Lace and Sheer Curtains Are Beautiful but Are They Worth the Extra Eff

May 10, 2017

As you shop for the right curtains for your unique needs, you may find that some of the options you love the most seem to be the hardest to care for. At Half Price Drapes, we often get asked about the care needs for lace or sheer curtains. It’s true that these fabrics may need more care than others, but you may also be surprised that it’s not necessarily as difficult as you think. Here are some care tips for lace and sheer curtains that will help you decide if they’re worth the work they require.

Cleaning lace curtains

The main issue people have is that they worry that lace curtains are particularly hard to clean. This can be especially true because many lace curtains are white or off-white, which can show dirt and dust much more readily than darker options like brown draperies. However, it may not be as hard to clean them as you think. The first step is to get rid of the dust by putting them in your dryer and setting it on the air cycle. It’s common for lace curtains to be either washable by hand or even in your washing machine. Check out the label on your particular curtains and follow the instructions. Make sure that you use cool water and that you set the washer to the gentle cycle, if you wash them in your machine. Whether you do them by hand or in your machine, always use a detergent that’s specifically made for fine, delicate washables. If you want there to be a little bit of extra body, try dipping your washed and wet lace curtains into a light solution with starch. On the other hand, if you want a softer look, just hang your lace curtains up without starching them. You can even hang them when they’re slightly damp to give them a softer look, just make sure that if you’re using metal hooks you put a piece of tissue paper in between the damp lace and the hook. Otherwise, you run the risk of the hook rusting onto your lace curtains.

Cleaning sheer curtains

In most cases, sheer curtains are made out of synthetics and are washable. Of course, if the label says otherwise then you should follow the label. You can follow the same directions we listed above for lace curtains. If you have organdy sheers, which are particularly fragile and can easily be damaged by sun, make sure you have them dry cleaned.

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