The Kitchen Essential That Can Get Stains Out Of Your Curtains

If you ask us, a cute set of curtains is one of the most underrated ingredients in a great kitchen décor recipe. Since most of the room is filled with cabinetry, countertops, and appliances, thoughtful window treatments are an easy and affordable way to improve the design. But like most things in your kitchen, fabric curtains are bound to get covered in stains — everything from grease to pasta sauce can cause stubborn spots of discoloration. When the going gets tough, you can mix equal parts water and white vinegar in a spray bottle for a DIY kitchen curtain cleaning solution.

While most people use this pantry essential for homemade sauces and salad dressings, it turns out that vinegar can be a versatile cleaning tool. The magic lies in its acidity. Since the average container of household vinegar has a pH level between 2.2 and 2.86, it's tough enough to tackle stubborn stains and grime, but not so tough that it'll damage most hard surfaces or fabrics. That rare mix of gentle and heavy-duty is why so many people use vinegar to clean and descale their dishwasher the right way and for all kinds of other household cleaning jobs. Your basic detergent might get the job done, but if you need reinforcements, try a 50-50 mix of water and distilled white vinegar.

Though you might be familiar with all the different ways you can use vinegar to make your kitchen sparkle, you probably didn't know it can also handle your upholstery. Before you bust out that white vinegar miracle formula, it's important to assess the situation. If you're working with a fresh, wet spill of orange juice, use a dry paper towel to blot excess moisture first. This will reduce the appearance of a stain and make the cleaning job easier. Dealing with something darker like coffee or marinara sauce? Dampen the paper towel to help dilute the stain.

From there, add equal parts warm water and distilled white vinegar to a spray bottle and shake to mix well. While equal parts vinegar and water are a relatively foolproof combo, you should always test any cleaning formula on a small corner of your curtain, just in case it discolors the fabric. Once you're in the clear, liberally spray your water and vinegar blend on the stains. The great thing about this brilliant hack to make your kitchen more aesthetic is that you can tackle a single stain or coat the entire curtain in the solution. Let the mixture sit for 10 to 30 minutes — depending on the severity of the stain — before blotting off the excess moisture with a paper towel. Open your window to help the curtains dry in place, and they'll look like new in no time.