We understand how to wash curtains made of different fabrics: linen, cotton, viscose, velvet and blackout. And we tell you the niceties of cleaning products with decorations.
No matter, light curtains or heavy heavy heavy drapes hang on the window. Sooner or later they will be covered with ubiquitous dust, get greasy, and stains will appear on them. To return the textiles to their original appearance is not as easy as it seems. The variety of materials and decors greatly complicates the process. Let’s understand how to wash curtains so that they do not spoil.
How often should blinds be washed?
There is no definite answer to this question, although all sorts of household manuals recommend doing it at least once every six months. But this may not be enough. Many factors influence the degree of contamination.
What to pay attention to before you wash
- The type of fabric the curtain is made of. On fabrics without antistatic treatment, for example, dust settles faster and in large quantities.
- The time of year. In summer, as well as in warm spring and autumn, windows are open, and street dirt is easy to get on curtains.
- Purpose of the room in which the decor is located. For example, the kitchen decoration is subjected to intensive processing of steam, greasy splashes, etc., while in the bedroom or living room there is no such pollution.
Therefore, each hostess decides for herself whether it is time to wash the curtains or not. But we must remember that even if there are no obvious traces of dirt on them, the curtains are saturated with dust after hanging for several months. It can, of course, be cleaned periodically with a vacuum cleaner, but this will not solve the problem. Regular water procedures or full chemical cleaning is necessary.
Handwashing
A familiarity with the manufacturer’s recommendations will help determine the method of cleaning. On store-bought curtains, there is always a marking, which indicates on what mode to wash curtains and other features of the process. If this is not present, you will have to be guided by the composition of the textile, the peculiarities of its design. Some fabrics are strictly forbidden to undergo any, even manual, washing. They are taken to the dry cleaners.
Machine processing is also not suitable for everyone. Manual treatment is universal, but not always feasible. If, for example, the cloths are very large and dense, the machine will cope with them better.
The process of washing curtains manually
- We shake out the cloths, ridding them of dust. It is better to do this on the street or on the balcony. In the most extreme case, shake them in the bathroom, so as not to dust the living rooms. Dense curtains can be knocked out with a special device.
- Pour cool water into the bathtub, add salt and stir. Put the drapes in the salt solution. After about an hour, lift them, spread them out and dip them in water again. Repeat this a few times. Drain the water.
- Draw clean warm water, dissolve liquid detergent or washing powder. If necessary, add bleach, if the cloth is to be snow-white. Dipping it into the solution. Leave it for 40-60 minutes. Take out the curtains a few times and dip them in water again. Drain the dirty solution. Repeat this three or four times.
- Pour clean water into the tub, adding conditioner, if necessary. Rinse the product several times. Fold in an accordion lengthwise, wring out a little, and hang over the tub to let the water drain off.
This method of cleaning is suitable for delicate textiles, which do not readily withstand machine washing: silk, wool, thin capron tulle, etc.
Washing in a washing machine
Washing curtains in a washing machine is much easier. It is important that he was able to tolerate such treatment without loss. In this, you need to make sure in advance by reading the manufacturer’s labeling. To prevent unpleasant situations, it is desirable that the washing machine has a delicate mode or its analog and the possibility of turning off the spin.
General rules
- Curtains are placed in the drum very carefully, without kinks and kinks. The volume of the container must not be filled more than half. Otherwise, the material will not be rinsed properly.
- All detergents should be liquid. Powders are worse for rinsing.
- Do not use a spin, or reduce the spin speed to 600 rpm.
- Textiles decorated with glass beads, beads, embroidery, metal parts, etc. should be washed only in special bags.
Textile decorations should always be shaken out before placing them in the machine to reduce dusting. Heavily soiled items are pre-soaked in cool water with salt or baking soda. Let’s talk about how to properly wash different types of cloths.
Mode selection by fabric type
Textiles with a simple cut without additional finishing are easy to care for. The main condition for success is to choose the right processing mode.
Cotton and linen
Heavy duty, hard-wearing fabrics. They withstand a high temperature wash with great intensity. For appliquéd linen choose 40 ° C, for dyed – 50-60 ° C. Cotton is even more undemanding. White models, if necessary, can be washed at 80-90 ° C, dyed and printed – at 50-60 ° C. Be sure to rinse several times, preferably using conditioner. Dry cotton and linen away from heating equipment to prevent shrinkage. Iron when slightly damp.
Silk, wool
Natural fibre garments should preferably be dry-cleaned. The result of machine washing can be disastrous. However, if you decide to clean them at home, you must first soak them. Select a special mode “Silk” or “Wool” on the machine, only special liquid detergents and conditioner are used. Wringing is strictly prohibited. Dry silk and wool fabrics away from heaters.
Viscose, polyester, other synthetics
All synthetic fabrics do not tolerate high temperatures and intense exposure. That is why they must be washed on a delicate mode at 30-40 ° C. Pre-soaking and use of special detergents is desirable. To facilitate ironing and preserve the appearance, it is desirable to use conditioner. Spinning at a minimum spin or no spinning is recommended. In the latter case, place the garment over a bathtub to drain off the water, then iron when still wet or hang it immediately on a ledge.
Velvet
Regardless of the composition, velvet is recommended to dry-clean. But sometimes it needs to be washed. This is possible, but a good result is not guaranteed. First, velvet drapes are thoroughly whipped. Then they are folded face inward in a strip, the width of which is equal to the depth of the drum. Roll up the resulting strip in a roll and place it in the machine. Select the “Delicate” program with minimum temperature and processing time. No wringing is possible. For drying, the fabric is spread out and placed on a horizontal surface with the nap facing up.
Blackout
It is a model that does not let the light pass, sewed from dense materials. They come in one or two layers. In any case blackout curtains can be washed in a washing machine. They are knocked out of them, carefully rolled up and put into the drum. No special precautions are required. The mode is chosen according to the composition of the material. Squeeze them most often possible. Dry in straightened form, so that it was easier to iron out.
Washing articles with decorations
Cleaning mode determines not only the composition of the fabric, but also the finish of the product. Therefore, it can be difficult to decide how to wash blackout curtains, threaded or Roman. Let’s figure out how to do it correctly.
Models with eyelets
Loops are large rings on which to hang a cloth. They can be plastic or metal, removable or stationary. Wash curtains with eyelets should be carefully, because the rings can damage the material. Metal parts of low quality under the influence of water can rust, then there are unpleasant orange stains and stains.
To avoid this, the removable elements must be removed before soaking. Articles with fixed eyelets are carefully rolled up and placed in a mesh bag. Choose a delicate cleaning program and turn off the wringer. At the end of the cycle, remove the cloth from the bag, let it drain and finish drying in an unfolded form. The same is done with models decorated with large plastic or metal elements, rhinestones, beads.
Thread decor
Washing threaded curtains should be so that they do not get tangled. To do this, the threads are divided into several bundles, each of which is tied in a net knot. You can do otherwise. From the threads weave a braid, or several if the product is long. At the end of the braid is secured with a clerical rubber band.
In this form, the curtain is laid in a drum. The mode is chosen according to the composition of the threads. Often it is a regular wash at 40 ° C. The spin is not turned off, but also do not use the maximum number of revolutions. The wet product is untied or unraveled, gently unraveled and hung on the ledge, where it finally dries.
Roman and roll systems
Take care of them in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. For roll systems, dry and dry cleaning is most often recommended. They can be washed, but very carefully. Let’s get acquainted with the recommendations on how to wash Roman blinds. First, they are disassembled, taking out all plastic and metal parts. Then fold the cloth in a mesh bag, put into the machine. Choose a delicate program and dry in an unbuttoned state.
It is impossible to feel comfortable in an apartment without clean, ironed curtains. It is not so difficult to bring them in order, and you should do it regularly. Then the process of cleaning will not be too much trouble and the result will be the best.