Can I Wash My Drapes?

Are your drapes looking dingy and dirty? Are stains and dust making you consider replacing them? Never fear, most drapes can be cleaned and returned to their original beauty. Valances and fabric shades or blinds can actually prove to be the most challenging, but they're still not incredibly hard to clean. Use this guide to clean your window dressings and get your home back to looking like it did when you first decorated it.

The good news is that almost all sheer curtains are machine washable. Most can even be put in the dryer. Check each panel of sheers in your home for tags. If you can find a tag, there should be fabric care instructions there. If they are cotton, polyester, or nylon, then they should be machine washable. If you're not sure, clean them in cool water with a little bit of clear laundry detergent or baby shampoo. Dyes can sometimes stain fabrics, so I choose to use a detergent without dyes.

Gently move the curtains around in the water every few minutes while you soak them for about an hour. Drain the tub, refill it, and then move them around again. Repeat this process a couple of times to rinse out any remaining soap residues. When they are clean, press the water out of them with a towel. You may want to fold them in half and roll them up in a towel to get remaining water out. Hang them to dry or put them in the dryer on a low heat setting.

Valances can be difficult because sometimes they are attached to the wall in a way that you can't get them down. They may also be wrapped around wood that should not be submerged, or even cardboard. The best way to clean a valance is with a vacuum. Brush the fabric gently with a soft bristled brush while you vacuum it if the fabric is sturdy enough to handle it. I gently pat the fabric with my hand to release settled dust while I do this. You can also use steam from your iron or a steam cleaner to perk-up those dull fabrics.

Drapes are a little trickier and most have to be dry cleaned. Check for tags to see if your drapes could be machine washable. If not, just hang them over hangers and take them to the dry cleaners. They are generally inexpensive to clean and will come back pressed and free of dust and stains.

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