September 19, 2022
Fabric window treatments require different cleaning instructions based on the material that they are made from. In this blog entry, the Florida shade and blind installation service team here at Design Your Blind will detail the best ways to clean different forms of fabric blinds.
Here’s the main guidelines for cleaning all forms of fabric window treatments. First off, make sure to dust or vacuum both sides of the drape or shade. Be careful to focus on the top of curtains and drapes, as pleats and creases tend to collect a great deal of dust. Yes, this includes things like cascades, cornices, and valances. After your cleaning is done, inspect for damage like loose or broken string loops, stitching tears, and hem droops. Spot clean any soiled or stained areas you may find. Make sure to avoid strong detergents or spot removers, as they rapidly fade color and weaken fibers.
First remove the shade from the window, open it and lay it out on a clean and flat surface. Gently vacuum on both sides according to the pleat. To clean off soil or fingerprints, use an aerosol based spray foam upholstery fabric cleaner. Spray the cleaner on and rub the area right away with a clean and damp sponge gently, back and forth, parallel to pleating, until stains are removed. Don’t wrinkle or crush together the fabric. Then, remove excess water by blotting clean with a dry cloth, and rehang the shad when dry. Keep in mind that cleaning too often can remove the body and fullness of pleated fabric. We do not recommend ultrasonic or dry cleaning for pleated shades.
First, dust the shades with a feather duster or gently vacuum it using vacuum upholstery attachment. Then use a blow dryer on the lowest coolest setting to blow out dust from inside the cells. Then, clean with a mild detergent / warm water combo and a sponge, and blot until dry. Again, we do not advise dry cleanign or ultrasonic cleaning for cellular or honeycomb shades. Be careful when cleaning opaque or backout fabric, as it’s easy to permanently cease these.
Dust / vacuum shades to eliminate loose dirt. Remove dowels from flat shades, and either relieve strings attached or de-thread and remove them. Then, wash according to fabric instructions and hang dry to avoid shrinkage. Then, press or steam out wrinkles – and restring if necessary – then hang it up. If your Roman shades are non-washable, dry clean silk, wool, fiberglass, or linen Roman shades – only when they really need it. Make sure to inform the dry cleaner if you’ve ever used chemical spot removers on these shades.
Dust or vacuum (using an upholstery attachment) from top to bottom, on both vane sides, on a regular basis. To remove soil, remove the vane and lay it on a flat surface. Use a dry fabric cleaner or sponge with a mild detergent and warm water combo, then blot till dry. If you’re going to use a commercial upholstery cleaner, make sure to test it on an inconspicuous small area of the blinds before using. Never immerse fabric vertical blinds in water or any liquid – or dry clean them.