Unlike many other holidays, the Chinese New Year, needless
to say, is very dear to the Chinese people. As a matter of fact, it is more of
a tradition than anything else. It is
normally celebrated at the beginning of every Chinese calendar. The New Year
festivities are held in countries and territories that have a significant Chinese
population. Such countries include Philippines. Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand among
many other countries in the world. It is by far the longest festival and
probably the most important one at that in the Chinese calendar. The festivities
typically start on the very first day of the month and continue through to the
15th when the moon is brightest. Many people, take weeks off from
work in order to prepare for the festivities and usher in the New Year.
Speaking
of preparations, there is an important factor that is very crucial you remember
– curtain cleaning. They are probably the most overlooked pieces of decorations
and art when preparing for the Chinese New Year. Clean house curtains believe it
or not do compliment the overall beauty of your home, and given the fact that
they tend to accumulate lots of dust and dirt, they should be cleaned often,
and most especially before the coming of the Chinese New Year.
If you haven’t got the
slightest of clues on how to go about it, below are some guidelines to set you
on the right path without clearing out your bank account. You can actually do
it yourself without having to call in a professional to handle the cleaning
process for you.
Check your curtains label
Gone are the days when curtains were predictably made out of
cotton. Today, curtains are made from all sorts of material which tend to make curtain
cleaning a somewhat complex process. Different materials require different
detergents for the cleaning process to be effective. There are fabrics and
materials that contain a flame retardant treatment and could be destroyed with
the wrong kind of wash. There are other still that tend to sun rot and can
therefore not be washed at all. Others are machine washable and others just
cannot bear the whole machine wash process.
Clearly, knowing your material is
paramount. And how else does one know the material he is dealing with unless he
checks on the label? You might think you are comfortable enough to determine the
kind of fabric or material used, probably because you have interacted with them
for a long time. But what is the need of risking and playing Russian roulette when
you can always check on the label? You stand to lose nothing by checking.
Make it light
Once you have determined the material used to manufacture your
curtain, you can proceed to begin the cleaning process. And the first thing
that you do is getting it out of the rod and removing all other extras that it
might be having to make the process easier and faster. Remove the heading table
the hooks and any other additions on it. Admittedly, it is a simple step, but
one that has the potential to lighten your cleaning workload. Removing the
hooks and any other additions will also ensure that your curtain remains intact
and it does not get damaged in the process.
Remove the dust
After lightening the curtain, and before you wet it, it is
recommended that you start by removing all the dust that may lay on its
surface. You can do this by simply shaking the curtain vigorously. You should
however not do this in the house to avoid triggering any allergies or
respiratory issues. Removing the dust in an open space will also save you the
hassle of having to dust your home after.
Soak the curtain in cold water
For the curtain cleaning process to be effective, it is
recommended that you soak the curtain in cold water first for some time before
you proceed to the rinsing process. After, you can move your curtain to water
mixed with the right detergent for your curtain’s material. The detergent water
should be properly mixed to avoid leaving any unsightly marks or spots on the fabric.
Rinse thoroughly
If the material you are dealing with can be washed in a
washing machine, then you can simply put your curtain in the washing machine
and rinse it thoroughly. If possible, you can hand wash the curtain and then gently
rinse it off for best results, try and wring out as much water as you can from
it. Ensure it is damp and not completely dry.
Iron the curtain
This may probably be a turn off for many but believe it or
not it yields the best results. As a matter of fact, professionals recommend
that you finish off the curtain cleaning by ironing the damp curtain. When you
are ironing it, try as much as you can to do it length wise so that the curtain
returns to its original length when completely dry. In the event you run into
any problems trying to iron a damp curtain, you can always call in a
professional to help you out.
Hang the curtains
After the ironing, all that is left is reconnecting the
hooks, the tapes and all other attachments that you had detached. When you
hang, ensure that it is slightly damp as this will help it to return to its
actual size faster. It will also ensure that the curtain does not crease up
during the reattachments of the hooks and tapes and the actual hanging.
In addition to the above guide, you should also ensure that
you have then curtain track cleaned up, the window sills as well as the windows
themselves before you hang the curtain back on the wall again. This simple
precaution will ensure that your do not get dirty from the dirt on the close
surfaces. Sure it may seem like a little bit of extra work, but think of it
this way, you are getting a cleaner house as you get closer to the festive
time.
