5 Tips for Cleaning Blinds, Shades, and Curtains

Your window treatments play a big role in how your home looks and feels. If you have invested in custom window treatments, you want to do all you can to help them last as long as possible. Part of doing that involves establishing a regular cleaning routine. How can you keep your fabric blinds, shades, curtains, and drapes as fresh as possible? Use these practical tips:

Do Not Make Any Assumptions

There are some common best practices for cleaning window coverings. However, if you have custom pieces with specialized fabrics, there might be some specific chemicals or cleaning techniques that you should either avoid or apply. Always prioritize custom cleaning directions over any generalized advice that you find online.

Do a Light Cleaning Once a Week

You should perform a light cleaning of your window coverings once a week as part of your regular cleaning routine. For most blinds and shades, you can use the attachment on your vacuum cleaner to get rid of excess dust. Use a soft cloth to wipe down any hardware. If you apply any soapy water or liquid cleaning agents, be sure to let them completely dry before you raise your shades or blinds.

Perform a Yearly Deep Clean

Once a year (perhaps more often if you have pets or live in a dusty area), you may need to take your window coverings down for a deeper cleaning. Some fabrics and drapes are machine washable. Others, though, require dry cleaning. For blinds and shades, you may need to use special cleaning chemicals that will not damage the fabric. You could even consider hiring a company that specializes in cleaning window coverings.

Try Steam Cleaning

Steam cleaning is safe for a wide variety of fabrics (it is not recommended for velvet or velour). The steam can loosen dirt particles and odor-causing bacteria and germs. It can also help to get rid of wrinkles and give your window coverings a fresher, newer appearance.

Be Careful with Big Messes

From time to time, one of your kids might splatter juice or another highly pigmented substance on your window coverings. Do not try to scrub out any stains; you might just make them worse. Instead, dab the area with a moist, soapy cloth. If you want to try using any stain removers, test them first to make sure they will not fade the colors on your drapes or blinds.

In some cases, you might need to take your window coverings down and let them soak in soapy water for a while.

Keeping your window coverings clean is important! Use the above tips to freshen up your blinds, shades, and drapes.

Meet Rita

Rita Tayefeh specializes in providing custom fabric window coverings for homes and businesses throughout the Dallas area. If you are interested in her services, or you have questions about how to take care of special blinds, drapes, and curtains, she would be happy to speak with you. Contact her at 214-533-0843.