Best Tips for Drapery & Curtain Care

Maintain the quality of your curtains and drapes with these cleaning and care tips.

Caring for Your Window Treatments 

Both the selection and care of window treatments are important for the protection of your home furnishings as well as for your privacy, comfort, and personal preference. Care depends on the construction and fabric of your window treatments.

Sunlight Considerations 

Sun, as well as dust and grime, is destructive to fabrics. Light-colored fabrics generally reflect sunlight and resist fading. Dark colors absorb light and fade. To protect fabrics from the sun, use lined window treatments, blinds, or shades.

Drapery Care Tips 

Daily care of lined draperies or drapery panels is simple. Give them a gentle shaking as they are drawn closed at night. This will prevent dust and dirt from lodging in the fibers. Every month or so, vacuum with a handheld vacuum and soft brush attachment. Use the low-section setting if your vacuum has one. Always make sure that trims, buttons, and other embellishments are secure before vacuuming.

Tips for Washing Draperies 

Wash plain panel or simply constructed draperies only when they are labeled washable. 

Hand or machine wash window treatments on the gentle cycle, using cool water and mild detergent.

Don't overload the washing machine. Rinse gently and thoroughly.

Tumble dry on the low or air setting, or line dry.

Iron the window treatments on the reverse side.

When Not to Wash 

Do not wash draperies under the following circumstances:

If the drapery or lining isn't washable.

If the drapery and lining are made of different fibers. (One may shrink, causing the other to pucker and hang poorly.)

If sunlight has weakened the fabric.

If the draperies are constructed with pleats, which may not hold their shape during machine washing.

If the draperies are too large for your washing machine.

If the trims and embellishments aren't washable or colorfast.

Washing Curtains 

Check the label before laundering ready made curtains. If your curtains are washable, remove hooks, rings, and hardware. Check that the trims are tightly attached. Unless the directions instruct otherwise, machine-wash on a short gentle cycle, using cool water and mild detergent. Tumble dry on low and remove immediately, or line dry.

Ironing Curtains 

If necessary, iron on the reverse side. If seams have puckered, spritz lightly with plain water. Pull the seams to stretch back to size, taking care not to break the stitching. Reattach metal hardware only after the curtains are dry.

Caring for Lace 

Remove dust from lace curtains by tumbling in the dryer on the air cycle. Many new lace curtains are hand- or machine-washable. Follow the label directions or gently wash in cool water. Use detergent made for fine washables. For extra body, dip freshly washed lace curtains in a light starch solution. For a soft look, re-hang the curtains without starching while they are slightly damp. If you use metals hooks, temporarily place a piece of tissue paper under each hook where it comes in contact with the damp lace. This will prevent the hook from rusting onto the fabric.

Caring for Sheers 

Most sheers are washable synthetics; unless the label states otherwise, wash in the same manner as lace curtains. Dry-clean organdy sheers, which are fragile and prone to sun damage.