How To Spotlessly Clean Your Drapes and Curtains Using These Simple Steps

Drapes and curtains are an essential part of any home decor. They can add colour, pattern, and texture to a room, and they can also help to control light and temperature. But, like any other piece of fabric or furniture in your home, they need to be cleaned from time to time. drapes and curtain cleaning

In this blog post, we’ll explore how to clean drapes and curtains. We will cover steps from vacuuming to spot cleaning and more. Whether your drapes or curtains are made of cotton, silk, or another fabric, read on for tips on how to keep them looking their best.

How often should you clean drapes or curtains?

It is ideal for cleaning drapes and curtains by hand or machine or taking them to a professional dry cleaning service every three to six months. Still, realistically, it can be done once a year for heavier or complex drapes and curtains. 

For weekly care, you can utilise the upholstery attachment on your vacuum cleaner to vacuum drapes. This will also help reduce allergies. Use the sticky side of a duct tape or a lint brush if you have a pet to lift stubborn pet hair off the fabric while vacuuming.

What to do before you clean your drapes or curtains?

You must test your drapes and curtains for colourfastness before attempting to wash them, even if they seem like they would be candidates for machine- or handwashing. Choose a hidden corner and test the fabric in a small bowl of warm water and detergent. If the colour begins to bleed or any other noticeable changes occur, take the item to a professional cleaner.

Tools and materials you’ll need

Tools

• Large sink
• Washing machine
• Pressing cloth
• Iron

Materials

• Mild handwashing dish detergent
• Mild machine-washing laundry detergent

How to Clean Cotton Drapes and Curtains

Cotton drapes and curtains can usually be hand- or machine-washed, provided they are unlined.

1. Check the curtains and pre-treat stains.

Cotton window treatments are more likely to show stains and spots than other fabrics. Stains often appear on curtains from fingers that touch the fabric. Before washing, check the curtains for stains and pre-treat any that are present.

2. Wash in a gentle setting.

To maintain the quality of your drapes or curtains, wash them on the delicate cycle using cold water and mild laundry detergent. Make sure to give them enough room in the washing machine, so they are not crushed, and iron them while they are still a bit damp to avoid setting wrinkles.

3. Dry on a low heat setting.

Tumble dry your curtains in a low-heat setting. When they are approximately 95% dry, take them out of the dryer. This will prevent wrinkles from developing.

4. Iron while slightly damp.

Cotton window treatments may need to be ironed on the slightly damp setting. Always use the cotton setting on the iron, and be sure to iron on the wrong side of the fabric. Use a pressing cloth to prevent scorching. Hang the curtains to dry completely to eliminate any wrinkles.

How to Clean Silk Drapes and Curtains

Many curtains and drapes made of silk can be washed by hand using mild dishwashing soap and gentle hand movements. Other delicate fabrics can be treated similarly. To dry these fabrics, they should be hung up.

1. Handwash

Fill a large basin or sink with lukewarm to cool water. Add a mild detergent and swish it around to create suds. Immerse the silk into the water. Gently squeeze suds through the silk.

2. Rinse

Rinse your silk garment in a lukewarm to cool water bath, swirling the fabric around to release the soap. Continue rinsing the garment in baths until the water is no longer sudsy. Place the garment as flat as possible on a thick bath towel. Gently roll the towel to squeeze out any excess water.

3. Air dry

Hang your silk fabric indoors to dry, but be careful to keep it away from any heat source.

4. Iron

Ironing silk curtains and draperies can be done if necessary, but it’s best to iron them when the fabric is slightly damp. Ironing dry silk may cause water stains. The iron should be set to a low or a silk setting, and the silk should be ironed on the wrong side with a pressing cloth over the fabric to protect it from scorching.

Ways to Keep Your Drapes and Curtains Clean for a Prolonged Time

When cleaning your home, don’t forget to dust all parts of the curtains that collect dust, such as the valances, curtain rods, and finials. If your vacuum doesn’t have a brush attachment, you can use a long-handled broom with soft, synthetic fibres to help prevent dust from accumulating. You can also give your curtains a gentle shake as you close them each night to remove any dust in the folds.

If you want to clean your drapes and curtains spotlessly, it is best to use a professional specialising in drapery cleaning. The dry cleaning professional will come into your home, remove the draperies for cleaning, then rehang them after the cleaning is complete. This option is safer than using a commercial dry cleaner, as they may not have the necessary experience cleaning fine draperies correctly.

Master Dry Cleaners not only offers excellent cleaning services for your draperies and curtains but we are also trained and experienced in installing them once they have been cleaned. Our staff is well-equipped and can ensure that all the best practices are applied. Master Dry Cleaners has a complete drapery and curtain dry cleaning service—from takedown to cleaning, pressing to reinstallation, and steaming once installed. 

Get in touch with us today if you got questions about your curtains and drapes or if you’d like to talk about having them professionally cleaned.