Curtains are an essential part of your home. We all have them! Curtains help you to not only maintain your privacy within your home setting but also decorate and make your house more appealing. Cleaning your curtains is absolutely necessary from time to time. Otherwise, dust, germs and a layer of discoloring starts to form over the curtains, destroying not only the curtains but the overall ambiance that the curtains bring to the room.

Keep in mind:

Keep in mind that curtains generally absorb all kinds of smells from around the room. These smells range from cigarette smoke to cooking aromas to air fresheners. All of these can leave the curtains with an unpleasant odor and over time you’ll notice a slight discoloration which will definitely worsen with time. The stains might be quite visible on light colored curtains or curtains made from the delicate material.

Curtain cleaning doesn’t have to be challenging. A lot of people opt for steam cleaning curtains, which means purchasing and using specialized products. However, there are other simpler ways to clean your curtains. Read on to find out how you can clean your curtains:

What you will need:

• Washing machine (unless you choose to hand wash your curtains)
• Detergent (your preferred detergent works fine)
• Soap specifically designed for hand-washing clothes (if you wish to hand wash instead of using a washing machine)
• Bucket (if you want to hand wash the curtains)

Washing your curtains:

Using the washing machine:

Based on the material of your curtains, you can clean them using your washing machine. This option is best suited for curtains that are lightweight instead of heavy material, since heavy materials tend to retain water and take longer to dry. Certain materials shrink if washed in hot water. Make sure to check out the label on your curtains before putting them into the washing machine.

1. If your washing machine has the delicate cycle option, use it. If not, use the cool wash option with a slow spin.
2. Put in one scoop of detergent for one set of curtains. If the material is heavy, put in 1.5-2 scoops of detergent.
3. If you are concerned about the curtains shrinking based on the material, it’s best to hand wash the curtains.

Hand washing curtains:

Hand washing curtains can be a safer option for most curtains. Even though it is a harder process, in that heavy curtains have to be put into a bucket and taken out, then rinsed and dried, this can be a secure option to avoid damaging curtains.

1. You can choose to use your ordinary laundry detergent or a soap that is particularly made for hand washing materials that are delicate. Choosing a gentle soap is best in order to prevent possible damage to the curtain material.
2. Follow instructions that are provided on your product to effectively hand wash, keep in mind that different products will need different amounts of concentrations.
3. Use a bucket to place the curtains into. Leave inside with detergent for half an hour to an hour before washing with cold water. Rinse and sundry or air dry.

How to reduce the need to clean your curtains:

There are several ways you can decrease the need to clean or wash household essentials such as curtains. By following a few easy steps, you can opt to give your curtains a proper wash every few months, instead of on a continuous basis. Some of the steps include:

• Reduce absorption of smells. Keep the kitchen door closed when you cook and avoid smoking at home or closed atmospheres altogether. Don’t do BBQs or other similar activities inside the home as burning smells can be long-lasting.
• If bad smells are a persistent problem, offer your curtains some good airing. For this, take the curtains off the rail and hang them out in the breeze for just an hour or a couple of hours to freshen them up.
• Open up the windows and let air come in to freshen up the room as well as getting rid of smells that may accumulate on the curtains.
• Vacuum your curtains consistently using a soft brush attachment eliminate everyday dust and dirt to prevent stains from becoming completely grounded into the material.