Unlike readymade drapery, which comes in standard sizes to fit standard-sized windows, custom drapery is made specifically for your windows, no matter their size. You can choose your drapes’ colour, fabric, design, and fitting. Specialist drapery stores in and around Toronto, like Centurian Window Fashions, offer many drapery fabric options, including polyester, silk, and velvet. You can also choose patterns like floral and geometric.
There are many benefits to owning custom drapery. Not only will it be styled according to your wishes, but it will also be crafted according to your needs. For instance, you can ask for extra lining to keep out cold during winter and heat during summer.
Let’s look at some maintenance tips and techniques for the custom draperies in your Toronto home.
Maintaining Custom Drapery in Toronto: 5 Useful Tips and Techniques
Here are some ways you can take better care of your custom drapes:
Regular Dusting and Cleaning
Ensuring that your custom drapes are free from dust and debris is important for preventing their premature wear and tear. A regular cleaning routine can help maintain the quality and freshness of your drapes for longer.
You can use a microfibre cloth or vacuum to remove any dust or debris buildup. For a more thorough cleaning, use a soft-bristled brush to remove dirt and dust from the fabric gently. It is important to avoid using a hard brush, as it can damage the delicate fabric of your drapes. Moreover, when cleaning them, pay attention to areas more prone to dust accumulation like the top of the curtains or any folds or pleats.
Spot Cleaning
Accidental spills can stain your drapes. In such cases, you will need to do immediate spot cleaning to prevent the stain from settling in and permanently discolouring the area.
Different fabrics require different cleaning methods to ensure that they are not damaged during the cleaning process. However, most fabrics, like cotton, can be cleaned with a light detergent diluted with water. For greasy stains, you can use talcum powder and a soft brush to absorb the grease and remove the stain.
Delicate fabrics like silk can easily get damaged with too much water or harsh chemicals. You can use a 50-50 combination of lemon juice or white vinegar and water to clean silk drapes.
Washing
Custom drapery stores in Toronto typically advise against machine-washing drapes due to the potential for damage or shrinkage. However, some fabrics, such as polyester, nylon, and cotton, can be machine-washed on a gentle cycle with cold water and mild detergent. Keep in mind that darker shades of drapery may bleed, but you can prevent this by adding a teaspoon of vinegar to the wash cycle.
On the other hand, fabrics like silk and linen require special care. These fabrics should typically be dry-cleaned to avoid water damage or shrinkage. Water can leave permanent spots on silk drapes, and linen drapes can shrink if they soak up too much water.
Steam-Cleaning
A steam cleaner employs high pressures and temperatures to eliminate bacteria, dust, and dirt from various surfaces. It uses hot steam to sanitize and remove impurities from your curtains.
Steam cleaning is suitable for all types of fabrics, including delicate ones such as silk and velvet. It is a gentle cleaning method that doesn’t require scrubbing, making it safe for your curtains. Since it only uses water, steam cleaning is also an eco-friendly cleaning solution that doesn’t leave any harmful residues or chemicals behind.
Setting the temperature of your steam cleaner to 95°C and adjusting the steam pressure to 3.5 bars ensures that the steam can penetrate the fibres of your drapery. With its powerful steam jets, your steam cleaner can deliver deep cleaning results that are hard to achieve with traditional cleaning methods.
Protection from Sunlight
During the summer, exposure to sunlight can significantly damage the custom drapery in your Toronto home. The harmful ultraviolet rays in sunlight can cause the fabric to discolour and fade. Moreover, they can also weaken the fabric’s strength, leading to tears. Protecting your drapes and curtains from the sun’s UV rays is crucial to ensure their longevity and maintain their beauty.
One of the easiest ways to prevent this is to apply a tint to your windows. You can also install a window screen to block harmful UV rays without compromising the natural light in your room. Another option is to add a second layer of sheer curtains behind the drapes, which will help to diffuse the sunlight and protect your drapes from direct exposure.
Choosing custom drapery from Toronto-area stores like Centurian Window Fashions can significantly enhance your interior decor. However, to ensure their longevity, they require regular maintenance. You should vacuum or dust them frequently to prevent the accumulation of dirt and grime. Moreover, you need to be cautious when deep cleaning them and consider their fabric type. You can also opt for steam cleaning. Lastly, protecting drapes from direct sunlight can greatly extend their life.
