Your curtains may not be the first thing you think of when it comes to keeping your house clean, but they should absolutely be on the list. Understanding how to clean window curtains is essential. Dust collects on your curtains on a regular basis, as do odors. If you have pets, pet hair may pile up on your curtains as well. If the thought of cleaning curtains, seems a bit overwhelming, these tips can help.
- Care Labels Are Your Friend: Just as your clothes have a care label on them to help you understand how to wash them, your curtains should have a similar label. Some curtains can simply be thrown in the wash if you’re interested in cleaning curtains at home. Others, though, will need to be dry cleaned for best results. Keep in mind that you need to know the care instructions for both the curtains and the backing, if they have backing. While the fabric may be machine washable, it’s possible that the backing isn’t. You should try to wash your curtains or have them cleaned at least twice each year. It’s really the best way to clean curtains.
- Weekly Cleaning: Deep cleaning in the wash only needs to be handled on an occasional basis, but that doesn’t mean you should neglect your curtains the rest of the time. Instead, you can clean them routinely with a gentle routine. Use the soft brush attachment on your vacuum to keep the dust and pet hair to a minimum on a weekly basis. You can typically use soap and water to spot clean any problem areas, as well.
- A Dryer Cycle: With some fabrics, you can run the curtains through the no heat cycle in your dryer once a month or so to help keep the dust to a minimum. Set your dryer’s timer for ten minutes, put your curtains in, and remove them promptly. You’ll have fresher curtains, and they’ll be wrinkle free.
Cleaning curtains doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With a little weekly and monthly maintenance, they’ll continue to look amazing for years!
If you are in the market for new curtains, contact Gallery of Shades for a free in-home design consultation.