Curtains and blinds add charm, character, and comfort to any and every space. And of course, once you find the perfect curtains and window blinds, you’ll want to have them for longer time spans. To keep their beauty and quality sustained, proper maintenance and care are the only solutions.
Even if you buy blinds and curtains with the best quality material, they’ll still lose their liveliness after a certain time. Some fabrics require minimal care while some need to be properly cleaned and maintained for retaining their beauty. The curtain and blind maintenance tips will significantly help enhance their durability.
Curtains Care and Maintenance Tips For An Extended Lifespan
Maintenance of window curtains doesn’t require extraordinary effort, but it’s surely somewhat time-consuming depending on the type of drapes.
Reduce Exposure To Sunlight
As part of maintenance, one effortless tip is to avoid the contact of direct sunlight with those curtain’s fabrics that are prone to fade. Velvet, linen, wool, and silk are fabrics that can stand up well against sunlight exposure. But for other types of curtains, you have to be considerate, particularly in summer. Blinds and shades can be used as protective elements to prevent sunlight from reaching the curtains.
Ensure Your Curtains Are Of Ideal Length
The length of the curtains must be considered to prevent them from getting dirty too fast. Floor-length curtains are most likely to pick up the dust from floors. Also, one might step on the curtains by accident. Therefore, homes with pets and kids wandering around must have curtains of a short length. Hemming is the best way to minimize the excessive length of window curtains.
Dust and Clean Your Curtains Often
As curtains are exposed to everyday wear and tear, it’s important to dust them on a daily basis. Daily dusting with a soft brush or an upholstery attachment will not let the dirt settle into the curtain fabric. Make sure to vacuum your curtains often for a tidy look. A handheld vacuuming tool can also be effective for efficient curtain cleaning. When cleaning, remove any detachable accessories to avoid damaging them.
Read The Instructions
No matter what type of curtain you shop for covering your windows first read the instruction label for their care and maintenance. When you purchase ready-made curtains from the stores, reading the label will tell you about their cleaning method. Some curtains can be machine washed while fabrics with light weave require hand washing.
When In Doubt, Dry or Steam Clean Curtains
Dry cleaning or steam cleaning is the safest route to go for when you need to clean heavier drapes that can’t be machine washed. The maintenance of heavier drapes needs extraordinary attention as the texture, appearance, inner lining, and fiber can get damaged.
Wash Alone In the Machine
When washing curtains in the machine, make sure to not put any other clothing along with the curtains. It is necessary to keep your drapes from getting stained with other fabric colors. Take out all the rings from the curtains before cleaning, and use cold water or mild detergent to avoid shrinking. Also, you can make use of mesh laundry bags for effectively washing your curtains.
Hand Wash Your Curtains
Hand-washing curtains are the best idea to maintain fabric quality and avoid any kind of damage. To keep the fabric soft and durable, ensure handling it as gently as possible.
Use Mild Detergents
Commercial detergents with harmful chemicals can damage the color of curtains. To avoid fading and discoloration, homemade cleaning solutions are best.
Blinds Maintenance Tips To Keep Them Long-lasting
Perform Routine Dusting
Whether your window blinds are made from wood, plastic, aluminum, or fabric materials, daily dusting must be ensured. For dusting, a soft or stiff brush or a vacuum upholstery attachment can be used depending on the type of window blind.
Deep Clean Them Periodically
Deep cleaning of the blind is necessary to remove the accumulated dirt from their surfaces. For deep cleaning, you’ll need to uninstall blinds, remove their detachable hardware, and clean them in an open place. Use a damp microfiber cloth or a sponge to eliminate all grease, finger marks, and/or dust from blinds.
Avoid Wooden Blinds In Moisture-prone Places
Consider the climate of the area and humidity levels when installing wooden material blinds. Wooden blinds can crack or warp in areas with high moisture content, hence, the wastage of investment. Humidity levels of a space can be checked with the help of a device named a hygrometer.
Never Use Excessive Water
Whether it’s fabric or wooden blinds, don’t use excessive water for cleaning them. The water can rust the metal, crack the wood, or damage the delicately fabricated blinds.
Clean Hardware Along
Don’t forget to clean the hardware like rods, finials, cords, or strings. Dust and grease can build up on blind hardware if you don’t clean it frequently. The string can get stiff or often stuck while pulling blinds because of dirt and other buildups.
Dry Blinds Properly
After cleaning, always give your window blinds proper time to air dry. To avoid moisture and mold build-up in the blind fabrics, allow the fabric of the blind to dry completely.
Final Note
To extend their life and keep their shine sustained for a long time, curtain and blinds maintenance tips are the best choices for you. As part of blinds maintenance, perform daily dusting and regular cleaning. Avoid excessive water, carefully clean hardware, and ensure careful usage. While for curtains, read the care instructions, and regularly dust, spot, dry, and steam clean your curtains. Hand wash lightweight and delicate curtains and wash colored curtains alone in the machine. Maintenance of both curtains and blinds is mandatory to ensure their optimal performance and longevity.
After cleaning, always give your window blinds proper time to air dry. To avoid moisture and mold build-up in the blinds fabrics, allow the fabric of the blind to dry completely.