Drapes and curtains add beauty to your home and secure your personal space by guarding the windows. But they get dirty from time to time and accumulate dust. Drape cleaning is one of the most important things in a house that many of us do but not correctly. This is why you will find your curtains being messy after the first wash or colors fade. To avoid such issues, we have brought to you a few simple tricks to keep your curtains clean and new.
There are several ways to clean your drapes or curtains but professional dry-cleaning is the safest of all. However, this may cost you extra money. Now, if you want to clean the drapes by yourself, then click through the following sections to understand your drapes better. This will eventually help you to clean the curtains by yourself.
Fabric plays a crucial role
The type of fabric usually dictates its cleaning procedure.
Stitched curtain or pleated drapes – Dry-cleaning or vacuum cleaning is the best option for this. Although the fabric is washable, the seam may shrink.
Wool – Woolen fabrics are always preferred for dry cleaning. To remove stains from the curtain, you can soak a cloth with fabric softener and clean the spot, but it is advisable not to soak the drape fabric.
Cotton – Cotton fabric drapes are usually hand-washed or you can also wash them in the machine.
Silk drapes – Silk drape cleaning requires gentle washing. So, hand washing is preferred. After the wash, you should hang it to dry.
While cleaning curtains is a tough job in itself, you should also not forget about the curtain rods, hooks, and any other attachments. They require the utmost care as well. However, you can reduce your work if you have a weekly cleaning routine. So, how can you do it?
Weekly cleaning routine
The most important aspect of cleaning weekly or bi-weekly is to have a handy vacuum cleaner at home. You can easily clean the dust off the curtain to reduce the quantity of dust accumulation. While using the vacuum cleaner, reduce the suction to the lowest. This will prevent the fabric to get drawn into the nozzle. If you are washing the drapes, make sure to hang the curtains to dry it in a non-heat environment. This will keep the color intact. You can also use a soft brush to clean the drapes. Moreover, the drape cleaning process can be time-consuming and requires a lot of effort. So, you can hire a professional drape cleaner to clean the curtains and accessories. If you are hand washing the curtains, you can follow the simple steps below. But make sure that the fabric is hand or machine washable.
Step-by-step drape cleaning
Remove the curtain from the rod and detach all the hooks.
Before washing, lay the curtain flat on a bed and clean the dust using a vacuum brush.
Put the curtains in the washing machine and use a mild detergent.
Turn the settings to delicate wash by using fabric softener.
Once the quick wash is done, remove the curtain and check for any stains. Remove the stains by delicately rubbing that area with a strong detergent by using your hands.
Go for a full cycle wash and remove the curtains.
Hang the curtains to dry in a shaded area so that it doesn’t receive direct sunlight.
After the curtains are dry, iron the pleats at low heat. This will straighten up the curls and adds a crisp look to the drapes.
After ironing, insert the hooks and other attachments and string up on the curtain rod.
Drape cleaning is simple if you know the fabric and the process to clean it.