Blackout curtains are made from tightly-woven materials that are much lighter compared to regular drapes. They are usually thick and insulated, and this helps them to function as an excellent light blocker in the bedroom. 

While most curtains can block about 90% of incoming light, blackout curtains can block nearly 100% of it. That means that placing blackout curtains on the window can create near-total darkness in a given room! 

The materials that compose these curtains also help with noise cancellation. The combination of total darkness and silence comes together, to create a comfortable space to rest and sleep. However, this can serve other purposes aside from sleeping. Planning to upgrade the movie and time experience in the living room? Cozy it up with blackout curtains, which can lower the light for a better viewing experience! 

Benefits of Blackout Curtains

There are a variety of benefits to getting blackout curtains:

Shift Workers

Blackout curtains can be very beneficial to people working irregular shifts and those who have irregular sleeping schedules, especially for those working night shifts. It can be challenging for them to get enough sleep because they are often surrounded by brightness while they are sleeping.

Regulating Sleeping Patterns

The light coming from devices in the home also contributes to ruining the circadian rhythm. These things also affect frequent travelers, as they are more likely to have irregular sleeping schedules. This is where blackout curtains come in handy. 

Since blackout curtains block almost 100% of the light if they are installed properly, they can help realign a person’s sleeping pattern to his or her schedule. The body can be tricked into thinking that it is time to sleep. 

Energy Savings

Would you believe that blackout curtains can help you save energy? Heating is costly, especially in the colder months of the year. 

For that reason, it is important to get efficient window treatments to minimize the light and heat escaping the room. Blackout curtains can save about 25% of the yearly costs associated with energy supply and home heating! With that money saved, one could certainly afford to upgrade the curtains for the entire home. 

Budget-Friendly

One might assume that blackout curtains are costly with all the mentioned benefits. But that isn’t the case. There are all types of blackout blinds, some of which are very affordable. In the same way, these inexpensive blackout curtains do not need to be bland. There are many different designs that work well for the majority of different home styles. 

What Types of Blackout Curtains Are There?

There are a number of different types of blackout curtains on the market:

Foam-Backed

These blackout curtains are manufactured with softer folds that enhance their aesthetic appeal. You won’t get a 100% blackout effect with them, but they do look unique.

Blackout-Lined

Blackout-lined curtains are manufactured out of polyester material. This material results in the curtains feeling stiff, and you’ll end up in a very dark room wherever you decide to install them. Many customers state that they’ve held up flashlights on the opposite side of these curtains and didn’t even notice the light shining in.

Thermal-Lined Curtains

Thermal-lined curtains are manufactured with a fabric that has the ability to keep the heat trapped in a particular room. This results in boosted energy efficiency during the colder months of the year. While they are ideal for winter, they won’t provide you with a 100% blackout effect.

Privacy-Lined

Privacy-lined blackout curtains are manufactured from cotton and polyester material. This results in curtains that are quite soft to the touch. They effectively prevent the light from getting in, but not every ounce of it.

What Are Some Uses of Blackout Curtains?

Blackout curtains have a number of uses:

Keeping The Light Out of Certain Rooms

Blackout curtains are beneficial in a number of ways, including preventing excess light from getting into certain rooms of the house.

Bedrooms

The majority of people flock to blackout curtains for their bedrooms because that’s exactly where they require the most darkness. If you’re living in a busy city with a number of street lights around your home, blackout curtains are almost a necessity.

In some regions, the sun will shine for every hour of the day throughout the summer months of the year. Getting blackout curtains might be the only method that people can use to figure out what time of day it is.

If you’re a nurse or someone that works the night shift, blackout blinds can be a good way to get your rest during the daylight hours when the natural light is flowing through your home. 

Entertainment Rooms

Blackout curtains are also commonly used in entertainment rooms where full darkness is required so that a glare won’t be seen on the screen. Blackout curtains are also effective at filtering out other exterior noises that you might hear outside of the room.

Clinics

Blackout curtains provide a great deal of privacy, making them perfect to install in hospitals and clinics where privacy is mandatory. In addition, medical patients recovering in hospitals need to be able to sleep, making blackout curtains an ideal solution for exactly that.

Nursery For Children

Blackout curtains are also commonly used in nurseries where children take naps throughout the day. Because blackout curtains can trick the brain into thinking its night, it helps people get into relaxation mode much quicker than if the room was full of natural light.

Reduced Energy Bills

Statistics show that up to 25% of the energy in a home will get out of the windows. Because of that, it only would make sense to try to reduce that energy from escaping, especially in winter.

With blackout curtains, energy isn’t able to escape through the windows as well. This isn’t only ideal for winter, but it can also save you energy costs in summer by preventing the cool air in your home from escaping. That means your entire HVAC system won’t be working around the clock to keep a climate-controlled environment.

Noise Reduction

A lot of blackout curtains on the market consist of a number of different layers of foam. Foam is an effective noise barrier that can muffle the sound getting through windows in a home. While they typically only block out about 40% of the exterior noise, it’s still better than nothing at all.

Reduced Sun Damage

The harmful UV rays of the sun can damage your hardwood floors and furniture over time. It can result in fading and create an overall eyesore that can be easily avoided with blackout curtains.

Blackout Curtains – Frequently Asked Questions

It’s normal to have questions when you’re looking into purchasing a new product for your home, and here are some common ones in relation to blackout curtains:

How Effective Are White Blackout Curtains?

White blackout curtains are just as effective as black blackout curtains and other blackout curtain colors. You don’t have to only get black-colored blackout curtains, and each option has the same noise-reducing, UV ray-protection, and heat-reducing benefits.

What’s The Manufacturing Process For Blackout Curtains?

Blackout curtains are typically manufactured from cotton or polyester material. This material is then layered on a curtain in order to create the blackout effect. Sometimes people install a blackout liner on their drapes if they don’t want to get rid of them or if they are on a budget.

How Do I Choose The Right Blackout Curtains?

Choosing the right blackout curtains can make the difference between a tiny bit of lighting seeping in, to no light getting into a room. You’ll want to focus on the fabric of the curtains. 

Sometimes it’s great to spend a little more instead of getting the cheapest blackout curtains you see. Proper installation of blackout curtains also plays a huge role in their ability to effectively block out the highest amount of light in a room.

How Much Energy Savings Will I See?

Every home is different, but blackout curtain customers usually say they see anywhere between 10% and 25% on their energy savings from month to month. The more rooms that the blackout curtains are installed in, the more energy savings will be seen.

How Do Blackout Curtains Reduce Outdoor Noises?

While blackout curtains won’t be able to block 100% of the noise heard outside your home, they will be able to reduce it to about 40%. This is because of their multi-layer design and fabric that is used to provide resistance to noise. A lot of noise travels through windows, and when you have blackout curtains covering them, you’ll experience a reduction in noise.

Can Blackout Curtains Be Toxic?

There are certain types of blackout curtains that might contain the same chemical that you would find in household cleaning products. In the majority of cases, the same polyester that is used in clothes is used for blackout curtains.

Can I Use Blackout Curtains In My Young Children’s Room?

Blackout curtains are perfect to install over any bedroom window in the house. The more natural light that you’re able to block, the better sleep everyone will have. The baby’s room that has blackout curtains will help them go through the phases of sleep training much quicker than not having blackout curtains at all.

Can I Wash My Blackout Curtains?

You’ll want to reduce the temptation to throw your blackout curtains in the wash. A washing machine can end up causing damage to the fabric of the curtains. If you do notice that the curtains require washing, consider spot-cleaning them in the same way you would with a mattress. Simply place the curtains on a flat area and get a soft sponge and scrub the curtains. After that, get a dry cloth, wipe them down, and proceed to let them air dry.

Can I Iron My Blackout Curtains To Flatten Them Out?

When you purchase your blackout curtains, they’ll be folded in a package. That means that they will be a little wrinkled when you go to install them. Instead of ironing them, consider using a steamer. This is a much gentler approach, and your blackout curtains will thank you later for it.

Can I Dry Clean My Blackout Curtains?

Dry cleaning uses very hot temperatures that would end up damaging blackout curtains. As mentioned earlier, you’ll want to stick with gentler methods of cleaning, such as spot cleaning with a soft sponge. If your curtains are heavily soiled and dirty, consider asking the dry cleaner if they have options for curtain cleaning.

Key Takeaways

Blackout curtains are an effective solution for reducing the light, noise, and UV rays of the sun from getting into a home. If you’re trying to increase the quality of your sleep by filtering out natural light and noise pollution, blackout curtains are a wise product to consider.


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