When I decided to try bleaching my drop cloths for curtains, I didn’t know what an undertaking it would be. I’m not saying it wasn’t worth it, but I want to be totally upfront and honest with you before you try to tackle this. Learning how to bleach drop cloth for curtains takes patience, and I’m not always the best at that. 🙂
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How To Bleach Drop Cloths For Curtains – BEFORE
A couple of things before we get started… It’s important to know that not all drop cloths are curtain quality. Trust me… I’ve tried a lot, and the ones that Lowe’s and Home Depot sell are hit and miss. To find them without ugly seams running through them has been a challenge. So far, this brand below has been the winner. I purchase them at Walmart. But even then, sometimes the quality of the fabric is a bit different; I found that out when I decided to bleach them. Here’s what I learned.
Gather Your Supplies
- drop cloths
- bleach
- bathtub or top load washing machine
Before Bleaching Drop Cloths For Curtains
If you’re using these drop cloths for curtains, I highly recommend that you wash and dry them before bleaching. You will have shrinkage, and there’s nothing worse than hanging your beautiful curtains to find that they have shrunk. Been there, done that!
STEP 1:
Fill the tub about 1/4 way up with hot water and add about 1 gallon of bleach or so to the water first. Be sure to mix the bleach in the water well before adding the drop cloths to the tub or your top loader washing machine.
I used my bathtub for bleaching my drop cloth curtains because recently, I decided to remodel my laundry room and chose to upgrade to those “pretty front-loading machines.” I never thought I would miss my old top loader, but I found another way to make it work.
* I don’t recommend using the front load washing machines because they conserve water, and adding bleach to the cycle isn’t enough time to get the results I was looking for and can result in blotchy spots. The drop cloth curtains need to soak in the bleach water solution, totally submerged to be effective.
Add The Drop Cloths To Hot Bleach Water
STEP 2:
Add the fabric to the bleach water solution. Now the babysitting begins! You’re going to stir the drop cloth every hour or so to ensure that all of the fabric is covered for equal bleaching. It doesn’t matter how much water you add to your tub; the fabric will still float to the top. Stir, stir, stir. Set your kitchen timer and grab that book you started 3 months ago but never finished.
It’s totally okay to use a kitchen utensil for this process. 🤣 Use what you have!
* On a side note, please clean your bathtub before bleaching your drop cloth curtains. It’s the right thing to do.
How Long Will It Take To Bleach Drop Cloths For Curtains?
That depends on how light you want the fabric. I bleached mine for 6 hours, but you can bleach them longer. But remember… too much bleach can also cause yellowing, and you’ll have to monitor that while bleaching. The drop cloths will appear a little darker when they are wet, so keep that in mind as well.
After Bleaching
STEP 3:
Once you have obtained the color you want on the drop cloths, remove them from the bleach water and wash and dry as usual.
* I took mine to the local laundromat because it was quicker to wash them all at once. It saved me a lot of time.
The Results Of Bleach Drop Cloths For Curtains
There is more than one reason to bleach drop cloths when you’re using them for curtains. Here’s what I found.
- lightens and brightens the drop cloth (obviously)
- it softens the fabric
- the curtains hang so much better
- you chose the level of whitening
Thanks for joining me today, and I hope this answers any questions you may have about how to bleach drop cloths for curtains. If I missed anything, please don’t hesitate to drop me your questions in the comment section. Or you can read more on drop cloth curtains below.
Until the next project… xo, Do
Can you tell me what the approximate length of the curtains are when you’re done? I have an 8 foot patio door and from the picture, it looks like they will be a little short.
Hi Jan,
The length of the drop cloth depends on what size you purchase. These are the 9X6 that I used, but you need to wash and dry them because they will shrink. Other lengths are available. 🙂
They look beautiful! Just so you know, amazon sells the seamless drop cloths but it’s really a matter of taste, I prefer the seams..lol. I am wondering, how many did you do at one time? I have 6, 9×12’s that I need to bleach and have been trying to figure out how to do this the right way. I have even considered buying a huge trash can for this purpose. Also, do you need to keep adding hot water to the bath? I’m am using mine for slipcovers.
Hi, Shirley.
I didn’t add additional hot water. That would have diluted the bleach water. You may have to bleach them longer than 6 hours. I found that time is the key to getting the shade you want. I’m so glad you brought up the seams. I have a set with the seams, too, and I like the look. I did ponder a large container as well, and then I tried the bathtub. I added 2 9X6 Panels at one time. I wish I had your talent for make slipcovers. They sound dreamy. Good luck with your project. 🙂 xo
“It’s the right thing to do”. 😂
Beautiful job! You’re so talented. I bought two of the exact same drop cloths as yours yesterday at Walmart. I washed and dried them and I’m pretty shocked at how cheap and thin they are. My question is, did you buy many long ago that you’re still using? I’m just wondering if they used to be a better quality than they are making now?? Thank you.
Hmmmm, I did purchase mine a few years ago. But mine is on the thinner side too and that’s what I prefer. The thick ones are super heavy and I had a hard time getting them to hang nicely. But with that said, it’s possible that they have changed. Nothing stays the same. Thanks for sharing this. I’ll purchase one the next time I’m in Walmart to compare. Bummer!
Has anyone dyed them after? I was thinking about an ombre effect.
Hi Lisa! I haven’t personally tried it but I have heard of others having good success. Let me know if you try it. 🙂
Before I put mine in the bath tub I got concerned about how to get them dry enough to cart to the laundry room to put in the dryer….I can’t imagine my scrawny hands can wring out the water enough to not cause puddles on the floor???
Oh my goodness, yes! That was a booger. I ended up taking them to the laundromat and rewashing them to get the bleach out of them in the commercial machines. I used a 5-gallon bucket and had my husband help me. UGH!
Did you put all the panels in at the same time?
Hi Becky,
I’m assuming you’re asking about bleaching them in the bathtub. I did because I wanted to make sure they all came out looking the same. But it depends on how many panels you’re bleaching and if they all fit in the tub or container you have. I hope this answers your question. Thank you for reading and best wishes on your drop cloth curtains. I know you’ll love them as much as I do. 🙂 xo