Duped by Dupioni? Simple, Stress-Free Solutions for Cleaning Your Dupioni Silk Drapes
Posted on: 29 July 2015
Considering curtains and drapes add personality, privacy, and value to your space, ensuring they are clean and in good condition is also wise. Unfortunately, you may not know the best option for cleaning the specific material of your drapes. Silk is a beautiful fabric for your window treatments, but it does require special care to uphold its color and durability. Using this guide, you can clean and maintain the beauty and durability of your dupioni silk drapes.
Dusting
Dust, dirt, hair, and dander can build up on your silk window treatments over time. While this is unavoidable, removing this light debris is possible with a simple dusting every few days.
Connect a soft-bristled attachment to your vacuum and power on a medium setting. Run the brush attachment over the length of your curtains, beginning at the top. Vacuum the front of each silk panel, but be sure to run the brush attachment over the back lining, as well. Dusting your dupioni silk drapes every few days will ultimately prevent discoloration, but also help reduce allergens in your home.
Washing
Vacuuming to remove dust and other surface debris is wise, but washing the silk every few years is smart for removing odors. While silk is durable, your washing machine may be too rough on the natural silk fibers. Use the following steps to hand wash your silk drapes:
- Fill a large tub with warm water. Add 3 to 5 tablespoons of laundry detergent to the tub. Be sure to use a gentle detergent.
- Use your vacuum attachment to remove dust, dirt, hair, and dander from each curtain panel before placing into your tub.
- Allow each silk drape to soak in the soapy solution for 15 minutes. Use your hands to gently wash each silk panel.
- Remove the water in the tub to drain. Rinse the silk drapes under the tub faucet using lukewarm water.
- Do not wring or twist the silk panels, but instead gather into a ball and squeeze. This will remove the excess water without creating lines and wrinkles in the dupioni silk.
After washing, the panels may still be wet. To remove any leftover water from your silk drapes, lay them flat on a surface covered with clean towels. Roll the towels and silk panels up together. Then, unroll after a few minutes. This will remove the last bit of water from your silk drapes.
Stain Removal
Handwashing with a gentle soap is a great way to remove odors and stubborn residue, but you may notice a few areas of discoloration or staining on your silk drapes.
For the safest removal, combine a half gallon of warm water and a half gallon of white vinegar in a small bowl. Then, mix to dissolve the vinegar into the water before soaking a clean microfiber cloth in the solution. Wring out the excess liquid before blotting an inconspicuous area of your silk panels to test. If the vinegar does not discolor or harm the test area of your drapes, use the blotting method to remove discoloration or stains.
If your silk panels are severely discolored, soak in a solution containing vinegar and water. Add a gallon of lukewarm water and a gallon of white vinegar to your bathtub. Place the panels in the tub and allow to soak for 30 minutes. Afterwards, rinse off your panels before laying on a flat surface to dry.
Dupioni silk drapes are elegant options for your home's window treatments. However, proper care is essential to protect their beauty and function. Using this guide, you can effectively clean and maintain your silk drapes. Consult drapery suppliers for more insight on how to take care of dupioni silk.
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