Clean curtains will always enhance the look of your home but can easily become dusty and dirty.
Most people ignore their curtains for months or even years, which leads to them getting a bit stale, chances are yours could do with a good clean to revive and refresh them.
The great news is you can clean curtains at home without having to wash or dry clean them, saving you lots of time and money.
Have a read of our handy guide where we offer tips on how to look after and clean your curtains to keep them looking as beautiful as when you first bought them.Keep the area around your curtains free from dust, dirt and mould
Regularly removing dust, mould, allergens, and pet hair will help keep your curtains in good shape and last for longer. As with carpet, and other upholstered fabric items, dust tends to settle onto curtains, therefore, it’s worth taking the time to regularly dust and vacuum your windowsill and floors to stop any build-up.
Shake any excess dust from your curtains and regularly dust and vacuum the windowsills and floors around them to prevent dust from settling into your curtains. Give your windows and windowsills a deeper clean on a regular basis to help keep mould at bay and prevent transferring stains to your curtains, you will want to keep the light-coloured lining fresh and clean.
Vacuuming curtains
We recommend vacuuming curtains directly using the upholstery attachment to get deep into the fibres, we strongly advise not to use the standard floor brush attachment as you could transfer loose dirt and dust to your curtains.
When vacuuming, you can either keep your curtains in their track or pole, or take them down and lay them on a flat surface, depending on which you find easiest. Pay special attention to the edges and corners of the fabric because that’s where dust and dirt tend to build up the most. We recommend vacuuming your curtains every fortnight to prevent any build-up.
Steam cleaning curtains
Keep your curtains extra fresh by steaming them when creases develop. If you have an iron with a steam setting that goes up to 1400 watts, you can use this in place of a clothing steamer or handheld steamer.
We recommend steam cleaning your curtains holding the iron or steamer away from the surface of the fabric, starting at the top and moving to the bottom, if you notice the fabric is getting wet hold the cleaner further away from the surface.
Removing stains
If you have a stubborn stain that vacuuming and steaming haven’t removed, we recommend that you take a clean cloth, wet it with cold water and gently blot the stain. Also remember its important to avoid using stain remover or detergent as this could lead to colour fastness and affect the dye. You should hopefully see the stain gradually disappear, if not read on for the next best tip to get your curtains back to good as new.
Dry cleaning curtains
If there are any stubborn marks on your curtains that you were unable to remove at home, we suggest taking your curtains to be dry cleaned. Due to the nature of our high-quality fabrics and the poly/cotton lining, machine washing curtains can damage the delicate fabrics and could cause the dye to bleed out, so in this case, it’s best to have them dry cleaned.
The cost of dry-cleaning curtains varies depending on the size, fabric, weight and whether the curtains are lined or unlined range, rates will also vary in different locations.
Best way to wash curtains
We often get asked what’s the best way to wash my curtains. It’s very important to check the care label instructions on your curtains. If they depict your curtains are "dry clean only" you should not attempt to use a washing machine to wash your curtains, this could end up being an expensive mistake. If the care instructions say your curtains are ok to machine wash, follow the recommended settings carefully.
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We hope the tips in this article will leave your curtains so fresh and so clean , so your home looks its best and they have a longer life. If you feel you could do with a new set of curtains take a look at our stunning collection of high-quality made-to-measure curtains. If you enjoyed reading our guide, please consider sharing this with others and spreading the love.