Whether in the living room or in the bedroom, curtains give movement to the room, add a warm touch to the decoration, protect us from the sun and provide a certain amount of privacy. Classic or more elegant, white or patterned, this ornamental element can immediately spoil the atmosphere if neglected over time. And for good reason, curtains collect a lot of dust and dirt. If you don’t care for them properly, they can quickly become dull, black, or old. You have surely noticed that curtains in hotel rooms always look elegant and extravagant. There is no mystery: you have to bet on a thorough interview. Follow these 5 cleaning steps and you will have nothing to envy!
It is true that many people do not always think about cleaning their curtains. Once in a while, when they look really dirty, they more easily opt to go to the dry cleaners. Because, more often than not, many people find washing curtains to be more of a stressful and tedious task. Between the quite impressive size, the delicacy of the fabric, the time to spend on it, the washing factors… All these parameters seem restrictive. However, with the right gestures and the right methods, it is not a sea to drink either. You can perfectly clean your curtains at home without too much trouble.
What is the secret for hotels to have almost new curtains?
Open the curtains – Source: spm
Do you want your curtains to be renewed? There is no secret: they need to be cleaned regularly and washed as often as possible depending on their material. If you want them to look like new, follow these 5 steps.
- Stage 1: remove your curtains, but also the hooks and rods. Before you wash them, pat them thoroughly to remove all dust and dirt. Otherwise, these debris can get caught in the fabric threads, even when wetting the curtains.
- 2nd step: soak the curtains. If they seem very dirty, leave them like that for 5-6 hours in warm salt water. For 5 liters of water, count about 4 tablespoons of salt. You can also soak curtains in cold water, depending on the type of fabric.
- Step 3: when it comes to washing, you have the choice. Either you opt for a hand wash or go through the washing machine. If you prefer to wash by hand, make sure the detergent is well dissolved in the water before submerging the curtains. If they are white, you can add a small amount of baking soda or hydrogen peroxide to the detergent instead of bleach. They are excellent stain removers and whiteners. One piece of advice: don’t rub or twist your curtains.
- Step 4: Then carefully rinse them by hand in cold salt water to a dazzling whiteness. In the washing machine, opt for a short wash program for delicate fabrics.
- step 5 : Now it’s time to air dry and iron. It is best to iron the curtains while they are still damp. Iron them lengthwise on the wrong side, slightly stretching the fabric. And if you are not going to iron them right away, stretch them well. It is important to hang the curtains so that they dry optimally: if you do not have space to unroll all the curtains, fold them in two or four layers. Don’t forget to dust the windows and sills before installing the curtains. Stick them slightly wet so that they fall lengthwise.
Good to know : If your curtains are large and heavy, or made from a certain type of fabric (velvet, suede, chenille, tapestry, brocade, wool, or silk), it may be easier to dry clean them.
Clean curtains – Source: spm
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vacuum your curtains
If you just want to get rid of embedded dust on your curtains, the most effective way is to use a vacuum cleaner. Instead, if you want to get a good result, opt above all for a light and mobile device.
Use a sturdy ladder to access the height of the curtain. From there, shake it gently to remove all the dust and dirt.
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Brush the small fibers
Some curtains contain fibers that attract more dust, pet hair, lint, and other small dirt. If you find that the vacuum cleaner is not really effective in removing all this residue, it is time to use a special brush or a roller perfectly adapted to the lint that sticks to the fibers.
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steam clean them
If your curtains have grease stains, simply vacuuming won’t do the trick. In this case, steam will be especially suitable. For this reason, we recommend that you use a manual steam cleaner, which will be very effective in removing these types of stains. As a bonus, you won’t need to soak the curtains. Setting it to the gentlest mode and running it vertically, this garment steamer will work just fine.
In addition, thanks to this steamer you will kill two birds with one stone: in addition to cleaning your curtains, it will at the same time neutralize the bad odors that emanate from them.
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