Handling Window Treatments

Window treatments are more than just something to make a room look pretty. Treatments such as drapes, blinds, or curtains can help keep a room from looking barren and desolate. Window treatments are an investment and should be protected as such. Cleaning curtains or drapes, though, is often one of the very last things that people think about during their cleaning routines.

It can be a little overwhelming for some people to think about having to clean the various different types of window treatments in their home. However, if a little care and forethought is used, not only is a lot of time saved, but also a lot of energy and potentially quite a bit of money. Use these simple guidelines to help you prepare for your next round of cleaning.

• Time. Scheduling the periodic cleaning of your window treatments will reduce a lot of the worry and stress. Create a schedule that works for you and stick to it, once you deviate from the schedule you run the risk of quickly having the same problem that you are trying to fix.
• Dust. Dusting shouldn't be limited to only your blinds. Dusting your drapes, blinds, or curtains once a week will save not only a lot of wear and tear, but time as well. When you begin dusting, start at the top and work your way down. This enables the areas that you have cleaned already to remain clean.
• Vacuum. Just as with dusting, vacuuming is a great way to keep your time and effort to a bare minimum. Follow the same method for vacuuming as you did for dusting, starting at the top and working your way down. In addition to the benefits that you get when dusting your window treatments, you will be able to have a deeper clean, without the complete hassle of washing. (It is easy to vacuum heavy drapes; not so easy to vacuum light-weight curtains or sheers.)
• Wash. The best way to clean your window treatments is to wash them. With blinds this is fairly easy in that you simply close the blinds and use warm soapy water and a sponge to wipe them down. For cloth window treatments you need to exercise a little more caution. Sheer curtains need to be washed in the same manner that you would any other delicate type of cloth. The heavier types of drapes can be cleaned in the same manner that you would blankets and bedspreads. No matter what type of cloth your window treatments are, though, if you would like to avoid wrinkles simply remove the curtains from the dryer before they are completely dry and then hang them up.