Prep first
Before you start
- Fix the water source first and dry everything completely.
- Wear gloves, goggles without vents, and an N-95 respirator before touching the mold.
- Brush loose mold off outdoors when you can.
- Wet areas dried within 24 to 48 hours usually won't grow mold.
Mold on curtains leaves a visible mark, and it's a living fungus that spreads through tiny spores. Those spores land on wet surfaces and need water or moisture to grow, so drying the area matters as much as the mark. On fabric, the stain is partly damage: the color is the shadow of pits in the fiber surface, so a fresh spot can lift fully while an old one may never come out.
If the label says no washing, dab the spot with a mild, delicate laundry detergent on a soft cloth, never soaking the fabric. Work from the edges inward, then let the curtain dry fully before you judge it. Removing mold from curtains without washing is easiest while it's fresh, and a musty smell means they stayed damp.
Before you start
What curtains & blinds can take
Use with care6
- Water
- Soaking
- Oxygen bleach
- Enzyme cleaners
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
Avoid4
- Hot water
- Chlorine bleach
- Scrubbing and abrasives
- Heat, once the stain is out
6 items
What you'll need
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- Gloves, goggles without vents, and an N-95 respiratorKeeps spores out of your lungs and off your skin and eyes while you work. (opens Amazon)
- Soft brushLoosens dry mold outdoors so it doesn't go into the house. (opens Amazon)
- Laundry detergentWorks into the stain before the curtains go in the wash. (opens Amazon)
- Table saltThe gentler set-in treatment for a shadow that stays. (opens Amazon)
- Lemon juice (opens Amazon)
- Chlorine bleach or powdered non-chlorine bleachThe last-resort soak, only if the fabric can take it. (opens Amazon)
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Fix the damp first
Find where the moisture came from, such as a leak, condensation on the glass or a damp wall behind the curtains, and fix it before you clean. Put on gloves, goggles without vents, and an N-95 respirator before you touch the mold, because spores can be breathed in or land on your skin.
Step 2 of 6
Brush the loose mold outdoors
Take the curtains down and carry them outside, then brush off the loose mold with a soft brush. Work over the ground so any spores fall away from the house.
Tip. Brush both the front and the back of the fabric.
Careful. Shaking or brushing the curtains indoors scatters spores through the house.
Step 3 of 6
Check the label and water test
Read the care label first, and if it says dry clean only, take the curtains to a professional. For velvet, test a hidden corner with water before wetting the whole panel.
Careful. Water-based cleaners are not safe on S-coded velvet; use dry-cleaning or solvent-based cleaners only.
Step 4 of 6
Wash in cold water with detergent
Work laundry detergent gently into the stain with your fingertips, then launder the curtains in cold water on a delicate cycle. Let the water and detergent do the lifting rather than scrubbing the fabric.
Tip. Rinse the curtains fully so no detergent residue is left in the fabric.
Careful. Don't use hot water on velvet.
Step 5 of 624 to 48 hours
Air-dry the curtains completely
Hang the curtains in good airflow until every part is dry, including the folds and hems. Aim to have them completely dry within 24 to 48 hours, since damp fabric is what lets mold return.
Tip. A fan aimed at the curtains speeds up drying.
Step 6 of 6
Check the mark once dry
If the mark is gone, rehang the curtains and you're finished. If a shadow remains, move on to the set-in treatments.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for mold on curtains & blinds
Choose a laundry detergent that's safe for delicate fabrics, and buy a bleach product only if your curtain label allows bleach.
Woolite Delicates
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on curtains & blinds, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light before using any heat. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
Heavy buildup usually takes more than one round.
Heavy or long-standing buildup →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
The spots should lighten after the wash, and the curtains should smell fresh rather than musty once they're dry. If a mark fades to a faint shadow and stops changing, the set-in treatments are the next step.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your curtains & blinds
Curtains you can't wash
If the curtains can't go in the wash, leave the water out of it. Take them down, brush the loose mold off outdoors, and hang them in airflow until they're completely dry.
Dry clean only curtains, and velvet with an S code, need a specialist dry cleaner. Check the care label for both the face fabric and any lining before you do anything else.
Curtains with a musty smell
A musty smell usually means the fabric stayed damp or mildew is still in it, so the drying step matters most. Wash and dry the curtains as the steps above describe, and make sure the window, wall or room behind them is dry before rehanging.
If the smell returns after a full wash and dry, the moisture source is still there, so look again for the damp. A plastic shower liner is a different job, so use the shower curtain guide for that one.
Heavy or long-standing buildup
An old mold stain has usually had time to damage the fibers, so it may only lighten rather than vanish. Mildew weakens fabric as it grows, so work gently, because a weakened spot can give way.
Dried mold can be spot treated from the outside edge toward the middle, and you can repeat the treatment as needed. Old stains are harder to remove than fresh ones, and some won't come out at all.
If a shadow still shows, put salt and lemon juice on the stain and dry it in direct sunlight, then rinse with cold water and launder on a delicate cycle. Test a hidden corner first, since lemon juice is an acid and the fabric can only take it with care.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on mold on curtains & blinds?
Plenty of home remedies get passed around for mold, but most of them don't belong on curtains. Here's how the common ones compare for fabric, and why these steps stick to detergent and cold water.
Helps1Skip6
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't mix bleach with other cleaners
Chlorine bleach mixed with ammonia or any cleaner that contains ammonia can produce toxic fumes. Lemon juice and vinegar must never be mixed with chlorine bleach either, so rinse everything out before any bleach goes on.
Don't use bleach as a routine fix
Chlorine bleach isn't meant as a routine treatment, so keep it for a stain that stays visible after the wash. If you do use it, ventilate the room and exhaust the air outdoors.
Don't bleach fabric that can't take it
Chlorine bleach isn't safe on silk, wool or spandex, or on fabric that isn't colorfast. Velvet can only take bleach if its label says it's bleach-cleanable.
Don't iron velvet curtains
Heat and pressure flatten the nap, so an iron can leave velvet looking crushed for good. Steam the curtains instead, and never press them flat while they're still damp.
Don't scrub or overwet the curtains
Rubbing or scrubbing can roughen the fibers and leave a worn spot where the mold was. Don't overwet the curtains either, since extra water keeps the fabric damp longer.
When to call a professional
Take the curtains to a professional dry cleaner when the label says dry clean only or a hidden-area test shows color transfer. For vintage or heirloom pieces, look for a cleaner who specializes in historical textiles or a conservator. If the mold came from sewage or contaminated water, or it covers more than about 10 square feet, get an experienced professional to handle it.
Questions
Will mold come back on curtains?
It can, if the damp that caused it is still there. Mold needs water or moisture to grow, so fix the leak, condensation or damp wall before you rehang the curtains.
Can I wash moldy curtains in the machine?
Often yes, if the care label allows washing and the fabric isn't velvet with an S code or an heirloom. Use laundry detergent in cold water on a delicate cycle, and take dry-clean-only pieces to a professional instead.
Is the stain permanent on curtains?
Not always, but an old mark may only lighten. Mildew damages the fibers as it grows, so a stain that has been there a long time can be partly damage rather than dirt.
What if the mold is on the lining?
Lining often has its own care label, so check it separately before cleaning. If that label rules out water, brush the lining outdoors and air it out instead.
How long before curtains are safe to rehang?
Once they're completely dry, which should take 24 to 48 hours. Check the folds and hems before you rehang them, because damp spots there can hold moisture.
Can I spot clean just the mark?
Yes, a small mark can be spot treated instead of washing the whole curtain. Test a hidden corner first, then work from the outside edge toward the middle.
Mold on other materials
Other stains on curtains & blinds
Start from the bigger picture
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.