First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Lift off any loose residue with a dry paper towel first.
- Check the care label before you add any water.
- Keep the fabric flat, with an absorbent pad under the stain.
- Heirloom or dry-clean-only? Stop and call a professional.
Removing stains from curtains is easiest while the mark is still fresh, but the care label decides how much moisture the fabric can handle. Sheers, white curtains and velvet each need a different touch, so testing a hidden strip first saves a lot of worry. An older mark may only fade, and on a heirloom piece it may be wiser to leave it alone.
Work from the edge of the stain toward the middle so it doesn't spread across the panel. Keep your cloth barely damp, especially on sheers, because a soaked spot can leave a water ring. If a mark has set into white curtains or the lining, a stain remover for curtains is the product to reach for.
Before you start
What this material 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
7 items
What you'll need
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- Clean white clothShows whether color is moving during the hidden-area test. (opens Amazon)
- Absorbent pad or folded towelGoes under the stain so the liquid doesn't soak through.
- Mild liquid dish soapThe soap in the soap-and-water step. (opens Amazon)
- Commercial dry-cleaning spot productThe option for dry-clean-only or S-coded fabric.
- Delicates stain removerUsed in a drop or two on velvet that can't be laundered. (opens Amazon)
- Soft dry brushRestores the pile on velvet once the spot is dry.
- Dry-cleaning product (opens Amazon)
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Check the care label first
The care label decides which products you can use. If it says dry clean only or carries an S code, a professional or a solvent-based spot cleaner is the route.
Tip. Look for the cleaning code letter as well as the written instructions.
Careful. No water at all on dry-clean-only or S-coded curtains.
Step 2 of 6
Test a hidden strip first
Dab a small amount of your cleaner on a hidden area, such as the inside of a hem, then press a clean white cloth against it. Velvet needs a water test first, so do that here as well.
Careful. If color comes off onto the white cloth or the test spot changes color, stop and consult a professional cleaner.
Step 3 of 6
Blot the fresh stain
Fresh stains come up most easily when you act right away. Where water is allowed, dampen a cloth or paper towel and press it onto the stain, then lift and press again with a clean section.
Tip. Switch to a clean section of towel each time so the stain doesn't go back into the fabric.
Careful. Rubbing spreads the stain and roughens the fibers, so keep to blotting.
Step 4 of 6
Spot clean from outside in
Work soap and water, or a commercial dry-cleaning product, from the outside of the stain toward the middle. For soap and water, mix 1 teaspoon of mild liquid dish soap into 1 cup of warm water.
Place an absorbent pad under the stain and blot often, feathering the liquid out unevenly around the spot. Skip this step on silk and take it to a professional instead.
Tip. Dip the cloth into the solution rather than pouring it onto the fabric.
Careful. Too much liquid soaks through and leaves a ring, so use as little as you can.
Step 5 of 6
Lift velvet spots without washing
If the curtain is velvet that can't be laundered, and it passed the water test, dampen the stain and work in a drop or two of a delicates stain remover. Wipe with a clean, wet cotton cloth and keep rinsing the cloth until the fabric is clear of soap.
Careful. Don't let any soap dry in the velvet.
Step 6 of 6
Restore the pile once dry
When the velvet spot is completely dry, brush it in the direction of the pile with a soft, dry brush. To lift any crushed pile, use steam.
Tip. Brushing with the nap helps the spot blend into the rest of the fabric.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best stain removers for curtains & blinds
Choose a commercial dry-cleaning spot product for dry-clean-only curtains, and a delicates stain remover for velvet. Test either one on a hidden strip before you use it on the visible spot.
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.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →Know the stain? Use its own guide
Every stain on curtains & blinds
No match. Try the main search for anything else.
How to tell it's working
Work until the cloth stops picking up stain from the spot. Then let the fabric dry completely before you judge the result, since a damp patch can look darker than it will once dry.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your curtains & blinds
Sheer curtains
Sheer fabric shows water marks and rings more than heavier curtains, so the spot needs less liquid than you might expect. Keep the cloth barely damp and work one small area at a time.
Lay the sheer flat with the pad underneath and feather the liquid out thinly around the spot. Work in small sections so the rest of the panel stays dry.
White curtains
The steps work the same on white curtains, so start there rather than reaching for bleach. White fabric shows every faint mark, so keep blotting until the cloth stops picking up stain.
If a faint shadow remains once the fabric is fully dry, repeat the spot clean as many times as needed. Check the care label before you add any stronger product to white curtains.
Curtain lining
The lining is often a separate layer with a different fiber, so test it on its own hidden area before you use any cleaner. Slide the absorbent pad between the lining and the face fabric so the liquid doesn't wick through to the front.
Work from whichever side gives you the cleanest access, and keep the spot small to limit the liquid. If the lining is delicate or unlabeled, ask a professional before you wet it.
Lily stains
There is no product specific to lily stains here, so the method above is the one to follow. Start with the label and a hidden-area test, then blot the mark where water is allowed.
If the curtain is dry clean only, take it to a professional or use a solvent-based spot cleaner, and skip water. If the stain has dried in, follow the set-in notes and don't expect it to vanish in one pass.
Bathroom curtains
Use cool water for every pass rather than hot, and keep the blot-and-spot approach from the steps above. Hot water is the detail to watch with these curtains, so keep every pass cool.
If you can't tell the fiber, don't guess; check the label and do a hidden-area test before any liquid touches the visible spot. Keep the spot work small, with an absorbent pad under it.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old stains are harder to remove than fresh ones, and some won't come out at all. Start by repeating the outside-to-middle spot clean with soap and water or a commercial dry-cleaning product.
A dried stain on velvet gets the same treatment: work the delicates stain remover in a drop or two, wipe with clean wet cotton, and repeat if needed. Let the spot dry completely between passes so you can see what is left.
If the stain is still there after several rounds, be realistic about it. On heirloom or museum textiles, a long-standing stain has probably weakened the fibers, and removing it may create a hole, so leaving it alone is often the wiser choice. Stains left after washing a museum piece are best left alone.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on curtains & blinds?
You'll find plenty of home remedies for stains, and many are too harsh for curtains. Soap and water, or a commercial dry-cleaning product, are the gentlest choices for curtains, and most others are too harsh.
Works1Skip5
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't iron velvet curtains
Heat and pressure flatten the nap, leaving a patch that often looks worse than the stain. Keep the iron off velvet entirely, even on a low setting.
Don't wash heirloom textiles
Heirloom and museum textiles can be destroyed in a washing machine, even on a gentle cycle, so they should never be squeezed, put in a dryer or ironed. Let them dry flat and completely before you store them.
Don't use chlorine bleach on heirlooms
Chlorine bleach is too harsh for textile heirlooms and can damage the fibers. For a valuable or historic piece, a specialist is the safer choice.
Don't use acetone on acetate
Acetone can damage fabrics that contain acetate, so check the fiber before you reach for any solvent. If you can't tell the fiber, stop and ask a professional rather than guess.
When to call a professional
Take the curtain to a professional when the label says dry clean only, when a hidden test shows color transfer, or when it is S-coded velvet. Heirloom or vintage pieces belong with a dry cleaner who specializes in historical items, or with a conservator.
Questions
What stain remover should I use on curtains?
For washable curtains, mild liquid dish soap in warm water is the everyday choice, and a commercial dry-cleaning product is the other option. Dry-clean-only curtains and S-coded fabric need a commercial dry-cleaning product or a solvent-based spot cleaner, with no water. Velvet that can't be laundered uses a delicates stain remover instead.
Can I put stained curtains in the washing machine?
Only if the label allows it. Washable curtains, velvet included, can go in cold water on a delicate cycle, and anything the label doesn't allow should be spot cleaned instead of washed.
Will an old stain come out of curtains?
Sometimes, but not always. Old stains are harder than fresh ones, and some won't come out at all, so a stain that has dried in may need several rounds or a professional.
Can I use white vinegar on curtain stains?
Skip white vinegar on curtains; some dyes change color with it, and soap and water handles the same stains without that risk. Some dyes change color with it, and the soap-and-water step handles the same stains without that risk.
Should I take valuable curtains to a professional?
Yes, for dry-clean-only fabric, S-coded velvet, and heirloom or vintage pieces. Historic textiles are best handled by a dry cleaner who specializes in historical items, or by a conservator.
How long should I wait before judging the result?
Wait until the fabric is completely dry, because a damp patch can look darker than the finished result. Once it's dry, check it in good light, and for velvet, brush the pile back into place.
Related
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.