Drapes

Most people don’t consider maintaining their drapes. They are often hang and forget about until they are noticeably discolored, warn or dirty and then just replaced.

There are five ways your drapes can be affected over time.

  1. Sunlight.  Sunlight overtime causes discoloration. Also it can weaken the fabric causing damage. Most often leading to shredding or ripping during a removing or cleaning process.
  2. Moisture.  Humidity can place moisture on drapes, window condensation, water leaks and pet urine can all cause dye bleeding. Moisture can also produce water stains that can be nearly impossible to remove.
  3. Shrinkage.  This is a result of when the fabric is not properly pre-shrunk before purchased then cleaned. Any form of wet cleaning, dry cleaning or laundering can 4cause shrinkage to happen. To have shrinkage is normal to any cleaning. The standard for any shrinkage is only at 2% to 4%. Loosely woven fabrics will shrink more, like rayon or acetate.
  4. Break Down of the Coating.  The coating on the backs of drapes break down by flaking or falling off because of the intensity of the sun and long exposure.
  5. Heat and Smoke.  Heat and cigarette smoke will create permanent discoloration to drapes.

 

The Best Way to Clean Drapes Addressed above are some insights that inform as to what causes drapes to be damaged or stained. Hopefully some practical changes can be made to help with the appearance and long life of your drapes. But if your drapes need to be cleaned, here is some advice.

  • Vacuum or dust your drapes with dry materials on a regular basis. Always leave them hanging and work from the top down so you don’t work against yourself.
  • Follow the care tag advice. Most care tags advise steam cleaning, dry cleaning or machine washing.  If you do machine washing remember to wash in the delicate cycle mode. If you air-dry, do so outside so the dye can’t drip on your indoor floor.
  • If you’re unsure about cleaning your drapes, you can contact your local carpet cleaner or dry cleaners and ask for a quote. Most carpet cleaners should use a dry-cleaning method. You should consult with the carpet cleaners and find out their methods before having them clean. Remember whoever cleans your drapes are liable to replace them.  Take pictures before the work is complete.
  • I hope you found this information insightful. If you are in a cleaning dilemma, you are welcome to contact Quality Care Carpet Cleaning at any time for any questions.