Curtain Issues and How to Steam Them Step by Step
Curtains are not just a piece of cloth to block the daylight coming through your window. Neither is it something only to cover the rooms so that none could see the inside of it for you to maintain privacy. The prime purpose of putting curtains is surely that. But they are also used to increase the beauty of a room. So, keeping them neat, clean, and crease-free becomes mandatory. And to do that easily, you need to know how to steam curtains when the curtains are hung. But before getting into that, let’s talk about curtains and curtain issues.
Curtains and Drapes
Many times, we get confused between curtains and drapes. Of course, it is a given because both are the same. The only difference is the fabric. Curtains are made of more lightweight, sheer fabric. They are more like a showpiece than a covering object to your room. Curtains are not going to block the sunlight entirely due to the thin material they are made of. With one close look, one could see through a curtain. So, people tend to believe they are easy to clean. What is so tough to throw these lightweight clothes in the washing machine and have a thorough cleaning every second week, right? But don’t we know it easier said than done!
Curtain Issues Equals Tedious Task
Let’s form a mental picture of the whole process. You live in an apartment. There will be at least eight to ten windows and doors for you to hang curtains on. Then there could be some portions of the rooms which you might wish to divide, placing long curtains in between.
Issue #1 – Number of Curtains
Depending on the size of the windows and doors, you will need curtains. A window at the least needs a pair of curtains and a door, one. Some prefer more to make it look way prettier. Now figure how many curtains you will have to take off from the curtain rod. Aren’t you exhausted just by imagining? Because we are literally.
Issue #2 – Life Span
Next comes longevity. The amount of dirt layers you see gathered on the curtains just because it is hanging from the wall is insane. Fabric collects dirt way more than any other material. Washing them every day will be too little of an effort to keep them clean. Then who can dare to clean these long fabrics daily? None. Continuous sun exposure and frequent cleaning will make them frail and cut off their long life span. Curtains are expensive. These you do not buy frequently.
Issue #3 – Crease
The final issue is the annoying looking creases. Washing the curtains will end up crimping them. So you will have to put extra time to iron them, and these long, wide, sheer pieces will take hours of cautious ironing. In simple words, keeping them clean is a task. And the whole cleaning process will be tedious and time-consuming. So you need the easiest and quickest way possible to clean the curtains, even if you are doing one room at a time.
The Solution to the Despair
That easy and quick process requires an inexpensive, simple cleaning tools. Yes, we are talking about a curtain steamer. You can try the two-in-one steam cleaners for floors that turn into a handheld steam cleaner from a stick mop too. These include small attachments to clean furniture, upholstery, and garment fabrics like curtains as well. So, the machine’s versatility will make it up for you even if you need to invest a hefty amount on the steam cleaner. Or simply get the best curtain steamer that can steam clean and iron the curtains.
Step #1 – Let The Curtains Stay Where They Are
The first step to steam the curtains is to know that you don’t have to take them off the rod. The only thing you will need to do is spread the curtain properly so that all of it is exposed and ready to steam. Any fabric that is allowed to wash in a machine can be steam cleaned. With steam cleaning, you are getting three benefits. First, you are not removing the curtains, lots of time-saving. Secondly, you are cleaning the dirt and allergen and disinfecting them with heat. Thirdly, the heat is simultaneously ironing the creases. Dry cleaning and ironing with one machine, quick and easy, indeed.
Step #2 – Check The Heat
Depending on the curtain fabric, you must set the heat of the steam cleaner. Consider it as an ironing machine. Just like you have different heat settings for ironing different materials, the steam cleaner also has that. If you are not sure about the heat, start with low heat, keeping it a few inches away, and increase the heat if needed. Do not keep the steam cleaner at one spot for more than a few seconds. An extra second might burn the fabric in no time.
Step #3 – Start Steaming
Start with steaming the upper portion of the curtains. Stand on a steady tool and drift the steam cleaner straight from up to down, till the part you are comfortably reaching. The rest of the curtain you can do after getting down from the high tool. Keep the steam cleaner a few inches away when removing the lines and creases and mild cleaning. If it’s wet in some portion, hold it closer to the curtain and longer. If the lines are too stubborn to be removed, do the same, hold closer and longer. Be careful, have a close eye while holding the steamer closer to the curtains.
Step #4 – Let The Curtain Dry
Steam clean will leave some moisture on the curtain. Make sure you are not dusting the wall, furniture, or floor immediately after steaming the curtains. All the dirt and dust you are cleaning get stuck in the freshly steam cleaned curtains. Keep the windows closed when you are streaming the curtains. Also, for at least two hours after you are done steaming. It will help the curtains stay away from dirt and dust. Don’t pack them to the sides of the rod or roll them up or to the sides. Keep them well-spread and let them breathe to stay clean longer.
Let us wrap it up by saying there is no certain way to steam curtains. What makes your life easy ends up being the best method to do something. It doesn’t matter what the proper technique is, have a glance at our approach and use it to make your own method of steaming curtains easier.