can and cannot tell you
Ona publishes one care line per product, and it is deliberately short:
- Linen Texture Blackout Grommet Pair, Wide Grommet Panel, Back Tab and Rod Pocket Pair: follow the care label supplied with your curtains.
- Velvet Room-Darkening Grommet Pair: follow the care label on your panels. The supplier's care note is do not bleach.
We do not publish a machine-wash instruction, a water temperature, a dryer setting, a shrinkage figure or a fiber percentage for these products, because we have not tested them ourselves and will not pass along a number we cannot stand behind. The grommet pair, wide panel and back tab pair use supplier-listed 100% blackout fabric. We cannot tell you whether that fabric is coated, backed or lined , and any panel that turns out to be coated or lined belongs in the hand-wash or dry-clean column above until its own label says otherwise. The velvet pair is unlined, room-darkening rather than blackout, and listed by the supplier as 100% polyester; velvet pile is the most water-sensitive surface in the table.
Practical reading of that: when your panels arrive, photograph the sewn-in label before you hang them, and treat it as the instruction. Vacuum monthly, steam from the face side to freshen, and go no further than the label allows.
Shop washable-minded basics: see all Ona curtains, or go straight to blackout curtains and velvet curtains. Offers stack automatically: Buy 2, get 1 free, plus a bonus 20% off at 4+ items. Free US shipping, and returns are accepted for damaged, defective or incorrect items only.
Common mistakes
- Washing before reading the label, or assuming "no label" means "washable"
- Hot water, which drives nearly all the shrinkage
- A full drum, so the panels cannot tumble and the creases set
- Leaving hooks, pins or clip rings on
- Bleach on polyester, which yellows it permanently
- Fabric softener, which leaves a dust-attracting film
- High heat in the dryer, which glazes synthetics into a shine
- Letting a wet panel sit in the machine
- Drying a panel completely flat and then trying to iron the creases out, instead of rehanging it damp
- Steaming or ironing a coated blackout backing directly
- Wringing or hanging a wet panel by one corner, which stretches the weave
How to wash curtains: FAQ
How do you wash curtains?
Read the care label first. If it allows machine washing, take the panels down, shake and vacuum off the dust, remove all hooks and rings, put one or two panels in a mesh bag and wash them alone on a gentle cycle in cold water with mild detergent and no bleach. Tumble dry 10 minutes on low, then rehang them slightly damp so they finish drying under their own weight.
Can curtains go in the washing machine?
Most unlined polyester, cotton and poly-cotton panels can, on cold and gentle. Coated or foam-backed blackout panels, velvet, chenille, faux silk, interlined drapes and pleated panels with heading tape usually cannot. The label decides, and when a panel has no label, treat it as hand wash or dry clean.
How often should you wash curtains?
Every 6 to 12 months for bedrooms and living rooms, every 2 to 3 months in kitchens and bathrooms, and every 3 to 6 months with pets, smokers or allergies. Vacuuming each panel monthly with a brush attachment is what keeps the interval long.
Do cotton curtains shrink in the wash?
Yes. Cotton commonly loses 3 to 5% of its length on the first wash, which is 2.5 to 4.2″ on an 84″ panel and up to 5.4″ on a 108″ panel. Heat causes most of it, so wash cold, skip the dryer and rehang the panel damp. Polyester is far more stable, usually under 2%.
Can you put curtains in the dryer?
Only if the label allows it, only on low, and only for about 10 minutes. Polyester fibers start to soften around 70–80°C (158–176°F), so keep the dryer below roughly 140°F. High heat shrinks the panel, sets creases and glazes synthetics into a permanent shine. Then rehang the panel damp.
How do you clean curtains without taking them down?
Vacuum both faces top to bottom with a brush attachment on low suction, lint roll off pet hair, steam the face side from 2 to 6″ away, and spot clean marks by blotting with mild detergent on a damp white cloth followed by clean water. Never spray a cleaner straight onto a hanging panel, because it runs and leaves a tide line.
Why do curtains say dry clean only?
Usually because something other than the face fabric would fail in water: a blackout coating that can bubble or peel, heading tape and buckram that shrink at a different rate, an interlining or lead weights, or a pile and weave that water-marks. Under the FTC Care Labeling Rule the maker needs a reasonable basis for both the dry-clean instruction and the warning against washing, so treat it as real information.
How much does it cost to dry clean curtains?
In 2026, roughly $15 to $50 per standard panel, $30 to $60 for silk or specialty fabric, or $150 to $250 for a full set covering one window. Some cleaners quote $5 to $10 per linear foot, and take-down and rehanging are charged separately. Ask whether the quote is per panel or per set before you book.
Can you wash curtains with the rings or grommets still on?
No, not with rings: take rings, clip rings, hooks and pins off, always. Grommets are the exception, because they are set permanently, so if the label allows washing, fold the heading inward, use a mesh bag, the gentle cycle and the lowest spin, and keep the panel out of the dryer. Check each grommet for loosening afterward, and hand wash flat if you are unsure.
How do you dry curtains after washing?
Rehang them on the rod while slightly damp, close them, smooth each fold downward and let them finish drying in place. Gravity presses out creases better than an iron does. If you use the dryer, keep it on low for 10 to 15 minutes and stop while the panel is still damp.
Can you steam curtains instead of washing them?
Yes for freshening, no for actual dirt. Steaming relaxes creases, kills surface odor and lifts light dust, so it is the right method for anything that cannot be washed and a good freshen between washes. It does not remove soil, grease or stains. Pair it with vacuuming, and wash per the label when the panel is actually dirty.
Can you unshrink cotton curtains?
Partly. Soak the panel in lukewarm water with a capful of hair conditioner for 20 to 30 minutes, lay it flat on a towel and stretch it gently back toward its original length while it is damp, measuring as you go. You will usually recover some of the loss, not all. Polyester shrinkage is heat-set and does not come back.
How do you stop curtains going mildewy or yellow?
Mildew needs condensation and still air, so wipe the sill and glass in cold weather, run the extractor fan in bathrooms and kitchens, leave a gap between the panel and the glass, and open the curtains daily so the fabric dries. Yellowing is mostly sun and oxidation; rotate the pair left to right once a year, and never use chlorine bleach on polyester, which yellows it permanently.
Related guides
- Curtain FAQ : sizes, light control, shipping and care in one place
- How to get wrinkles out of curtains : packing creases, steam versus iron, the dryer method
- How to wash blackout curtains safely : coated and foam-backed panels
- How to care for velvet curtains : pile, crushing and water marks
- Linen-look vs real linen curtains : why the two wash very differently
- How to train curtains to hang nicely : what to do after you rehang a damp panel
- How to measure for curtains: hem finishes and the drop that shrinkage eats into