Your curtains/drapes need to be cleaned regularly in order to remove dust, mold spores, and other allergens in the home. This includes your kitchen curtains, shower curtains, living room and bedroom curtains, and even beaded curtains. Unfortunately, many people, including myself, tend to overlook this important cleaning project every year. Some people wait so long that when they finally clean those drains, they notice a significant color change. Yuck!
Daily cleanings can be as simple as shaking your curtains to have the dust fall out. Be sure to vacuum regularly to collect that dust. If you have severe allergies, I don’t recommend shaking curtains and drapes, as that will just release the allergens even more into the air.
On a monthly cycle, you can gently vacuum your curtains/drapes with a soft brush attachment. Be sure that any buttons, cords, or trim are secure and that you don’t have loose threads that could get caught in the vacuum.
Many curtains/drapes can be cleaned in a washing machine. Be sure to look at the care instructions first so that you don’t damage the fabric. Some curtains and drapes require dry cleaning instead of washing in the regular laundry.
It’s generally not a good idea to wash curtains/drapes under these conditions:
• The fabric and lining are made of different fibers. One or the other may shrink, causing the other to pucker and hang poorly.
• Sunlight can weaken the fabric and cause it to tear when washing.
• The curtains/drapes are too big for the washing machine.
• Check the trims and embellishments to be sure they are equally washable and colorfast.
• The drape care tag says it’s not washable (obviously).
• Pleated drapes can lose their form if washed in a machine.
Plastic Beaded curtains can usually be washed in soapy water (not a washing machine), and laid out to dry. Be careful of sun drying as it could fade the color.
Cleaning curtains and drapes should be important to you for your family’s health and the cleanliness of your household.
Beaded Curtains
Beaded Curtains and door beads are very cool in certain situations. They seem to be used most by college students in their dorm rooms and those with an eclectic sense of style, especially those looking for a more retro decor. They were commonly used by the hippie population and still have a strong following today. Beaded curtains can be a wide variety of styles and colors, and they can come in wood, plastic, and bamboo. You can even have patterns and images appear with the beading. A lot of people find that making their own beaded curtains is relaxing and fun, and some even turn it into a money-making business instead of just a hobby. Making your own can be time-consuming, but you’ll also have exactly what you want, assuming you know what you’re doing.
Beaded curtains are often used in areas where a full door isn’t really necessary, but you still want to emphasize a distinctive line between the two rooms. In many movies, you’ll see them used as bedroom, bathroom, and closet doors. You can also use them over windows, and if done correctly, it can scatter beautiful colors across your room. Some people use them as kitchen curtains, but less often. I don’t recommend using them as shower curtains since water would go everywhere!
One school of thought in feng shui is that doorways directly opposite each other in a hallway symbolize confrontation and misunderstanding between occupants. The solution is to place a beaded curtain over the doorway as a cure. Interesting thought.
If you’d rather not take the time and have enough hobbies, you can buy beaded curtains from a variety of retailers, including some very good ones online.
