A lot of homeowners pay little attention to their curtains until they have become too discolored or faded to salvage. However, after spending so much time selecting the perfect curtains for your home, wouldn’t you want to take good care of them and prolong their life as much as possible? Luckily, regular cleaning can actually make your curtains last longer! Today we’re going to discuss how to clean your window curtains NYC, how often to do it, and several tips that will make cleaning them ten times easier.
Why Do You Need to Clean Your Curtains?
Curtains, like everything else in your home, tend to gather a lot of dust and must be cleaned on a regular basis. Try to think about what happened the last time you opened or closed your curtains. Did dust, pet hair, or debris start to float around the room? If so, it might be time for you to start cleaning your curtains more often. Additionally, curtains absorb smells from around the house, particularly in high-traffic areas of a house such as in the living room or kitchen. If you haven’t cleaned your curtains in a while, you may notice that they smell musty or stale. Regular cleaning not only keeps dirt and dust at bay, but helps your expensive curtains last longer. Furthermore, if you suffer from allergies it can enhance the air quality in your house.
How Often Should You Clean Your Curtains
Fortunately, it’s not too difficult to keep your window curtains NYC looking fresh. To ensure that your curtains last for many years, we recommend dusting them once a week, spot cleaning when necessary, and performing an annual deep cleaning. Here’s what your cleaning schedule should look like.
Curtain Cleaning Schedule
Weekly: Dust your curtains using a feather duster, vacuum with a dust brush attachment, or a microfiber cloth. Shake out your window treatments before dusting to get rid of any large particles. Begin dusting your curtains starting from the top and continuing downwards until you reach the bottom of the treatment. Vacuum the area around your curtains to collect any remaining dust or debris.
Yearly: Curtains should be cleaned thoroughly once a year. Detach your curtains from the rods, then remove any hardware. Take your curtains outside and shake out the excess dirt. Wash them according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
When you see stains: If you notice that your curtains are stained, spot clean your curtains. Grab a soft sponge or cloth, bucket, and mild dish soap. In the bucket, combine warm water and a small amount of soap to make a cleaning solution. Dip the sponge or cloth into the mixture and wring out any excess water. In a circular motion, gently rub the cloth over the stains. Let the curtains air dry.
How to Clean Your Curtains
How you should clean your curtains depends on the type, style, and fabric of the curtains. Some curtains can be machine-washed while others must be hand washed or dry cleaned. The most efficient way to clean your curtains is to take a look at its cleaning instructions. Since this is a cleaning guide rather than a step-by-step process, always refer to the care labels before proceeding. If your care labels have faded or you’re unsure how to clean your window curtains NYC, you can always spot clean them. Otherwise, continue reading to find out how to clean these popular types of curtains.
Standard Fabric Curtains
Store-bought, unlined curtains can usually be washed in a washing machine. However, to avoid overloading the machine, just wash one or two panels at a time. Run a gentle cycle, and use cold water. After you’ve washed your window treatments, you can either hang them to dry or tumble dry them on low in your dryer. If you choose to let your curtains air dry, you can hang them outside or inside over a towel to catch any drops of water. If you’re using a dryer, use the lowest heat setting and remove them as soon as they’re done to minimize wrinkling.
Another option is to use a steamer with an upholstery attachment to steam clean your curtains (although this won’t be as effective as washing your curtains). If you plan on steam cleaning your curtains, first test out your steamer on an unnoticeable part of your curtains to make sure that it doesn’t cause any damage or wrinkling to the fabric. Let the area dry completely before steaming your curtains. If all goes well, you can start steaming them from the top in a downwards motion.
Sheer or Lace Curtains
Sheer, lace, or curtains made from other delicate materials should be hand washed. To wash your delicate curtains by hand, first, fill a bathtub with warm water and a few drops of a mild detergent. Gently massage the window treatments without twisting the fabric. If there are any visible stains let your window curtains NYC soak for an hour. Let them air dry outside. If you do choose to wash your curtains in the washing machine, always use the gentle cycle.
Heavy Fabrics and Drapes
Drapes and other heavy fabrics such as wool, cashmere, and velvet must be dry cleaned. But if need be, you can always spot clean them. Keep in mind that washing these curtains in the washing machine will ruin them!
Dusty or stained curtains can make your entire house look unkempt. If you’ve tried using the methods above to clean your curtains, but have been unsuccessful, it may be time to purchase new window curtains NYC. Reach out to Urban Window Treatments to get started on creating the custom curtains of your dreams!
