Care and Maintenance Tips for Curtains and Draperies

Drapes and curtains aren’t just functional, they do double duty as home décor. That’s why it pays to keep the curtains and drapes pristine. Regular maintenance and proper care help preserve the integrity of the materials. Maintaining the curtains and drapes allows you to maximize the life of these furnishing! In today’s post, we are listing down effective, practical care and maintenance tips for drapes and curtains of all kinds:

Check the Care Instructions

Most homeowners ignore the care instruction of a certain curtain, thinking that their own cleaning methods work the best. Don’t make the same mistake. Some materials respond well to traditional washing, others don’t because of the delicate materials. Cleaning a curtain or drape is a simple process and if you do it by the book, it will lengthen the life of the materials.

Vacuum Cleaning

Dust is the number one irritant in the home. And it accumulates on curtains and drapes! Vacuuming is ideal for eliminating dust build-up on light and delicate curtains.

Just attach the right brush tip on the unit and give the curtains a good sweep. You can also use a hand-held vacuum to eliminate dust. Just make sure to go over often-overlooked nooks and crannies to get the dirt out of the curtains. And while you’re at it, clean the windowsills too.

Spot Cleaning

If say, you found a stain on the fabric but the curtain has been cleaned just days before, you don’t have to clean all of the curtains. Do spot cleaning instead. Just dampen a piece of cloth with soapy water and rub gently to remove the stain.

Washing and Drying Curtains and Drapes

This cleaning method is ideal only for washable curtains and drapes.

For dirty, heavily stained curtains and drapes that require thorough cleaning, you’ll have to wash them with detergent and water on a delicate cycle. But because washing the curtains could cause color to fade or damage delicate stitching, do this with caution.

Start by checking the label for the care and washing instructions. Proceed by spot cleaning first to check how the material will hold up in soap and water. If the color did not bleed or the material is not affected by the cleaning agent in any way, you can go ahead and remove the curtains for cleaning.

Remove solid items such as hoops and hooks. Use a gentle detergent and the right amount of water. Wash the curtains according to the care instructions.

To dry the curtains, you can either use the dryer or hang them outside to dry. Do note that some materials are not suitable for hanging outside. Also, tumbling dry delicate materials could damage the stitching. Consult the care instructions to be on the safe side.

Steam Cleaning

This is an excellent cleaning method for light, delicate as well as machine-washable curtains. A handheld steam cleaner emits steam to loosen dirt and grime. Just hover the nozzle over the material until it’s clean. Although steam cleaning works for both light and heavy machine washable curtains, it will not clean heavily soiled curtains. In such case, you still need to wash very dirty curtains in a washer.