How often to wash tulle and other types of curtains?

Despite the new trends in interior design, few decide to leave their windows without curtains. Women are happy to choose textiles and the type of canvas, but do not always know how to properly care for them. How often do you need to wash the curtains, which detergents and washing regimen to prefer for a particular material? Let's figure it out.

First of all, curtains are washed at least twice a year: in autumn and spring. At the same time, windows and window sills are washed. But if, for some reason, the textiles quickly become dirty, then the frequency of washing changes - curtains have to be washed more often.

What determines the frequency of washing?

How often to wash the curtains depends on several factors:

• Type of room. It should be remembered that in some rooms dirt accumulates faster than in others. Kitchen curtains need to be washed several times more often than curtains that hang in the bedroom. The children's room also requires increased attention: dust serves as a breeding ground for microorganisms and fungi, which can be extremely dangerous for immature immunity.
• Type of curtains. Layered constructions with lambrequins collect much more dust than simple curtains without frills.
• Material type. More dust settles on fleecy and openwork textiles (for example, tulle) than on smooth.
• Place of residence. These include the location of a house or apartment in the industrial zone, the proximity of a window to the road and general climate indicators. The worse the environmental situation, the more dust and dirt is next to the house, the more often you should wash the curtains and carry out wet cleaning of the whole house.
• The number of households. It is necessary to consider not only adult family members, but also children. In addition, dogs and cats are also sources of pollution.

Cleaning Frequency

The first thing most people agree with is that cleaning the curtains should be combined with general cleaning at home. Most often, it is carried out twice a year - in autumn and spring. During this period, it is better to clean the window completely - rinse the frame, glass and window sill. In this case, the net curtain will remain so for a longer period.

However, in large cities, because of the abundance of dust and smog, it is necessary to carry out wet cleaning of the premises every month. There is no strict need to include curtain washing in this process. They can simply be vacuumed.

Curtains, as well as other fabric surfaces (upholstery, wraps, carpets, etc.), are recommended to be disinfected after serious viral or bacterial diseases. A similar procedure will help clean the room from viruses and germs.

Particular attention should be paid to curtains if small children have visited the house. Quite often, they can leave complex contaminants on the fabric (stains of sauce, jam, paint, and much more). In this case, the main thing is to timely jam the material so that the dirt does not eat. This will help to avoid the cost of unplanned and expensive chemical cleaning.

General recommendations

Information regarding washing varies significantly depending on the type of fabric, but you can still single out the key key points:

• The temperature of the washing water is selected individually, however, it should not be colder than 40–45 ° С. Otherwise, there is a high risk of not washing the fabric at all; the cleaning agent may not completely dissolve. The latter, by the way, can lead to white stains on the surface of the curtains.
• Before the main wash, the stubborn dirt is washed, treating them with a stain remover.
• Before soaking, remove all hooks and clips from the fabric.
• For washing, detergent can be used.But in cases where the material is sufficiently delicate or fleecy, it is better to use liquid detergent mixtures.
• Most types of fabric for curtains are prone to shrinkage and deformation. That is why coarse washing and rinsing are unacceptable.
• Dry the material on a flat surface, such as a clothes dryer. If drying is carried out on a rope, the material must be fixed with clothespins, placing them evenly, close enough to each other.

In most cases, it is better not to wash the curtains at all. In the absence of serious contamination, you can limit yourself to dry cleaning, for example, by vacuuming the cloth or by steaming it with an iron.

Old curtains need to be washed more often than new ones.

Those who bought curtains not so long ago should know: many manufacturers use special impregnations that repel dust. But with each wash, the impregnation is washed out - and the fabric loses its antistatic and hydrophobic properties.

So, wash the curtains, regardless of their type, at least twice a year. If the curtains become soiled faster, do not wait for the fabric to absorb dust - do not be too lazy to remove the canvas from the cornice and refresh it with a washing machine or manually.