How to Clean Net Curtains (and Get Them White Again)

You take the nets down on a bright morning and the colour of the window is the first surprise. The bottom hem is a murky grey, the middle has a faint yellow tinge, and the water in the bowl turns the colour of weak tea before you have even started. Nobody notices nets getting dirty because it happens a little each day, then the sun hits them from behind and there is no hiding it.

The good news is that most nets are cheaper to rescue than to replace. A soak in something gentle, a cool wash in a protective bag and a damp rehang bring most of them back. The one thing to avoid is the instinct to reach for the bleach, which is how many people make grey nets yellow.

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Why nets go grey, and why that shapes the method

Net curtains quietly filter everything in the air all day: dust, cooking grease, condensation, cigarette smoke and sunlight. Most are thin polyester, nylon or cotton voile, so they need a gentle hand. Get the method right and they come out bright and crease-free. Get it wrong and you can shrink, tear or yellow them.

The practical upshot is simple. Grey is mostly dirt, which a soak and a wash will lift. Yellow is trickier, because it may be sun damage or an old bleaching accident, and those do not fully come out.

The wash, step by step

1. Take them down and shake them out outdoors or over the bath to remove loose dust. Nets hold a surprising amount, and washing them dusty just makes grey water.
2. Soak first (optional but effective). A few hours in warm water with a couple of tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda or a cup of soda crystals loosens ingrained grime and starts the whitening before you even wash. Wear rubber gloves with soda crystals, which are an alkali and can irritate skin.
3. Put them in a pillowcase or mesh laundry bag. This stops the delicate net snagging, stretching or wrapping around the drum, and it is the single best way to protect them in the machine.
4. Wash cool and gentle: 30°C on the delicates or hand-wash cycle with a mild detergent (non-bio is kindest). Hot water can shrink and yellow nets, so keep it cool. Give the drum room, because a packed load creases nets badly.
5. Skip or minimise the spin. A hard spin creases nets deeply, while a short, slow spin (or none) leaves them damp and easier to rehang smooth.
6. Rehang them slightly damp. Their own weight pulls the creases out as they dry, which usually saves ironing. It is the same principle as for full-size curtains. If they do need ironing, use a cool iron on the reverse while slightly damp.

Most net curtains are machine-washable, and it is the easiest method as long as you protect them. A machine that smells or has a dirty filter will not give you clean nets, so it is worth running a proper clean beforehand. Our guide to washing machine cleaners explains the options.

Prefer to hand-wash?

Delicate or antique nets are safest in the bath or sink. Soak in cool soapy water, gently squeeze (never wring or scrub) the water through, rinse, and lift them out supporting the whole weight so they do not tear. It takes longer but it is the gentlest option, and very old, fragile or decorative nets are safer this way, as the machine can tear perished fibres however gentle the cycle. If in doubt, hand-wash. It is only a few minutes more.

If they are still grey: what to try next

Sometimes one wash is not enough. Before you give up, work through these in order. Several methods work, and this table ranks the popular ones honestly.

A sensible escalation looks like this. Repeat the soak for longer, up to overnight, and wash again. If the water is still coming out dirty, do a second wash with no detergent at all to flush residue. If the grey has gone but a yellow cast remains, the colour is probably sun damage or an old bleaching accident in the fibres, and soaking will not reverse it. Hang the nets in good daylight to judge them properly before deciding whether to keep them.

Do denture tablets really clean net curtains?

They can, for general grey. Denture-cleaning tablets contain effervescent and oxygen-releasing ingredients designed to lift stains gently from a delicate surface, which is what discoloured net needs. Dissolve three or four in a bowl or sink of warm water, submerge the nets fully, soak for a few hours (or overnight for badly greyed ones), then wash as normal. They will not rescue the very worst discolouration, but they are cheap and low risk.

Why not bleach?

It is counter-intuitive because bleach whitens cotton, but on the synthetic nylon and polyester most nets are made from, chlorine bleach can react and leave a permanent yellow tint while weakening the fibres. Check the care label if you are unsure what your nets are made of. For really grey nets, combine methods: a bicarb or soda-crystal soak, then a cool wash, repeated if needed. Patience beats harsh chemicals here.

Mould spots on the hem

Nets at windows that suffer condensation, such as bathrooms, kitchens and single-glazed bedrooms, often develop black mould spots along the bottom edge or wherever they touch a damp sill. Because bleach is off the table for synthetic nets, use a gentler approach. For background on what works and why, see what kills mould.

1. Soak in a bicarbonate of soda or white vinegar solution (one or the other, not both together). A few hours in warm water with a generous amount loosens much of the mould without bleaching the fibres.
2. Rub stubborn spots gently with a soft cloth or old toothbrush while wet. Do not scrub hard, which tears net.
3. Wash as normal (cool, gentle, in a pillowcase) and dry thoroughly, ideally outdoors where sunlight helps.
4. For heavy mould, use a stain remover safe for synthetics or an oxygen-based (not chlorine) whitener, and patch-test first. A mould remover spray is meant for hard surfaces such as sills and frames, so read the label before it goes near fabric.

Wear a mask and gloves and keep the room ventilated if you are handling heavily mouldy fabric, particularly if anyone at home has asthma or a chest condition. And fix the cause or it returns. Mould on nets is a symptom of condensation and poor ventilation. Wiping down the window and sill, improving airflow, and not letting nets sit against a wet sill all help, and our guides to cleaning mould and cleaning double-glazed windows cover the source and the frames.

Keeping nets white between washes

• Wash them every 3 to 6 months rather than waiting until they are grey. Regular light cleaning is far easier than rescuing badly discoloured nets, and kitchens, bathrooms and smokers’ homes may need it more often.
• Shake or vacuum them (upholstery brush, low suction) between washes to stop dust settling in.
• Tackle condensation and ventilate, especially in kitchens and bathrooms, to slow grease and mould. Wiping the sill and track helps too; see our window tracks guide.
• Keep them off wet sills. A net sitting in condensation greys and moulds fastest at the bottom.
• A cupful of white vinegar in the rinse each wash helps keep them bright and soft.

Realistically, net curtains have a lifespan. Sunlight gradually weakens and yellows the fibres over years, and eventually even the best whitening will not restore them. When a net has gone brittle or permanently yellowed despite proper care, replacement is the honest answer. Most nets that look past it just need patient soaking and a gentle wash. The slip-ups that most often cause damage are chlorine bleach, hot washes, washing them loose in the drum, a hard spin, hard scrubbing and leaving mould to take hold.

What to buy, if you want to

Everything above works with what is already in the cupboard. If you would rather buy something for the job, these five are worth considering. The links are Amazon UK searches, so you can compare brands and current prices.

More net curtain questions

Can you tumble dry net curtains?

Only if the care label allows it, and then on a very low heat for a short time. Heat can shrink or melt synthetic net and sets creases. Line drying or rehanging while slightly damp is gentler and usually saves ironing too. Take them out of the dryer while still a little damp.

Can you use an oxygen-based stain remover powder on nets?

Often yes, since oxygen-based powders are the colour-safe kind and are gentler than chlorine bleach. Check the pack says it suits synthetics, follow the dilution and water temperature, and test a small hem first. Rinse thoroughly before the main wash so no powder is left behind.

Do I need to take the hooks and heading tape off before washing?

Remove metal hooks or rings, as they snag the net and can scratch the drum. Loosen any gathered heading tape, and if the cord is tied rather than fixed, undo it to avoid puckering. Pop plastic hooks in the bag with the curtain only if they are small and soft.

Why do net curtains turn grey again after washing?

Usually detergent or hard-water residue left in the fibres, a wash that was too hot, or washing a very dirty net with little water. Use less detergent, add an extra rinse, shake the nets out first and consider a vinegar rinse. Greying also returns faster in damp or smoky rooms.

How long should net curtains soak?

A few hours is usually enough for general grey, and overnight for badly discoloured nets. Longer than that does not help much, and leaving them in cold water too long can bring a smell. Check the nets now and then, and rinse them well before the main wash.

Can I wash net curtains with other laundry?

It is best not to. Zips, buttons and rough fabrics snag net even in a bag, and a full drum creases it. Wash the nets as their own small load, or with other light delicates and a pillowcase to keep things apart. Avoid mixing with dark colours that could run.

Should net curtains be dry-cleaned?

Rarely. Most synthetic nets wash well at home, and dry cleaning is mainly for delicate antique lace or anything labelled dry-clean only. If you are unsure, check the label and look at our guide to dry cleaning curtains for what it involves.