The key to beautiful and long-lasting window treatments and ultimately home decors is good and most importantly regular maintenance. This goes the same for sheer window curtains too, plus, being (very) delicate and luxurious, they are quite likely to require extra TLC. And of course, all the effort put into this regard is worth it, given the endless beauty and utility perks.
So if you’re the one owning sheer window curtains but concerned about their untidy looks or are someone who’s about to purchase sheer curtains and needs to know how to handle them, Online Curtains is at your service with all the help. With our guide, you can not just care for your new curtains in the best way but can also effectively revive the old ones.
Maintenance Guidelines For Sheer Window Curtains
We’ll be mentioning every aspect of sheer curtain upkeep, i.e. regular and occasional procedures and considerations along with ways to deal with unwanted happenings too.
1- Everyday Care
- Dust your sheer curtains on an everyday basis to get rid of any buildup. You can either make use of a vacuum cleaner’s brush attachment or simply a soft-bristled brush for this purpose.
- Make sure you do the dusting as gently as possible and do it on both the sides as well. Slightly shaking the curtains before dusting will help clear out loosened dirt and dust easily.
2- Cleanup Considerations
- Do not wash sheer window curtains very often, instead do so whenever the curtains get heavily soiled or stained.
- Checking the care label of your curtains is the most important aspect of cleaning and caring for them.
- If there is no care label attached to the curtains, the best approach is to wash them by hand.
- Start by removing the curtains from rods, take off all their hardware and shake them gently to get rid of any loosened dirt and dust.
- Soak the curtains in cold water along with one cup of vinegar and half a cup of baking soda for a few minutes.
- After soaking, you can slightly rub them with your hands under cool running water and depending on their condition, you can also use a mild detergent.
- For machine washing, always make use of the gentle setting, cold water and mild detergents and avoid overloading the machine.
3- Drying Methods
- Never use a dryer to dry sheer drapes and if you need to do so anyway, opt for gentle tumble drying.
- The best drying approach is to hang the drapes to air dry in a well-ventilated yet covered space.
- You can also hang damp curtains back to dry them completely with the help of fans, open windows or dehumidifiers.
4- Tidying Up
- If you feel like your sheer window drapes don’t look tidy enough, you can iron them carefully on a low heat setting.
- For maximum safety/or in case of very delicate curtains, it’s a good idea to place a towel or some other cloth over the curtains before ironing them.
- You can also consider spraying the curtains slightly with water before ironing them to get the tidiest looks.
- You can even hang them in a steamy bathroom to smooth out the wrinkles or make use of a wrinkle release spray.
- Using a handheld steamer is also a very effective and quick fix for creased sheer curtains, but it must be employed with utmost care and by maintaining enough distance.
5- Damage Addressing
- Always act immediately whenever your sheer window coverings get stained or subjected to some other sort of damage.
- In case of stains, you can apply a paste of water and baking soda to the affected area and leave it there for nearly 20 minutes, followed by rinsing it off.
- Another DIY cleaning idea for stained sheer curtains is to make use of white vinegar along with baking soda in equal quantities and scrub away the stains with this mixture.
- For moldy curtains, you can use diluted vinegar and let it rest for a good 60 minutes, followed by wiping it off with a soft fabric or towel.
- Using commercial stain removers or spot treatment agents is also a good idea, but you need to get the right type in accordance with your curtain’s fabric.
6- Preventive Measures
- Irrespective of the cleaner you use, always ensure testing it out on an inconspicuous curtain part first. Go for the application only when you don’t notice any adverse effects.
- Avoid hanging sheer window curtains in areas where they get exposed to direct and/or intense sunlight. Installing external shutters or blinds is a good idea in this regard.
- Keep rotating the curtains so that they receive equal wear and tear and don’t look nasty due to uneven fading. This goes particularly true for multiple curtain panels.
- Try keeping the length of your curtains above the floor to save them from staining and soiling. Also, keep enough distance between the curtains and nearby all objects.
- Keep the curtains tied to sideways when not in use, particularly if there are children and/or pets around.
- When storing, never fold the curtain panel over itself, instead roll it on the rod and use plastic or acid-free paper for wrapping. Alternatively you can line any containers with fabric.
- Place the curtain box in a cool and dry place with no contact to sunlight. Avoid very small boxes or containers as they can cause the creases on curtains.
In Conclusion
Sheer drapes are the kind of window treatment which can only retain its attractiveness and usefulness when maintained properly. And they certainly cannot be treated like any other curtains, instead a careful handling and mindful approach of materials as well as procedures is mandatory. Therefore, the guide we’ve presented you with contains the entire upkeep description of sheers, ranging from regular cleaning to long-term considerations. We’re confident that you’ll find this all-inclusive info greatly helpful in order to provide your home curtains with the care they deserve and make the most out of them.
