Keeping your curtains beautiful

Lace curtains have long been a sign of wealth. If you could afford to put curtains on your windows, you were not too poor. Today, window curtains are a fashion accessory for your home. Curtains dramatically change the look of your room, allowing you to let your style shine through. They require cleaning regularly. Depending on the style and the material of your curtains, there are a variety of methods that may be appropriate. Enjoy these tips for keeping your curtains beautiful.

Check the material

The first thing you need to do before you start to clean your curtains is to determine what material they are made from. Check the tags on the curtains for washing instructions. If it doesn’t have a tag you will have to try to determine yourself if the curtains can be cleaned at home or need to be sent to the dry cleaners.

Dust

Before you try to do a heavy cleaning, it is important to remove any dust. You can use your vacuum cleaner with an upholstery attachment to remove the dust. Put the vacuum on low so that you will not damage the curtains. While you are doing this, check for any seams that may need to be fixed or any stains that might need to be treated.

Washing machine

Remove anything that might not do well in the washing machine such as hooks or rings. Pre-treat any stains and do any repairs, then using the temperature that your tag suggests wash your curtains. Some will require the gentle cycle, others are sturdier. Don’t let them sit in the washer after the cycle is over, shake them and place in a cool dryer. Remove from the dryer when still slightly damp and hang up to avoid wrinkling.

Dry cleaning

If you don’t have a tag telling you how to clean your curtains you are going to have to make an educated guess about whether they are machine washable or not. Materials that are not washable are silk, wool, and rayon. When in doubt, opt for dry cleaning. You can dry clean at home in your dryer or you can send your curtains to the cleaners. If you are dry cleaning at home follow the instructions on your container of Dryell.

Longer curtain life

When you vacuum and clean your curtains you will extend their life. If you have one window that gets more sun than another, try rotating the curtains so that one pair isn’t more faded than the others. Clean curtains make your whole room smell and look better and that is a very good thing.