Curtains are a stylish element of apartment design. Regardless of the type, dust and dirt always accumulate on them. In this regard, the question arises about the frequency of washing such things.
Cleaning different types of window curtains from dirt is carried out at different intervals. However, there are a number of general recommendations regarding the care of such things.
We’ll tell you in this article how often you need to wash the curtains hanging in your apartment.
General tips for cleaning products from contaminants
Doctors advise washing all types of curtains in an apartment at least once a quarter . You can clean them a little less often – once every four months.
Washing of some types of products is required. It prevents dust from accumulating in various areas of things.
Many housewives wash curtains 2 times a year. More often, spring and autumn are chosen for this. This frequency of cleaning products is also considered optimal. Usually, a large amount of dirt and dust accumulates on things just after winter and summer.
Cleaning Frequency
The first thing most people agree on is that cleaning curtains should be combined with general cleaning of the house. Most often it is carried out twice a year - in autumn and spring. During this period, it is better to clean the window completely - wash the frame, glass and window sill. In this case, the clean curtain will remain that way for a longer period.
However, in large cities, due to the abundance of dust and smog, wet cleaning of the premises must be carried out monthly. There is no strict need to include washing curtains in this process. You can simply vacuum them.
It is recommended to disinfect curtains, as well as other fabric surfaces (upholstery, capes, carpets, etc.) after serious viral or bacterial diseases. This procedure will help clean the room from viruses and germs.
Particular attention should be paid to curtains if there are small children in the house. Quite often they can leave complex stains on the fabric (sauce, jam, paint stains and much more). In this case, the main thing is to wash the material in a timely manner so that the dirt does not become embedded. This will help avoid the cost of unplanned and expensive chemical cleaning.
Frequency for different types of curtains
The frequency of washing also depends on the type of curtain. Let's look at the main types and their washing features.
Thread
This type of curtain does not require constant cleaning. This is due to the specifics of their design.
Dust accumulates on such things in spots . Contamination occurs in a small area of the curtain. It is recommended to wash thread curtains once every six months.
You must first gather the curtain into a braid and tie it with ribbons. If the item is machine washed, then it must be placed in the drum only in a special mesh bag.
Such products cannot be wrung out in a washing machine . They are not allowed to be ironed. Products can only be dried on the ledge. It is forbidden to hang them on the battery. Thread curtains consisting of glass beads and various decorative elements should be washed exclusively by hand.
Rolled
It is recommended to clean such products as rarely as possible. If they are heavily soiled, they should be dry cleaned. It is enough to clean the roller blinds once or twice a year.
Roman
Since a lot of dust accumulates on such products, they need to be cleaned of dirt every two months . Roman blinds can be washed in a machine, but before the procedure, be sure to remove the slats from them.
Products need to be rinsed several times. This is necessary to preserve the color of the curtains. Things can only be washed with powder whose pH level is neutral. No bleaches should be added.
Items made from bamboo and other natural fibers are prohibited from washing. They can only be cleaned with a dry brush.
Blackout
This type of curtain does not require frequent cleaning. It is enough to wash items made from blackout material once every six months.
Since such curtains are thick, they can be washed not only by hand, but also in a machine . You cannot use bleach on them. Such items can be washed at 400 C.
If they contain an acrylic layer or a metal coating, then it is better to wash such products by hand. It is recommended to wash such items with liquid detergents.
Curtains in the bathroom
It is recommended to wash such items regularly . At the same time, the frequency of cleaning the curtain directly depends on how often people wash in the bathroom itself.
If the bathroom is used every day, it is better to clean the curtain monthly. If trips to the bathroom are infrequent, then you can limit yourself to cleaning the item once every couple of months.
Old bathroom curtains usually need to be washed more often than new ones. The need to clean them may occur two to three times a month.
Most types of curtains designed for bathrooms can be run in the washing machine . It is recommended to choose a mode in which the water is heated to a maximum of 400 C. You cannot iron such products.
Oilcloth polyethylene curtains are not machine washable. You cannot use bleach on them. Instead, it is better to use baking soda.
Such products also cannot be wrung out. It is recommended to wash them by hand every two or three months.
How to clean curtains without washing
In combination with washing, the following cleaning methods are used:
- dry cleaning for heavily soiled or sensitive fabric types;
- vacuum cleaner, dry brush to remove dust;
- wipe with a damp cloth or sponge;
- steam generator treatment.
Before using chemicals or mechanical impact, it is necessary to carefully study the properties of the fabric.
Basic recommendations for using each:
| Type of processing | Terms of use |
| vacuum cleaner | Low speed, special narrow nozzles |
| steam generator | Preliminary check of fabric characteristics |
| Stain remover, soap solution | Early testing on an inconspicuous area or similar tissue |
| Wipe with a damp cloth | Preferred soft texture, microfiber |
When should you clean more often?
It is recommended to wash curtains in the kitchen most often . Grease and food stains appear on them especially quickly. This is especially true for tulle. It is usually recommended to wash them once every 4 months. If they hang in the kitchen, then such products should be washed monthly.
Those who constantly have guests and feasts in their home will often have to wash things. The frequency of cleaning window curtains in such cases is individual and depends on the detection of stains on them after the next visit of guests.
In apartments where children are present
The frequency of washing things is influenced by factors such as children . If they live in an apartment, it is recommended to clean the curtains at least once every two months.
Small children often stain the curtains in their rooms. This frequency is also due to the fact that children are especially prone to allergies to dust.
How to care for curtains so you wash them less often
It is possible to reduce the frequency of washing using several rules:
- shake off dust regularly - once a week, washing the floor and wiping dust throughout the room;
- do not open windows in summer; in hot weather, use air conditioning to cool;
- for the kitchen, choose a window frame that can be easily wiped down or cleaned with a vacuum cleaner;
- treat the curtains with care, do not spill liquids, touch them less often, do not get them dirty.
There is no special care to reduce the rate of contamination. All care consists of being careful and keeping the room clean.
Complex designs are difficult to remove from the curtains and then hang them back, which is why the quality of their cleaning suffers. When choosing decor, it is important to take into account the characteristics of the room, the presence of a vacuum cleaner and a steam generator.
Alternative to washing
Depending on the type of curtains, you can choose an alternative washing method:
To clean thread curtains from dirt less often, it is recommended to wipe their threads with a soft, damp sponge at least once every 7 days. You can only limit yourself to dry cleaning with a vacuum cleaner.- Roller curtains cannot be wet cleaned.
They cannot be washed either by machine or by hand. An alternative to washing roller blinds is to dry clean them. To do this, use a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush. Small stains from such products can be removed with a regular eraser. - It is recommended to steam Roman curtains more often. Thanks to this, they will have to be washed much less often in a machine and by hand. Bamboo Roman curtains can only be cleaned with a brush.
- Blackout curtains can be washed less often if you clean them with a vacuum cleaner at least once a month.
- An alternative to washing bathroom curtains is to wet clean them. This is especially true for polyethylene curtains. It is enough to wipe the products several times a month with a soda solution or a composition based on vinegar and water. You can also wash the curtains with a sponge dipped in soapy water.
What determines the frequency of washing?
How often you need to wash your curtains depends on several factors:
- Room type. Keep in mind that dirt accumulates faster in some rooms than in others. Kitchen curtains need to be washed several times more often than curtains that hang in the bedroom. The children's room also requires increased attention: dust serves as a breeding ground for microorganisms and fungi, which can be extremely dangerous for fragile immunity.
- Type of curtains Multi-tiered structures with lambrequins collect much more dust than simple, no-frills curtains.
- Material type. More dust accumulates on fleecy and openwork textiles (for example, tulle) than on smooth ones.
- Location. This may include the location of a house or apartment in an industrial area, the proximity of a particular window to the road and general climate indicators. The worse the environmental situation, the more dust and dirt there is near the house, the more often you should wash the curtains and wet clean the entire house.
- Number of household members. It is necessary to take into account not only adult family members, but also children. In addition, dogs and cats are also sources of pollution.
We recommend: How to bleach your underwear at home without ruining it?
Tapestry
Tapestry curtains are a luxury. Curtains are expensive, so you should take proper care of them.
The tapestry is washed very rarely, often wiped with a clean damp cloth to remove dust and soot.
Machine and hand washing harm the material. It is better to use special cleaners.
You can also clean tapestry curtains with a vacuum cleaner, but be careful. Do not experiment with the tapestry; it has a cotton lining and shrinks quickly. Do not experiment with the tapestry, it has a cotton lining and shrinks quickly
Do not experiment with the tapestry; it has a cotton lining and shrinks quickly.
Returning curtains to their former cleanliness and whiteness is not a problem. To ensure that the window frame is impeccable, follow the rules of washing and choosing modes.
How to remove difficult stains
If stains are found on the tulle, they are removed by washing. Fat deposits are easily removed with dishwashing gel or laundry soap. We treat the stain with one of these products and soak the curtain for a couple of hours in warm water, up to 40 degrees. After time has passed, we re-treat the area, scrub and rinse.
Laundry soap is a simple and affordable product.
An ammonia aqueous solution will help remove old stains. To do this, mix glycerin and ammonia one to one, and wet the stain with the resulting liquid. We start processing from the edge, gradually moving towards the center. After waiting a few minutes, we proceed to machine wash. A mixture of vinegar and ammonia is prepared in a similar way; it is also carefully rubbed into the contaminated area, after which the tulle is washed.
Features of blackout material
This is a modern color filter. The fabric is made from polyester fiber using single or double satin weaving. It does not let the sun's rays through at all. Shades the room 100%. Therefore, it is well suited for a bedroom or living room. For rooms where bright light is not needed all day. Loved by those who like to sleep during the day.
The birthplace of matter is Finland. The creators have developed a special structure that completely retains light, cold, and sound. Products made from such material come in different colors and decorative features. The following features can be highlighted:
- Durability;
- Wrinkle resistance;
- Thermal insulation;
- Soundproofing;
- No allergenic components.
Adviсe
- Thread curtains do not immediately unravel after washing and drying.
- Only the top dressing is removed and the muslin is attached to the cornice.
- The remaining ribbons are removed gradually so as not to tangle the threads.
- Actions are carried out from top to bottom. If the bundles are tangled, they are guided by the direction of the nodes.
- Don't pull up or down.
- Shake the curtain well at the cornice and slightly stretch it to the sides at the base of the sewing tape - the rows will fall into place on their own.
- When the curtain in the kitchen acquires an unpleasant odor over time, and it is not possible to wash it so often, it creates a draft. The room is ventilated daily with the windows wide open.
- If splashes from red wine get on the rope curtain, neutralize them with white wine. In the opposite direction, the circuit works just as flawlessly.
- Curtains made of textile threads are not positioned so that they go down to the floor. Such actions increase the likelihood of mechanical damage and particles of household chemicals getting on the fabric. This shortens the life of woven products.
- Thread curtains should not be washed together with other items.
- Do not use aggressive bleaches, as they will destroy the fiber structure, causing tears and holes in the delicate fabric.
- Do not dry capricious fabric near heating devices or in the open sun.
- Items with complex stains from tea, coffee, and fat are sent to professional dry cleaning.
- Simple stains from juice, dust, dirty hands or fruit blots are removed using fresh traces: blot with a napkin with alcohol; wipe with a clean cloth without pulling out the threads.
- Light stains are treated with a solution of hydrogen peroxide and ammonia: the components are combined in equal quantities, sprayed onto the area to be cleaned, and removed with alcohol wipes.
This type of curtain can delight you with its excellent appearance for a long time. They have learned to impregnate the threads with dust-repellent solutions: dust does not settle on these curtains, dirt does not linger, and they do not accumulate static electricity. Convenient and aesthetically pleasing in everyday life.
Thematic video about washing tulle
The following useful tips will help restore tulle that has lost its whiteness to its original appearance, shine and beauty after washing.
At the link below you can watch a useful thematic video about how to properly wash a tulle curtain.
Features of caring for blinds: how to wash, clean and dry?
How to hang tulle to get a beautiful composition?
Recommendations for washing roller blinds at home
Basic recommendations
Let's try to summarize everything said above and list everything that is required for proper care of curtains, regardless of the type and size of the window leaf.
- Study what is written on the tag and follow the instructions.
- Make sure you know exactly the composition of the fabric and are sure that they can be put into the machine. Also check to see if the decorative elements are damaged.
- Do not fill the machine drum tightly, otherwise contaminated areas will remain and the cloth will not be rinsed completely. This will lead to streaks on the curtain. If the size of the panels is very large, then it is better to wash one at a time and include an additional rinse.
When the drum is half loaded, the fabric is washed better and rinses well - Do not use solid powder, but shampoo or liquid gel. This will prevent damage to the fibers. Special bleaching agents have been developed for white curtains.
- Be sure to use a washing bag, this will protect the tank of the machine and the curtains themselves from being pulled in, and will prevent damage to the decor.
- Do not place any items with the curtains. Leave only the curtains and nothing else.
- Turn off the centrifuge; spinning causes creases and damage. Allow the water to drain on its own.
- Washing in a washing machine is much easier than washing by hand and makes life easier for housewives.
If you follow the fabric care recommendations, the life of the curtains is extended, and washing becomes simple and effective.
Do you doubt whether you should do your own laundry? Invite experts to your apartment for consultation. Now there are companies that provide such services at home; you won’t need to carry heavy curtains yourself.
What kind of curtain should a bathroom have?
Gradually moving away from the stereotype of a small room without a window, the bathroom is gradually moving closer to the living space. Today it will be equipped not only with a place for taking water treatments, but also with areas for massage, relaxation, and spa treatments. With this filling, this room must be equipped with a window opening, perhaps even a large, panoramic one, equipped with a cozy sofa in the window sill area. And in small bathroom rooms there is often a window.
The only thing where there are no special conditions is the color palette. Here you can fantasize without limits, and even if you like a composition that seems inappropriate to everyone else, it will not cause harm to life and health, which cannot be said about the material from which curtains for the bathroom should be made.
Basic requirements for fabric in the bathroom:
- Moisture resistance;
- Antifungal impregnation;
- Practicality;
- Easy to care for;
- Not an expensive price;
- Light weight product.
Moisture-resistant impregnations are a must for the fabrics of this room. Especially if your curtains are removed by heating systems. Among other things, the bathroom must be equipped with a ventilation system.
Bedspreads and sofa covers - wash every two to three months
Upholstery and throws on sofas are the textiles that suffer the most, so they require the most cleaning: approximately every two to three months.
In the case of covers and bedspreads, everything is simple - remove them and wash them according to the label. The problem is the permanent upholstery on the sofas and seats.
In this case, you will need to clear them manually:
- ammonia diluted with water is a good detergent, as it does not damage fabrics;
- Vacuum regularly and remove stains with special products.
It is much easier to wash a sofa cover than to clean its upholstery. Choose a comfortable cover that fits the size of your sofa and make washing your home textiles easier.
Roman and roller blinds
All these rules are suitable for caring for fabric Roman blinds, just don’t forget - you must remove the slats from them.
To wash the Roman blind, you must first carefully remove it from the curtain rod.
Then remove the weighting material and cords, and then treat it as with a regular curtain.
Roller blinds will deteriorate from machine washing; this is the case when you need to go to dry cleaning. When washing by hand, place in the bath, drip shampoo onto the sponge and lightly wipe the dirty areas.
It is better not to wash roller blinds, but to clean them with a soft sponge with soapy foam or a special gel
Ironing curtains
Some types of tulle still require ironing. This:
- Organza. It is completely dried, then ironed through silk paper. Such fabric cannot be steamed hanging with a steam generator - waves may form.
- Synthetics. It is ironed wet, from the inside out, through a cotton diaper at a temperature of +120°C.
- Cotton. This curtain is ironed at the lowest temperature, through moistened gauze.
Important! When ironing tulle, you must follow the correct ironing method - without sudden movements, lightly, without pressure.
