Consider the Material
Before you can start cleaning any of your drapes, you need to identify what type of material they are made of; while this seems insignificant, you can ruin the fabric if you aren’t careful. For stitched drapes featuring pleats or swags, you will need to dry clean them. Although they are supposedly washable, either by hand or by machines, it’s much better to avoid taking chances. After all, you don’t want them to shrink. Likewise, for wool or cashmere, make sure you get them dry cleaned as well. Cotton, synthetics, and sheer material can all be washed by hand or by machine, but you will want to be gentle when washing the sheer material so it doesn’t rip by accident.
Vacuum Every Week
Much as you would vacuum your carpets and rugs every week, take some time to vacuum your drapes as well. Your vacuum cleaner should have an upholstery attachment that will make this task much less of a headache. However, before you start, make sure to get rid of excess dust. Then, start from the top and work your way down. If you don’t have a vacuum or the necessary attachments, then you can use a broom with synthetic bristles to clean the dust off. One other benefit of vacuuming your drapes every week is that you can reduce the number of allergies caused by the presence of dust in your home.
Determine How to Wash Them
You will also need to determine how best to wash your home’s drapes. Testing a small patch of the fabric is a good way to start. This way, you can verify that the colors won’t run and ruin the look or feel of the fabric. Some warm water, a bowl, and some detergent is all you need to run this test. If the color starts to change, you’ll be better off going seeking help from professional upholstery cleaning services.
More Tips
Before you start cleaning your drapes, take the time to remove any pins, hangers, or other pieces of hardware that attach them to the curtains or windows. You’ll also need to get the dust off of curtain rods, finials, and any other decorations you use to help your drapes look better – anything that might attract too much dust.