Keeping your window treatments clean
If you have windows in your home chances are you have some type of window treatment on that window. Whether you have blinds, curtains or a mixture it can be hard to keep them clean. Your window treatments seem to be a magnet for dirt and dust. Keeping your window treatments clean can be hard but here are some tips.
Your draperies or curtains are the easiest to clean. Most curtains and draperies can be taken down and cleaned in your washer. If you have draperies that need to be dried cleaned it is best to take them to a dry cleaner. They will be able to wash them according the directions. If you attempt to wash them at home it may shred or ruin the fabric so it is best to take them to a professional. To keep curtains and draperies clean and lasting longer you should clean them every four to six months. Once you have them washed and dried you can iron the curtains with some starch to help keep the shape and attractiveness of the curtains or draperies.
|
|
For keeping your blinds for your windows clean there are a few different ways depending on what type of blinds you have. Vinyl or aluminum blinds are easier to clean then fabric or wooden blinds. You'll need to vacuum the blinds with a small attachment to get some of the collected dust off. If you just dry dust the blinds then the dust particles will go into the air and may go back onto your blind. After vacuuming use a damp sponge or rag to get some of the stuck on dirt or dust off. This should be enough to clean and add the sparkle back. If you require a more severe clean use a soap and water mixture with a sponge and clean each slat one by one. This is time consuming but will restore the blinds to fairly new. Once they are clean it is best to go over them every few weeks with a duster or vacuum attachment. This way will help you in keeping your window treatments clean.
You can also remove the vinyl or aluminum blinds giving them a bath to get them clean. This is more time consuming but you can get a better clean. Before taking down the blinds make sure the slats are in a full open position for easier cleaning. Lay towels or a mat in your tub to prevent scratching. Lay the blinds in the tub with about 6 inches of soapy water. A dish detergent is good for this. Then use a clean sponge or rag to start cleaning. Make sure you get both top and bottom of each slat. When finished drain the soapy water and run cool non-soapy water over the blinds. Make sure all the soap is off before moving the blinds onto a dry towel to finish air drying. You can hang the blind back up to dry once most of the water is off. Doing this every six months will help you in keeping your window treatments clean.
If you have wooden or fabric blinds for your window treatments it may be a little harder to keep them clean. These blinds usually can't get wet so vacuuming them on a regular basis is the best way to keep these window treatments clean.
While you are washing the curtains, having your draperies cleaned, or cleaning your window blinds you will also want to clean the windows. This will help to keep off the dirt and dust for awhile. If you open your windows a lot you may want to also wash the screen to get rid of some of the extra dust. Make sure to clean around where the curtains are. The more you clean the dust and dirt the longer your window treatments will stay clean.
