Tips on caring for delicate curtains

You carefully select window treatments that compliment the décor in your home, including lace and sheer curtains. Cleaning and caring for delicate curtains can be tricky. These tips will help.

1. If the label has care instructions, follow them. Although most modern lace and sheer curtains can be washed by hand or on the delicate cycle in your washing machine, your curtains could be the exception.
2. If there are no care instructions, assume that your curtains should only be professionally cleaned. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
3. Organdy sheers, a type of fine, transparent muslin, are very delicate and should only be professionally cleaned.
4. Give your curtains a gentle shake frequently to prevent dust particles from becoming embedded in the delicate fibers.
5. If your curtains appear to be dingy, try tumbling them in the dryer on a no-heat air cycle to remove dust, because the less often curtains are washed, the longer they will last.
6. To give your freshly cleaned lace or sheer curtains more body, dip them in a light starch solution (you can find some great tips on how to do this, visit http://homeguides.sfgate.com/make-sheer-curtains-stiff-again-52653.html).
7. To give your lace or sheer curtains a soft appearance, don’t use starch, and hang them while they are damp.
8. When hanging damp curtains, if you have metal hooks, slip a piece of tissue paper between the fabric and the hook until the fabric is completely dry to prevent rust stains.
9. Rotate curtains in sun-exposed areas to more shady ones to help delay sun damage longer.
10. Consider having window glass professionally treated to minimize the damage of ultra-violet (UV) rays.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have about cleaning and care or to get a free estimate on professional cleaning services.

This is one of a series of articles written and published  on behalf of Stone and Tile PRO Partners