How to clean curtains and drapes

Curtains require more regular cleaning than blinds. It’s like carpet versus hardwood floors. Curtains soak up dust and smell into their fabric and folds and should therefore be vacuumed and (carefully!) laundered. Curtains need to be regularly cleaned to keep them in tip-top condition. Alongside weekly vacuuming from top to bottom with the upholstery tool from your vacuum cleaner. Whatever fabric they are made of being sure to check all care tags on your curtains to see if they’re washable or must be dry cleaned before attempting to do so, or you might end up shopping for new curtains.

How to wash and disinfect washable curtains and drapes

• Remove all hooks and curtain weights.

• Shake out curtains outside to remove dust. If they’re super dusty, hit them with a vacuum hose attachment.

• Follow specific washing instructions on curtains, depending on their fabric. If there aren’t any, we suggest hand washing them in cold water or running them through the machine on a gentle or delicate cycle.

• Don’t rub or wring out curtains.

• Either hang dry curtains or run through the dryer on a delicate, low heat cycle.
• While curtains are drying, dust and clean windows, window sills and curtain tracks and rods. No sense hanging clean curtains back up in a dirty environment.
• Iron the curtains while they’re still damp, working lengthwise from the inside.
• Hang the curtains back up while they’re still just a bit damp so that they drop to the proper length.

How to disinfect Non-washable curtains and drapes

• Remove dust and hair with a vacuum hose attachment or lint roller.
• If the curtains aren’t difficult to detach, you can even take them outside and shake them like a rug.
• Spray them with Lysol spray disinfectant to clean away odour and disinfect them.
• Steam cleaning your curtains using a steam cleaner with an upholstery attachment is also super easy. You don’t even have to take them down! You can even add a pinch of essential oil to your steam cleaner’s water to make your curtains smell good.

Dry clean your curtains if they’re made of velvet, velour, chenille, tapestry, brocade, wool, silk, or if they’re interlinked.

How often to clean curtains and drapes

Curtains should be vacuumed weekly. That’s right: weekly! And you should take them down (we know, it’s annoying) and launder them once a year or so. It’s like cleaning the walls. You never think to do it but will be surprised what a huge difference it makes.

Best products to clean curtains + drapes

Steam cleaner with upholstery detachment

Washing machine + detergent

Iron

Lysol spray to disinfect

Vacuum

Window treatments can really tie the room together, framing your windows with a fun bolt of color, accenting your room with funky tie-backs, or adding a classy design aesthetic to your otherwise bleak apartment. Both blinds and curtains accumulate dirt and grime easily. When you leave your windows open, outside dust blows in and sullies them—even though that fresh air feels so nice! With the windows closed, the forced air from your heat or air conditioner swirls your homegrown dust bunnies around, encouraging them to nest amongst the windowsills. It’s a lose/lose scenario. But if you make cleaning your blinds and curtains a priority and a routine chore, not only will it elongate the lifespan of your window treatments, but your whole home will feel better because of it.

How to clean curtains and drapes

Curtains require more regular cleaning than blinds. It’s like carpet versus hardwood floors. Curtains soak up dust and smell into their fabric and folds and should therefore be vacuumed and (carefully!) laundered. Curtains need to be regularly cleaned to keep them in tip-top condition. Alongside weekly vacuuming from top to bottom with the upholstery tool from your vacuum cleaner. Whatever fabric they are made of be sure to check all care tags on your curtains to see if they’re washable or must be dry cleaned before attempting to do so, or you might end up shopping for new curtains.

How to wash and disinfect washable curtains and drapes

• Remove all hooks and curtain weights.

• Shake out curtains outside to remove dust. If they’re super dusty, hit them with a vacuum hose attachment.

• Follow specific washing instructions on curtains, depending on their fabric. If there aren’t any, we suggest hand washing them in cold water or running them through the machine on a gentle or delicate cycle.

• Don’t rub or wring out curtains.

• Either hang dry curtains or run through the dryer on a delicate, low heat cycle.
• While curtains are drying, dust and clean windows, window sills and curtain tracks and rods. No sense hanging clean curtains back up in a dirty environment.
• Iron the curtains while they’re still damp, working lengthwise from the inside.
• Hang the curtains back up while they’re still just a bit damp so that they drop to the proper length.

How to disinfect Non-washable curtains and drapes

• Remove dust and hair with a vacuum hose attachment or lint roller.
• If the curtains aren’t difficult to detach, you can even take them outside and shake them like a rug.
• Spray them with Lysol spray disinfectant to clean away odour and disinfect them.
• Steam cleaning your curtains using a steam cleaner with an upholstery attachment is also super easy. You don’t even have to take them down! You can even add a pinch of essential oil to your steam cleaner’s water to make your curtains smell good.

Dry clean your curtains if they’re made of velvet, velour, chenille, tapestry, brocade, wool, silk, or if they’re interlinked.

How often to clean curtains and drapes

Curtains should be vacuumed weekly. That’s right: weekly! And you should take them down (we know, it’s annoying) and launder them once a year or so. It’s like cleaning the walls. You never think to do it but will be surprised what a huge difference it makes.

Best products to clean curtains + drapes

Steam cleaner with upholstery detachment

Washing machine + detergent

Iron

Lysol spray to disinfect

Vacuum

Window treatments can really tie the room together, framing your windows with a fun bolt of color, accenting your room with funky tiebacks, or adding a classy design aesthetic to your otherwise bleak apartment. Both blinds and curtains accumulate dirt and grime easily. When you leave your windows open, outside dust blows in and sullies them—even though that fresh air feels so nice! With the windows closed, the forced air from your heat or air conditioner swirls your homegrown dust bunnies around, encouraging them to nest amongst the windowsills. It’s a lose/lose scenario. But if you make cleaning your blinds and curtains a priority and a routine chore, not only will it elongate the lifespan of your window treatments, but your whole home will feel better because of it.