The care and cleaning of draperies is somewhat easier than carpet cleaning due to the fact that there are fewer types of drapery fabrics than carpet fabrics (materials).  Also, draperies do not take the soiling abuse that carpets do.  Most draperies are made from natural materials, therefore will require dry cleaning.  Draperies that are synthetic can be cleaned with a wet method.  The only difference between the dry cleaning method and the wet cleaning method is the solution used.  Dry cleaning solution is a solvent-based product while wet cleaning solution is a water-based product.

Water-based products will not harm synthetic materials but may cause shrinkage of natural materials.  Dry cleaning products eliminate the risk of shrinkage. 

Note: No drapery cleaning method can guarantee that all soil will be removed or that shrinkage will not occur. If there is any doubt as to whether a fabric will shrink, the dry cleaning method should be used.

Vacuuming - Removes dust that accumulates on drapery headers (top hem of the drapery) and pleats.

•  Position ladder.  Inspect drape for damage.  Report any damage to appropriate personnel.

•  Vacuum the pockets behind the header and the header area. 

•  Vacuum the entire drapery and liner (if applicable) from top to bottom using the vacuum upholstery tool.  If a stepladder is required, vacuum the header area first then vacuum the remaining portions of the drapery from the floor.  Use long pulling strokes when vacuuming to reduce fatigue.

Tools Required:

-   1 portable hand vacuum with hose attachments, extension tools, drapery tool head and crevice tool

-   1 wooden stepladder (tall enough to reach the light fixture to be cleaned without the need to stand on the top step.  Follow OSHA Harness procedures)

Cleaning - Removes atmospheric and direct contact soil from drapery fabric without removing the drapery from the window.

•  Wear chemical splash goggles, impermeable gloves, and other protective clothing or equipment, as necessary to prevent injury.  Use caution when handling solvent-based products.

•  Vacuum the entire drapery from top to bottom using the upholstery tool. The crevice tool attachment should be used to vacuum out the pockets behind the header (top hem of the drapery) or any areas the upholstery tool cannot effectively reach.

•    Mix a solution of Extraction Detergent into one side of a double bucket.

•  Test each color of the fabric for bleeding, shrinkage, and stability.  This should be performed in an inconspicuous area of the drapery or if possible, on a scrap of the drapery fabric.  Apply a small amount of Extraction solution to the white cleaning cloth and hold it against the fabric for approximately one minute.  If bleeding, shrinkage, or instability (fabric separation) are apparent, perform the test again using the dry cleaning solution.  If bleeding, shrinkage, or instability still occurs, a complicated method of wet-dry-wet cleaning may need to be used.  This method is not covered in this manual.

•  Cover adjacent walls and windows with a plastic sheet or drop cloth using masking tape to hold it in place if necessary.  A drop cloth should also be placed under the drapes.  These sheets will protect other surfaces from over-spray.

•  If the drapery has a lining, clean the back first, then the front.  If it is not lined, the back of the header (the top hem of the drapery) should still be cleaned.  The rest of the drape can be cleaned on the front only.

•  Spray solution onto the drape in a single pass motion, starting at the top and working toward the bottom.

•  Begin the extraction process at the starting point of the spray.  Use a pleat tool where the drapery is pleated and an upholstery tool where it is not.  Draw the extraction tool to the bottom of the drape to extract cleaning solution.  Pay particular attention to the edge of the drape, which is pulled by hand to close the drape.  This edge will tend to have more soil and body oil build-up.

•  Continue this application/extraction motion until the drapery is cleaned.

•  The bottom area of the drape is cleaned by holding the extraction tool on its side and pulling the drape along the tool head. This technique will reduce over-spray.

•  Spots that remain after extraction cleaning should be cleaned by applying a drapery spotter to these areas and blotting them with a white wiping cloth.