11 Must Know Tips for Blackout Curtains

Blackout curtains are window coverings that are designed to block out lights and noise. They absorb light waves in the daytime so they don’t pass through the fabric as much or break them up on their way through, thus making it a lot darker inside than without any curtains at all.

They also help reduce outside noise because of how well soundproofing works with these types of curtains.

The main goal of blackout curtains is to be able to sleep during the day or work at night without being interrupted by light and noise.

Black out curtains work because they have a thicker fabric that can absorb more light waves, thus making the room much darker. Most blackout curtains are made of black or dark material on the window facing side.

Additionally, they may also contain an additional panel called a liner to dampen the light further.

There are many different types of blackout curtains. Some come with a liner and some without, which is usually determined by the material it’s made from. Liners can also be found in both light filtering or heavy duty varieties as well.

Do blackout curtains actually work? Yes, they do. Blackout curtains work great and help to create a wonderful theater-style environment in our home. The ability to block out the light from outside allows you to create a truly captivating ambiance inside. We have them on all our windows throughout the house for this very reason!

We also have them in every bedroom. We live in Arizona, and sunrise is before we wake up many mornings. Before we added blackout curtains my wife would always sleep in a mask to block the light.

After we added the blackout curtains, they are longer needed.

No. You can find a variety of colors and patterns to choose from as well. For instance, if you want more privacy but still let light in then we suggest getting panels with a pattern on them that will allow for some visibility at the same time.

In our master bedroom, we have a nice light pattern on the side facing the window, but the interior has panels that block the light.

Blackout curtains are definitely worth the cost if you live in an area like Arizona, Texas or California. They will greatly lower your summer cooling bills. The shades will cut the amount of heat form the sunlight going into the windows. Additionally, they will block the UV rays which can also raise the internal temperature.

Another way blackout curtains pay for themselves is to protect your carpet and furniture.

Blackout shades will block 100% of sunlight. This could be from thickly woven fabric or it could be a more lightweight fabric with a liner.

Room darkening shades will block 90% to 99% of the light. The fabric is lighter, and it is slightly illuminated with a glow.

I’ve included an image below showing room darkening curtains (On the Right) next to blackout curtains(On the Left). You’ll notice the right panel allows no light from the outside whereas the right side has a bit of a shine.

We switched to blackout curtains on all our bedrooms, and we sleep much better. We can get into a deeper sleep. The black out curtains also allow us to avoid wearing a sleep mask which removes the stress or pressure on the head from having the tight elastic.

Additionally, wearing a sleep mask can increase the chance of acne on your nose, around your eyes, and on your forehead. We also no longer have the awkward conversation of trying to find the mask in the middle of the night if it were to fall off while sleeping.

Yes, blackout curtains and shades can help lower the temperature. They will block the sunlight from entering the room. They also block the UV rays which will lead to radiant heat.

No. You can find a variety of colors and patterns to choose from as well. For instance, if you want more privacy but still let light in then we suggest getting panels with a pattern on them that will allow for some visibility at the same time.

In our master bedroom, we have a nice light pattern on the side facing the window, but the interior has panels that block the light.

We recommend hand washing blackout curtains. We have never tried putting our curtains in the washing machine, and we’d certainly never place them in the dryer.

We wash our blackout curtains by placing them into a 5 gallon bucket with warm water and laundry soap. We carefully wash them by hand, and then we rinse them in a second bucket. We wring them dry to get most of the water out, and then we hang them over the bathtub so that they drip dry in the shower.

No. You can find a variety of colors and patterns to choose from as well. For instance, if you want more privacy but still let light in then we suggest getting panels with a pattern on them that will allow for some visibility at the same time.

In our master bedroom, we have a nice light pattern on the side facing the window, but the interior has panels that block the light.

Most new blackout curtains don’t have an odor. Some older curtains had their fabric coated by an acrylic solution. This creates a barrier over the material so that no light gets through.

Unfortunately, as the curtains wear, that solution can result in a small amount of odor. I would strong suggest checking with manufacturers to find out if they have any odor before purchasing them.

Quite the contrary. We have found that blackout curtains leave us more refreshed when we wake up in the morning. The difference is even further when we wake up from a nap. The blackout curtains make the room fully dark even during the middle of the afternoon.

Yep, Ikea has some really great blackout curtains.

No. Blackout curtains can come in many colors and designs. You can find blackout curtains that are red or blue. Blackout curtains also come in different colors than black like navy, dark green, and light brown.

Blackout curtains are not required for a nursery, but they can help the baby get to a deeper sleep so that they wake up less times throughout the night. We have blackout curtains on all our bedrooms in our home, and we love it.

I actually don’t know this one. We’ve never ironed any of ours. We hang them to dry on a shower rod. When they are ready, we move them back to the main curtain rod, and we’ve never had any wrinkles or creases so we’ve never really thought about ironing them.

Yes. As long as the blackout curtains are 100% cotton, they can be put into a dry cleaning machine. As for any other materials, this depends on the type of material and how it would react with chemicals in the drycleaning machine or cleaners used to clean them (and no worries–the drycleaner knows what they’re doing).

While most blackout curtains can be dry cleaned, I recommend contacting the manufacturer to ask them. You may also be able to find out on the manufacturer’s website.

If you’re an in doubt, there is an option to hand wash that we’ve listed above.

When I was in college, I lived in a dorm that wouldn’t allow me to install blackout curtains. They only had the cheap miniblinds, and the sunlight hit me directly in my face in the morning. I was annoyed for a couple of weeks before I figured out how to solve the problem for less than 5 dollars. I got some thick poster board that the kids would would for their science fair projects, and I taped that to the inside of my windows. The combination of the poster board and the cheap miniblinds were able to block the light.

This was a little unconvient anytime I wanted some natural light, but that came up far less often.

The best blackout curtains typically cost about as much as a nice dinner out, and there are features you might want to consider. While they are good for battling insomnia because they provide sound-proofing from the outside and incredible heat protection, they don’t make your home any darker on the inside. What’s worse is that while blackouts can be machine washed and tumble dried, fabric ones often turn stiff or discolor when dried. So before you buy them, think about how long you plan to live in this place so they won’t become an irreplaceable investment sitting in your closet. If it’s a short term lease, your best bet may be to just use bed sheets or poster board.

Sure. Tin foil can be a substitute for blackout curtains or shades, for instance, to make the inside void of light and the outside darker. Usually people use a liner or blackout curtains (or both) to make sure that there is not destructive light coming in from behind. My main issue with aluminum foil is that you need to take it down anytime you want to let in some natural sunlight.