How to Wash Drapes
Drapery Cleaning in St. Helena— Cleaning the draperies into your home can prolong their life and free your house of dust, dirt, pet hair and allergens.
Weekly Maintenance
Remove dust from your drapes along with your vacuum. Most vacuums have a soft brush attachment that’s fantastic for the drapes. Set the brush attachment at the end of this accessory hose and then sweep in an up and down motion throughout the cloth. A handheld vacuum also works nicely for this particular undertaking.
Washing the Drapes
IMPORTANT: CHECK THE TAGS Before trying to clean your draperies. A few draperies should ONLY BE CLEANED PROFESSIONALLY. NEVER wash them :
They aren’t specifically labeled as washable (if they’re lined, be sure BOTH the drapery fabric and the liner are listed as machine washable).
The fabric is damaged, frayed or disappeared (i.e. by sun )
The draperies are pleated
Trim or other embellishments are not recorded as color-fast
In the event the draperies indicate”dry clean only,” you ought to take them to a dry cleaner that specializes in draperies and window treatments. For anyone in your area, check your local yellow pages. Take heed of this label and follow these steps In case your draperies are machine washable:
Carefully remove the drapes from the sticks (it is ideal to have someone assist you with this because you will probably need a step stool or small ladder to reach the sticks ). NEVER pull or tug on the draperies to receive them down since this might damage the sticks, the cloth or the walls.
The draperies are wrapped with pins or hooks In the event , carefully get rid of these and place them apart.
Hand wash every panel in water and a detergent such as Woolite. For big drapes, it may be easier to use the tub rather than the sink.
On the GENTLE cycle, the drapes can be put in the alternative, as indicated on the tag with warm or cold water. Elect for cold, if the tag does not indicate a temperature setting. Use a gentle detergent. DO NOT overload your washer. In case your draperies are big or bulky, look at doing the panels at some time or carrying them at which you are able to use oversize washers.
Put the curtains in a dryer on the setting indicated on the label (most likely low heat). If no dryer setting is indicated, put on”no heat” (fluff) setting. Take care not to overload the dryer also.
Look at taking them to a laundromat with dryers or doing one panel at a time. The usual source of harm to draperies through the cleaning method is heat; when in doubt (especially if having a commercial drier not familiar to you), use the”no heat” setting. TIP: If you’re fortunate enough to possess an old clothesline, rather than the dryer, hang your draperies out to dry on the clothesline. You won’t have to worry about overheating, and the drapes will have a fresh scent that is natural. To keep fabric prevent hanging in direct sun.
Eliminate draperies out of your dryer if needed and press. Again, check your tag. Use a cool iron if no sign is provided. To avoid damage, use the iron only.
Replace the pins or hooks (if any) and then re-hang the draperies on the rods. It is best to do this with a different individual assisting.
