Drapes beautify your house until they become dirty, full of grime, sweat and dust, thereby masking its initial beauty. The next step to take is to wash it, right? But this next step leaves different questions on your mind, and you’re wondering how to go about it. Your questions may include, how do I wash drapes with grommets?
Considering that you don’t want to cause any ruin to the drape, and the grommets also pose a significant challenge, it is quite natural that you ask such questions. In subsequent paragraphs, this article will explain how to wash your drapes with grommets.
At the end of this article, you’d discover ways to restore your drapes with grommets to their initial beautiful state and give your home the beauty it deserves.
How to Wash Dirty Drapes With Grommets
Now, there are different ways to wash a drape with grommets. Some drapes only require you to hand wash them, some to machine wash them, and some to dry-clean them.
Not to worry, this article will walk you down the different ways to wash your drapes or curtains with grommets effectively.
How to Hand Wash Drapes
Unhook Your Drape From the Rod:
This is a self-explanatory step, but it can prove to be difficult for some. So before you carry out the cleaning process on your drape, disengage the curtains from the rod used to hold them up. Regardless of how simple this looks, you have to go about it with caution because some draperies are so heavy that they can break your stance or cause you to fall.
Soak the Drapes in a Basin
After you’ve taken the drapes off its hook, the next thing to do is soak them in a basin. Note that this is not the actual washing process. This is just so that the dust and dirt can be easy to remove when it’s time for the actual washing. Soaking the drapes in just water facilitates the eventual cleaning process and helps you achieve a cleaner drape.
Prepare a Soap and Water Mixture and Hand Wash
The next step is to prepare another basin, but this time, you’d be adding soap to aid the first removal process.
Ensure that the soap is not harsh on the fabric to avoid discoloration fading. Before transferring the drapes into the soap and water mixture basin, ensure you wring out the water thoroughly.
After that, you can get to washing. While washing, remember to handle the fabric with care and be mindful of the grommets. Please pay more attention to the sides and edges because they are liable to attract more dirt.
Rinse Thoroughly
Upon removing the curtains from the water and soap mixture, the next step is to rinse thoroughly. This process is so that the soap does not remain in the drape and cause any harm or ruin to the fabric, like discoloration. Rinse thoroughly, wring out the water carefully. And that leads us to the last handwashing process, which is:
Sundry
This process doesn’t require any particular directive. The only guideline is not to expose your drape under direct sunlight constantly. This can cause it to fade or discolor.
How to Machine Wash Drapes
How do I machine wash my curtains, especially with the grommets? Will it cause any damage to my washing machine and will it ruin my curtains? These are frequent questions that people ask, among others.
The good news is that you can wash your curtains in the machine. It is pretty straightforward and doesn’t require any professional assistance. Guidelines on how to go about this will be explained in subsequent paragraphs.
First, all rings, hooks, and pins on the drape should be removed. Water can hurt them. In the case of metal rings, it can cause rust or cause the paints to wash off.
In the case of wooden eyelets, water can weaken them, and in the case of plastic eyelets, water can wash off the paints. Would you want to cause any damage to your curtains knowingly? We’re guessing the answer is no. So you have to take extra care in removing the rings before putting them in the machine.
Also, before you put the drapes in the machine, set the engine to run on the delicate cycle wash. The curtain doesn’t need to be washed at high speed because it’s fragile. This is the part where you have to be extra careful not to cause any damage to the drape.
There are certain things to note when considering washing your drapes in the machine. Because the grommets are not the only cause for concern.
The fabric that the drape is made of should also be considered. If the drape is made up of cotton, the machine should be set to wash at 60 degrees temperature. If the drape fabric is made up of taffeta, the device should be set to wash at 50 degrees temperature. And lastly, if the drape’s fabric is made of polyester, the machine should be set to clean between the level of 40-60 degrees temperature.
It is also very possible to dry your drapes in the drier but under the condition that the drier needs to be set to run on low heat. Too much heat may cause certain ruin to the drape, like discoloration, or it may melt the metal grommets, and this may not leave the desired effect on your curtain.
How to Dry-Clean Drapes
This is the easiest method to wash your drapes or curtains. Note that this method should only be used if the instructions on cleaning the drapes say dry-cleaning only.
Here’s how to go about it:
- Get a cloth that is not harsh on the fabric. Soak it in hot water, wring out the water and scrub gently on the drape.
- If the cloth gets dirty, soak it in the water again and repeat the process
- Do this repeatedly until all sides and edges of the drapes are clean.
This method can prove to be helpful when it comes to saving time and reducing stress. Although it doesn’t give the same results as when you hand wash or machine wash the drapes, it still reduces the dirt and gives the drape a cleaner outlook.
Bottom-line
Drapes are essential decorating materials that cannot be ignored when furnishing your home. However, the purpose of decorating the home is defeated if the drape is dirty. This requires you to take it down and wash it.
Some guidelines on how to go about the laundry of your drapes have been explained above, and if they’re strictly followed, washing your drapes would be a smooth experience.
Regardless of those guidelines, it is pretty useful to seek professional help if you don’t know how to handle the fabric the drape is made of. This would save you from damaging your drapes and the cost of having to buy new ones.