Curtain cleaning might seem like a big job, but it’s important to keep them clean if you want to keep them in top-notch condition. You won’t find a single room without curtains because not only do they ensure privacy for the occupants of the room, but they also protect them from a full face of light during the daytime and even keep heat out of the room. And while you might have curtains of the highest quality, they’d still need adequate maintenance to look their best. The last thing you want is to release a cloud of dust every time you draw the curtains.
But maintaining your curtains doesn’t have to be hard! This article can serve as an effective guide to keeping your curtains looking the best they can be.
Check the Label
Before commencing with the task of curtain cleaning, check the label for the proper washing method. While hand-washing might be the best way to clean curtains made of specific materials such as velvet or silk, dry cleaning would work well for other types. If you want to prolong the lifespan of your curtains, make sure you first understand the best way to clean them.
Handwashing Your Curtains
Handwashing is the safest option for washing any curtain. However, since it takes quite an effort to manually clean curtains, it is best to do so when the load is not too heavy. To make the process easier, use a detergent formulated to wash delicate materials such as lace and silk or a mild detergent soap. Always use cold water to clean curtains, and never scrub the fabric with brushes or other cleaning tools as it could easily ruin the fabric. If your curtains are heavy, consider steam or dry cleaning them, as curtains absorb a good amount of detergent and water during the cleaning process, and a heavier load would take a long time to dry completely. To prevent the damp smell from developing on your curtains, air dry immediately after washing.
ORAPI RECOMMENDS:
Powdered Laundry Detergent
EVALUATE IS a concerned blend of alkaline salts to ensure maximum removal of blood, fats, oils etc. in its cold break operations as well as an excellent alkaline boost in the washing cycles. Unique wetting agents have been incorporated in the product specifically designed for blood removal ensuring faster, more efficient removal of blood than conventional alkaline breaks Anti-redeposition agents have also been added to ensure maximum removal of soils and high optical brightness for whites
Dry Cleaning Your Curtains
Dry cleaning works best with light and colourful curtains. Other washing methods may shrink or damage the curtains or drain their colours, so you need to be extra careful. To get the best result out of dry-cleaning your curtains, get ________.
As with washing by hand, do not use any rough brushes or tools when dry cleaning curtains. Clean each curtain separately. After cleaning, hang them away from direct sunlight. Since heat damages curtains, do not place the iron directly on the fabric. Instead, put a towel, t-shirt or blanket on top while ironing.
ORAPI RECOMMENDS:
Laundry Stain Remover Spray
SUP’STAIN OXY+ is a ready-to-use pre-spotting agent developed for the removal of coloured stains. It is formulated with enzymes to respect linen fibres.
Steam Cleaning Your Curtains
Steam cleaners can disinfect and sanitise curtains while improving the life of the fabric. This method is preferred for curtains suited to washing machines but are either too big to fit in the machine or add too much to the overall load.
Simply fill the steam cleaner with water until you reach the fill line. Use a gallon jug, quart jar or another container that will allow you to keep track of how much water you’re pouring into the unit. Add 1 teaspoon of laundry detergent to the steam cleaner (per quart of water added). Turn on your steam cleaner, allow it to heat up for a few minutes, and clean your curtain as you normally would. Watch the water reservoir as you clean and refill the steam cleaner with fresh water and laundry detergent as needed. Pay attention to tough stains left behind after washing, and apply a good spot remover suited to the fabric.
Machine Washing Your Curtains
Machine washing your curtains is the simplest, fastest, and the most convenient of all the methods. As mentioned earlier, cleaning your curtains with hot water can cause them to shrink. To determine the perfect temperature to wash your curtains, consult the machine’s instructions. ORAPI’s ___ works well in temperatures as low as 30°C.
Be sure to put your dryer on the delicate cycle for safety. A slow spin and cold water are ideal for washing high-quality curtains. Detergent formulated for your curtain material is always the best choice.
Machine-wash only light curtains as heavier curtains take a long time to dry completely. Moreover, the rinse cycle fails to perfectly clean heavy curtains. Instead, air-dry them for the best effect.
ORAPI RECOMMENDS:
Liquid Laundry Detergent
VIPER PLUS is a powerful liquid detergent developed for commercial and or on-premise laundries. It is formulated with sophisticated surfactants, and optical brighteners to provide effective penetration and emulsification of soils from natural and synthetic fabrics, while maintaining maximum whiteness.
Drying Your Curtains After Cleaning Them
Failing to dry your curtains properly leads to mould and foul odours. To dry your curtains quickly:
- Hang them outside on a sunny day with a breeze.
- Ignore scorching areas as direct sunlight may damage the fabric of the curtain.
- Opt for a partially shady spot instead. If it suits the material, dry your curtains in a washing machine.
- Read the label to learn the maximum temperature your curtains can bear.
Instead of placing them outside to dry, you can also put them in a nicely-ventilated room. Keep all the windows open and switch on fans to dry them quickly. If your curtains are prone to wrinkles, take them out of the washing machine just before the completion of a cycle and dry them outdoors. Avoid drying heavy curtains inside as this can lead to mould and musty odours, which may cause spores to develop on your expensive furniture.
Removal of Curtain Stains
Aside from dust, curtains can also get stained quite easily. Unfortunately, the removal of stains isn’t as easy as it might seem. Just throwing them in the washing machine doesn’t wash away the stains. Many try to scrub on them with harsh curtain cleaning tools, but as we mentioned previously, scrubbing with cleaning equipment can tear the curtain’s fabric, making them look ragged and awfully tattered. Therefore, to remove stubborn stains, use a high-quality stain remover spray.
ORAPI RECOMMENDS:
Oil Spotting Agent
A ready to use pre-spotting agent formulated for the removal of stubborn oil stains, SUP’STAIN OI is particularly effective on butter, oil, chocolate, makeup and other stains.
ORAPI RECOMMENDS:
Ink Spotting Agent
A ready to use pre-spotting agent formulated for the removal of ink based stains, SUP’STAIN INK is particularly effective for the removal of ink and paint stains in commercial or on premise laundries.
ORAPI RECOMMENDS:
Colour Spotting Agent
A ready to use pre-spotting agent developed for the removal of coloured stains, and formulated with enzymes to respect linen fibres, SUP’STAIN OXY+ is particularly effective for the removal of blood, red fruit, wine, grass or urine stains in commercial or on premise laundries
Maintaining Clean Curtains
Curtain cleaning and maintenance is quite a difficult and time-consuming activity. You may end up spending a whole day cleaning your curtains, but if you know how to maintain them properly, you do not need to wash them so frequently.
To maintain the quality of your curtains:
- Take them down every two weeks and hang them outside. In addition, wash the curtains of a high-traffic room once every two weeks and those of a low-traffic room once a month.
- Remember to vacuum your curtains when cleaning your home.
- If your vacuum cleaner does not have a setting for curtain cleaning, shake and beat loose dust and dirt and vacuum.
- Remove hooks and weights and unfasten tapes before washing, so curtains lie flat.
- Dry curtains on two parallel clothing lines to prevent wet surfaces from touching.
- Use a floor cleaner that dries up quickly without leaving any residue behind to prevent the curtains from coming in contact with wet and dirty floors.
- Use the products mentioned in this article for clean and fresh curtains that last long.
ORAPI RECOMMENDS:
Liquid Laundry Neutralizer
NEUTREX is a phosphate-free high neutralising capacity sour, formulated the most economical use in commercial and on-premise laundries. NEUTREX treats fabrics gently and adjusts pH of garments to minimise potential skin irritation and fabrics browning.
Conclusion
Cleaning and maintaining curtains are necessary to maintain the exquisite look and feel of rooms. Regardless of the fabric used to make them, you can always keep them in excellent condition by implementing the proper techniques. Keep in mind these curtain cleaning and maintenance methods and choose the options best suited to the fabric to maintain your curtains’ quality for years to come.
