Correct washing of curtains in the apartment
Washing curtains is a rather difficult task that sooner or later appears before every housewife, regardless of her experience in house management. This process should initially be approached competently, because their appearance and how the curtains will look in the interior in the future depends on the result.
Below is a detailed description of how often and in what ways it is worth washing the curtains in the apartment.
- Correct washing of curtains in the apartment
- How to wash in a washing machine
- Preparing for washing
- Mode and temperature selection
- Washing process
- Features of hand wash
- How to properly wash the curtains in the apartment
- Drying curtains
- Ironing curtains
- How to wash without ironing
- Can the curtains be cleaned without removing from the eaves?
- How often should the curtains be washed
- Video: how to properly wash curtains at home
Correct washing of curtains in the apartment
This procedure includes:
- choice of method when cleaning curtains from different fabrics;
- the ability to completely wash the curtains without spoiling anything;
- choose the right washing technology;
- after that, you should properly dry the curtains, which will further affect the ironing process.
If you decide to wash the curtains yourself, it will take a lot of time. You must direct all your energy into this process. You should also carefully approach automatic washing, because you should correctly set the mode, set the required temperature and use special products that are suitable for use in the washing machine.
How to wash in a washing machine
Washing procedure in an automatic machine:
- Any cleaning must be started from the preparatory stage, that is, you must first remove the curtains from the eaves. But before that, it is recommended to vacuum the curtains a little in order to immediately collect the accumulated dust.
- Before you decide to wash the product in the machine, you must find out what its volume will fit the curtains, otherwise you will have to use dry cleaning services.
- Never wash curtains with other items so as not to damage either one or the other.
- Before loading the machine, you should soak the curtains in cold water, and then soak the item in warm water.
- It is important to determine the temperature regime for washing in a typewriter. Always choose a delicate method so as not to deform the fabric.
- It is better to put the curtains in a special laundry bag, which will also prevent any damage to the material.
- Remember to remove any hooks from the curtain before starting the process. Do not remove small parts and other fasteners during hand wash.
Preparing for washing
The stage of preparing the laundry for washing is very important:
- First, the curtains are carefully removed from the eaves, free of dust. This can be done with a vacuum cleaner while the curtains are still hanging on the curtain.
- Then you need to carefully examine the canvas in order to identify spots, pay attention to them and immediately wash them off by hand, otherwise the machine may simply not cope.
- It is better to wipe off such dirt immediately with a sponge with soapy water or even a special stain remover before immersing the laundry in the machine or starting hand washing.
- You must first soak the product in cold water. If it is white, then you can add half a glass of salt to the water, which will absorb the dirt and facilitate the further process.
- After that, you can soak the entire fabric in warm water and leave it on for a while.
When preparing to wash your laundry, you will need:
- containers in which it will be possible to soak it;
- special soap solutions and stain removers, with which you can initially get rid of difficult stains;
- detergent powder (for hand wash / machine) depending on the cleaning mode. Now, basically, everyone chooses exactly liquid substances that wash better and do not leave soap stains on the curtains.
Mode and temperature selection
Before loading into an automatic machine, it is important to choose at what temperature the curtains should be washed, depending on the type and material, so as not to spoil them as a result.
Tips for choosing the mode and the required temperature:
- On some curtains, special tags remain with recommendations for washing, ironing, options for using manual or automatic washing and the required degrees. When they are not there, then you yourself must determine these modes. It is better to always choose light and gentle, so as not to spoil anything.
- Choose the minimum number of revolutions, but it is better not to wring out the curtains at all, that they did not sit down and did not deform in any way. Let them dry longer, but leave their appearance.
- If you cancel the spinning of the curtains, then you can not iron them at all.
- If the machine has an ironing mode, then be sure to choose it.
- As for the temperature, the most correct and optimal option would be to choose 30-40 degrees for washing. In this case, you will protect the fabric material from deformation and loss of its original color.
Washing process
As mentioned earlier, the washing process is quite laborious and requires a special and serious approach. It is important to understand how often to clean the curtains in the apartment, what to look for, how to choose the right technique and further care.
The correct washing cycle and temperature will protect your curtains from possible damage, discoloration and other negative influences. In addition, it is important to iron the curtains correctly at the minimum temperature, so as not to harm them and maintain their previous appearance. You will learn how to wash curtains by hand below.
Features of hand wash
Any type of curtain belongs to delicate fabrics, which should be washed and cleaned with a special approach. Sometimes it is even worth choosing a hand wash to control the process and the result. Also, this technique is recommended for unknown types of tissue and those in the recommendations of which automatic intervention is prohibited.
- Initially, it is necessary to shake out the curtains well and rid them of the dust layer, which is uniquely settled.
- Then it is necessary to soak first in cold water, and then in warm (not hot!) With a special detergent solution that helps to remove existing stains from the fabric.If the curtains are heavily soiled, then they should be left in a special saline solution for several hours or overnight.
- The main stage of washing takes place in warm water with a sufficient amount of special detergent. It is better to use liquid products with a stain removal effect. If you have a separate stain remover, then carefully read the instructions for its use so as not to ruin the fabric.
- Hand wash curtains well, especially in areas with the most contamination. After all stains have been removed, the canvas can still be left in soapy water for a while.
- This is followed by the rinsing stage. This should be done under a strong stream of cold water for a very long time so that the soap is well washed off and there are no streaks. Especially if the shades of the fabric are dark or colored, on which stains will be more pronounced.
- Do not wring out in any case. It is better to let the drying process take longer. The water will drain off by itself. Moreover, it is much easier to iron the curtains without spinning.
- After that, you can start ironing, which should also be approached with caution.
How to properly wash the curtains in the apartment
The above were the most common tips and tricks for washing at home and for the independent process, and for the automatic. It is also important to understand the differences in cleaning approaches depending on the type of fabric.
Velvet
Such fabric requires more frequent care, regular cleaning and washing, as dust quickly settles on it. Pollution is more noticeable on dark canvas colors, which definitely makes the air in the room heavier.
Generally, velvet is best handled by dry cleaning. Therefore, they must be very well knocked out of dust. And then, if there is a need for washing, roll up the curtains with a roller and put them in a delicate mode without spinning. It is better to dry horizontally so that the look of the velvet is not lost.
Organza and silk
This type of fabric is very delicate, although it can be machine washed at a maximum temperature of 30 degrees. Use liquid powders or gels for these materials.
In general, recommendations for the care of organza and silk are usually indicated by the manufacturer on the label, which greatly facilitates the task. Hand washing is more gentle, since a person does not have the strength that a machine provides. When you clean the cloth with your hands, do not use much force, such cloth cannot be rubbed, wrung out or twisted, it is very vulnerable to mechanical action.
But if the contamination of the fabric is significant, then it is better to use the help of a washing machine.
When washing light-colored curtains, you can use bleach, but at the same time, it is better to do without conditioners, which give the white fabric a yellow tint.
Cotton
Cotton is considered a natural breathable fabric. This is the most popular type of material, which is denser and stronger than others. Therefore, the washing approach to them is usual. Cotton can withstand multiple cleanings in a washing machine even at temperatures of 50-60 degrees with possible spinning at a minimum number of revolutions.
Advice.It is not necessary to specifically purchase liquid powder for cotton. It is more convenient to iron such curtains when wet.
Drying curtains
When the washing process is over, this does not mean that the curtains are ready to use, because they still have to be dried and ironed. Here are some tips to follow when drying:
- It is necessary to study the manufacturer's recommendations, which are indicated on the label.
- If there are no markings on the tag, then dry them depending on the type of fabric:
- cotton curtains can be dried vertically;
- velvet must be washed horizontally on a flat surface;
- it is better to hide silk from the sun;
- It is better not to dry the curtains in the washing machine, as it will be very difficult to smooth them later.
Ironing curtains
Initially, you can use the ironing mode in the washing machine, which will make it easier to care for the curtains in the future.
It is better to iron curtains wet, then they are more susceptible to temperature. Be careful with the iron and do not set the initially high degree so as not to burn the fabric.
Advice. It is convenient to iron the curtains already hanging with a steamer. The steam smoothes damp fabrics very well.
How to wash without ironing
In any case, you need to walk on the curtains with an iron, even when ironing in a typewriter.
To reduce the hassle of ironing, you can follow these tips:
- Set a special mode in the washing machine.
- Disable spin.
- Let the curtains hang down so that the glass is water.
- Let them dry flat.
- Better to use a steamer.
- If you are not going to iron the laundry immediately after drying, then you should worry about folding it evenly.
Can the curtains be cleaned without removing from the eaves?
Of course! This can be done with a vacuum cleaner, if the fabric permits, or by hand with brushes and special detergents. All this must be done carefully. Such cleaning, as a rule, will help to get rid of stubborn dust, as well as manually remove single stains, because of which you do not want to remove the curtains from the eaves.
If you use a detergent, then it must be thoroughly washed off with clean water, changing it several times so that no streaks remain.
Without removing the curtains from the curtain rod, you can also iron the fabric with a steamer.
Cleaning curtains in weight will help to avoid loss of brightness of colors, deformation of the fabric and its density.
Dry cleaning also involves washing the curtain rod and the rings on which the curtains are directly attached. This can be done with plain water without detergent, since, as a rule, dust only settles on them.
How often should the curtains be washed
Washing should be arranged based on the degree of contamination of the curtains. This can also depend on color (light colors are more vulnerable to dirt and collect dust faster), on the material of the fabric, on the type of room and area. During the period of the year when the windows are open, of course, the dust flies in more often and sits on the curtains faster.
If we are talking about dark curtains, then dirt is less noticeable on them.They can hold dust in them, which makes it difficult for air to enter the room, so do not delay washing. If you are talking about kitchen curtains, then, of course, grease, steam and dirt often remain on them.
Washing is always not an easy process, especially when it comes to delicate types of fabrics that require a special gentle approach. Use all of the above guidelines to help your curtains last longer.
Video: how to properly wash curtains at home