Curtains, consisting of many individual ropes, are quite difficult to maintain due to their structure. If you wash thread curtains in a washing machine on a manual or delicate cycle, it is difficult to prevent them from becoming deformed and tangled. Let’s figure out whether it’s possible to use a washing machine, or whether it’s better to clean the muslin manually.
Preparing the item for the procedure
Thread curtains need to be washed about 2-3 times a year. If possible, it is better to take the curtains to the dry cleaner - professionals will easily freshen the curtains. When you don’t want to spend money, you can clean the muslin yourself, at home.
It is important to properly prepare thread curtains for washing. The owner needs to perform the following procedure:
if the product will be thrown into the automatic machine: while still on the cornice, divide the thread curtain into 2-3 parts, each of which is braided. The weaving should not be too strong or, on the contrary, weak. The braids are secured at the bottom with a ribbon. If the curtain is not very wide, it is enough to braid one pigtail;
when washing by hand: also, on the cornice, you should divide the muslin into 3-5 equal parts, each resulting “tail” should be secured with a ribbon on top. Then tie all the bundles with elastic bands along the length, in increments of 15-20 cm.
Thread curtains with beads can only be washed by hand.
Because of the glass beads, the muslin becomes tightly tangled, losing its attractive appearance. When making ribbons for tying braids or ponytails, you need to choose a light fabric that will not “imprint” on the material of the curtains.
Required washing parameters
It is recommended to wash thread curtains in warm water, heated to no more than 30-40°C.High temperature treatment can damage synthetic fabric and lead to deformation of the product.
Experts advise giving preference to liquid detergents for delicate fabrics. It is better to avoid washing powder - its granules do not completely dissolve in warm water and get stuck in the fibers. In this case, it is much more difficult to rinse the curtain well.
Let's use an automatic machine
Information on the preferred method of washing curtains should be found on the product label. But if they were purchased a long time ago and the tag cannot be found, you will have to make your own decision. Simple thread curtains, without decoration in the form of beads or rhinestones, can be washed in a machine. Several rules must be followed so that after automatic processing the curtain does not become deformed or tangled. The algorithm of actions will be as follows:
braid the muslin into pigtails (as recommended earlier);
Place the properly prepared curtain in a special laundry bag. The mesh can be replaced with a simple pillowcase - the main thing is to tie it tightly so that the curtain does not fall into the drum;
Set to delicate or hand wash mode. Make sure that the water heating temperature does not exceed 40°C;
activate the “No spin” option;
pour gel and conditioner into the powder receptacle (it is desirable that the rinse aid has an antistatic effect);
start the cycle.
When the machine finishes working, all you have to do is take out the bag, take out the curtain from it and hang it over the bathtub. After the water has drained, you can attach the muslin back to the cornice.
Traditional cleaning method
Thread curtains with beads or other decor are prohibited from being placed in the machine. These curtains will have to be washed by hand.The algorithm of actions is as follows:
fill the basin with water at a temperature of 30-40°C;
pour the cleaning agent into the container, mix the soap solution well;
soak the prepared curtain (tied with ribbons) in water for 15-20 minutes;
add some hot water to the basin;
Wash the curtain using massaging movements.
Then you need to start rinsing. To do this, muslin is laid out in the bathtub and each rope is washed with a shower head. It is better to rinse the curtain last time in a basin by mixing a little antistatic conditioner into the water. Next, the curtain is attached above the bathtub. When excess water has drained, the canvas can be attached to the curtain.
Removing moisture from curtains
How to properly dry muslin? It is very important to hang the thread curtains back on the curtain rod when damp, without removing the ribbons. “Ponytails” or “braids” are unraveled when the curtain is attached to the curtain. This way, the threads will stretch under their own weight, and the curtain will not have to be smoothed.
You cannot dry the curtain tied up, otherwise the curtain will lose its shape.
If, after hanging the “braid” on the cornice, you got distracted and forgot to undo the muslin, try to wet the curtain again and dry it again. The curtain should straighten.
By properly caring for a thread curtain, you can preserve its beauty for a long time. Washed airy draperies will add comfort and freshness to the interior.
We clean the curtain in place
It is recommended to clean thread curtains with a vacuum cleaner once every 2-3 weeks. It is important to use a special furniture nozzle; it must be soft. It is better to additionally wrap the brush in dry gauze; this will protect the curtains from accidental damage.
It is important that when cleaning curtains the vacuum cleaner operates at minimum power.When the device is ready, you should go through the nozzle on the outside and inside of the curtain. This dry cleaning will help keep your curtains looking fresh for a long time without washing them.
You can remove local dirt from rope curtains using a soap solution. This is done as follows:
fill a basin with 2 liters of warm water, add liquid soap;
mix the solution well until a foamy “cap” forms;
Dip a sponge into water and squeeze it out;
carefully, from top to bottom, clean the threads in the contaminated area;
leave the curtain to dry.
This is a fairly simple way to deal with dirt. There is no need to remove the muslin from the cornice and braid it. However, it is not possible to wash a rope curtain well, so sometimes a full cleaning of the curtain is required.
How to remove problematic stains?
Usually, thread curtains decorate kitchen windows, so greasy marks, coffee stains, and soup stains remain on the muslin. “Folk” remedies cope with difficult-to-remove stains. For example, you can try cleaning the curtain:
Dishwashing liquid. It will be effective in combating grease stains. The curtain should be removed from the curtain rod, braided and immersed in a container with a solution containing a spoonful of product and water. The rope curtain should be soaked for at least half an hour.
Alcohol. Also copes with traces of fat. Effective against stains from dirty hands or food. You should prepare an alcohol solution, soak the curtain in the dirty area with it and rub the threads a little. It is important not to pull the muslin when cleaning, otherwise it may become deformed.
Ammonia and hydrogen peroxide. You need to dissolve two tablespoons of each product in two liters of warm water.A sponge is moistened in the prepared solution and the stains are wiped with it.
Saline solution. An absolutely safe method will help remove grease stains from fabric. Three tablespoons of salt should be added to two liters of water and mixed well. In this liquid, muslin, woven into a braid or several bundles, is soaked for 1-2 hours. Afterwards the curtain is rinsed well.
Vinegar. It is allowed to soak a dirty rope curtain in 5 liters of water with the addition of 100 ml of acetic acid. When the curtain has been in the solution for 15-20 minutes, it should be washed, rinsed and hung on the curtain rod.
It is prohibited to use aggressive agents to clean thread curtains: gasoline, acetone, turpentine.
Such compounds can damage delicate synthetic fabric. When washing light-colored curtains, you can use gels with a bleaching effect.
Tactics and nuances
When cleaning a curtain using a “folk” remedy for the first time, it is better to try it on a small, inconspicuous area of the material. If a substance harms the product, its use should be discontinued. As already mentioned, it is forbidden to wash thread curtains with beads, sequins, and bugles in an automatic machine. There is no need to choose dry powders, especially those with colored granules. This may leave marks on the fabric.
Bright rope curtains cannot be cleaned with products containing bleaching components; compositions should be selected for colored linen. When rinsing synthetic curtains, it is advisable to add an antistatic conditioner to the water.
When deciding to wash filament curtains, you need to take into account a number of nuances.
The water into which cotton and linen curtains are immersed should not be hotter than 30°C.
Be sure to braid the muslin into braids or collect the threads in several bundles, otherwise the strands will become very tangled with each other.
Do not wring out rope drapes.
Dry draperies naturally - on the curtain rod. Do not place them on a radiator or electric dryer.
When the curtains are washed and hung back on the curtain rod, do not rush to remove all the ribbons at once. You need to untangle each braid or bun one by one, carefully straightening the threads along the entire length. This must be done from top to bottom. To remove difficult stains, you can use special household chemicals. When using products, strictly follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Curtains, consisting of many individual ropes, are quite difficult to maintain due to their structure. If you wash thread curtains in a washing machine on a manual or delicate cycle, it is difficult to prevent them from becoming deformed and tangled. Let’s figure out whether it’s possible to use a washing machine, or whether it’s better to clean the muslin manually.
Add a comment