Wondering if should curtains be dry cleaned? Here is the big secret about dry cleaning curtains– in most cases, it is an excellent idea. There we go, that is it, there’s no need to read any further! Okay. Maybe there are a few good reasons to continue reading.
The big reveal is that to answer if you should dry clean your curtains or not will depend on a number of factors:
All of these subtopics hold the answer to your question.
The top consideration when battling with the question over whether to dry clean or not to dry clean will come down to the type of curtains that you own.
Most curtains play similar roles in a home, they are designed to look good and to sometimes do the functional job of restricting light or restricting visibility. Where curtains are differentiated is in the material they are made from.
All men might be created equal, but unfortunately curtains are not. Expensive cotton, silk and speciality blends should be dry cleaned. You really do not want to damage them or cause wrinkles.
Often times, you can find a handling label on your curtains, and that will tell you if they MUST be dry cleaned or if you could toss them in the dryer. Basically, if it is expensive, if the fabric is delicate or ornate, then in all likelihood you are headed to the dry cleaner.
I am uncertain when you are reading this, but at the moment there’s a lot of conversation about indoor air quality, and the need to keep our indoor air as clean as possible to prevent disease. Some people, not all, regularly have their curtains dry cleaned every season.
Why do they do this? They do this because they average home is a fairly dusty environment, and their curtains are a major place where dust accumulates. Removing dust and washing curtains are two ways to instantly improve indoor air quality.
For people with respiratory issues, for older people, and during the flu and cold season, being mindful of indoor air quality are greats ways to stay healthy.
Let’s talk about the most precious commodity on our planet,; Time, most of us do not have enough of it, and it feels like it is always running out.
With the precious nature of time, it often makes sense to look for many areas where we can outsource tasks that aren’t worth occupying our time.
I don’t know about you, but for the average person doing the work of washing and pressing their own curtains isn’t their idea of fun.
Dry cleaning your curtains will save you time, and many dry cleaners will pick up and deliver your curtains clean, perfectly pressed, and ready to hang. I will let you decide if this is a task worth your time, or if there is something far more entertaining or pressing that could better have the attention of your time.
Luckily, not all curtains require a trip to the dry cleaner. The big question is when can you tackle the job for yourself and save a bit of money? The most important thing to do is check the label on the back of your curtains.
The label on your curtains will tell you the type of material that it is made of, how to care for it, what temperature of the water, what type of cleaning products, and if it demands dry cleaning.
One shortcut is to know your materials. Most natural fibers besides silk can easily be dry cleaned, but many of your synthetics, blends and delicate natural fibers are better off being dry cleaned.
One consideration with easily wrinkled fibers is the need to iron (press) after washing to eliminate wrinkles. In some cases, quickly removing from the dryer and hanging will fight off wrinkles, and allow gravity to do the rest.
On materials like silk and certain synthetics, they must be dry cleaned and any attempt to clean at home will lead to potential ruin. One option, depending on what the label says, is to hand wash, but that is a laborious task because of the size of the curtains.
There is a saying that will save you time, and perhaps even save you from a headache, “never do another man’s job.” You can easily substitution woman for man in this saying. What does it mean?
It means that when we tackle a job that isn’t meant for us the results will be at a much lower quality than if we used a professional. I don’t know who you are, but I doubt that you are a professional dry cleaner.
As such, there are going to be countless things that you will not understand when it comes to curtain dry cleaning. Of course, cleaning your curtains isn’t rocket science, but there are many nuances that you must take into account.
We have talked about several of them already, and the pitfalls of getting it wrong can lead to damage, as well as extra work. Depending on the material of your curtains you might choose to wash and iron them at home, or you might take the easier route and hand the job to a professional dry cleaner.
