How to Get Wrinkles Out of Sheer Curtains

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Sheers add a light, airy touch to your living room, but they look messy if they become wrinkled. While ironing is always an option for smoothing out your sheer curtains, other options might be easier. Some methods don't require you to take your sheer curtains down, which saves you time.

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Why Sheer Curtains Wrinkle

Because sheer fabric is lightweight, it often wrinkles easily. New sheer curtains might come wrinkled due to how they're packaged. If you tie up or bunch your existing curtains, they can also end up wrinkly. When attempting wrinkle-reducing methods, you can either target just the wrinkled areas or apply them to the entire curtain.

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Clean the Curtains

Before removing the wrinkles, it's a good idea to clean the sheer curtains. Many of the methods involve water or moisture, which can cake on any dust that's on the curtains. Use a garment brush or vacuum with a soft attachment to gently remove the dust.

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Steam Your Sheer Curtains

A handheld steamer is an easy way to remove wrinkles from sheer curtains, whether it's one spot or the entire curtain that's wrinkled. This method is easiest when you leave the sheer curtains hanging on the curtain rod while you steam them. Grab a chair or step ladder as a support to make the curtains easier to work with as you steam them.

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Then, follow the directions for the steamer and go over all wrinkly areas of the curtains or steam the full curtains. If the fabric is very thin or delicate, use another piece of cloth between the steamer and the curtains to protect them. If you have a stubborn wrinkle, try wetting it and steaming it again.

If you don't have a steamer, a steam iron can work. Add water, turn on the iron, and let it heat up. Hold the iron a few inches away from the curtains while they're hanging on the rod and push the button that initiates the steam. Steam the wrinkled areas of the curtains, being careful not to stay in one spot for too long.

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Wet and Hang to Dry

Wetting the sheer curtains and letting them dry on the rod helps get rid of the wrinkles. If you don't want to take them down, you can use a spray bottle to dampen the curtains while they're hanging on the rod. The moisture helps get rid of some wrinkles, and the fabric becomes heavier, which helps pull out the wrinkles.

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If you prefer to take the curtains down, you can run them through the washing machine or wet them in the sink as long as they're not dry clean only. Hang them back up on the curtain rod to dry them. Wait until the curtains are fully dry before opening them or bunching them up to prevent mold or mildew growth.

Toss Them in the Dryer

If your sheer curtains need an overall refresh, taking them down and washing them gets them clean and removes the wrinkles. Always check the care instructions on the curtains before washing them, as some window coverings are dry clean only. Once they're washed, toss them in the dryer, following the care instructions to choose the heat setting, which will likely be a lower heat setting.

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If you don't want to wash the curtains, you can toss them directly in the dryer. Add a damp towel to the dryer for some moisture to help release the wrinkles. Don't dry the curtains for too long. Getting them mostly dry and hanging them up to finish drying is ideal.

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