How To Extend The Life Of Your Curtains
Curtains can breathe new life into any room of the house, as well as being incredibly affordable and easy to install. However, the fabric of your curtains can easily show its age over time thanks to sun damage, dust and fumes.
The good news is that you don’t have to clean your curtains too often to keep them looking fresh and clean. Below, we’ll go over a few simple tips to extend the life of your curtains and protect them for years to come.
Regular vacuuming
Although some fabrics are more delicate than others so you’ll have to use your own judgement, your vacuum cleaner is a quick and easy way to give your curtains a quick clean. Simply put your vacuum on its lowest setting, attach a clean upholstery attachment and gently vacuum away.
This will help you to draw out dust, pollens and even insects, stopping stains from forming and keeping your curtains looking, smelling and feeling brand new. We recommend using a vacuum on your curtains once every two months or so, but even a couple of times a year will make a difference.
Keep windows and window sills clean
Mould and mildew are a problem in many homes all around the world, especially in climates that are prone to humidity. Even double-glazed windows aren’t safe, so it’s important that you take the appropriate action.
Bleach is your best defence against invisible mould spores, so you can put a capful in a spray bottle with water and wipe down your windows and window sills. Just be careful not to get any of this bleach solution on your curtains, you can even take your curtains down while you do this just to be safe.
Use curtain draw rods
If you haven’t yet invested in remote control blinds or curtains, you can use curtain draw rods to stop yourself from touching your curtains and spreading dirt, grime and grease onto them. Constant pulling on your curtains can also cause the fibres to weaken and tears, worn-out edges or unevenness to appear over time.
Curtain rods are cheap and can easily be attached, and can be found at any hardware or supply shops.
Protect from sun damage
While it’s not an easy feat, there are plenty of ways you can protect your curtains from sun damage over time. While curtains are of course used to cover your windows and block out the sun, they’re often mostly used for decorative purposes. Rather than using your curtains to keep the sun out, you can instead invest in net covers or small blinds to do the job instead and leave your curtains open.
Curtain liners are another great option, protecting the inside of your curtains from the UV rays that can cause them to discolour and deteriorate over time.
Check the label before washing
If your fabric allows it and vacuuming isn’t doing the job, you can machine wash your curtains as long as you put it on a low or delicate spin cycle to avoid damaging the fabric. The majority of curtains will come with manufacturer labels and washing instructions so that you can safely wash your curtains, although certain fabrics like silk or linen can never be machine washed.
If you’re unsure of what the symbols on the manufacturer labels mean, you should easily be able to find the information online. If you feel like your curtain fabric might need to be dry cleaned professionally, make sure you do so and don’t take the risk of washing them at home anyway.
Also Read: Reasons To Add Exterior Blinds To Your Home
Have them professionally cleaned
If you’re ever feeling in doubt, your best course of action is to have your curtains professionally cleaned. Over time, the sun will bake in any stains, watermarks, mould or dirt on your curtains, only getting harder and harder to remove. If you’ve neglected to maintain your curtains, using the services of a professional cleaner will be your best bet at returning them to as close to their original condition as possible.
