How Do You Clean Curtains?
2) Dry Cleaning?
- Traditional Dry Cleaners immerse drapes in harsh dry cleaning fluids at high temperatures which cause shrinkage and fabric distortion.
- Drapes are often stretched and pressed to attempt to restore original shape and form.
- Delicate drapery fabric does not stand up well to heat, pressing and harsh chemicals.
- The result - degraded fabric which will never regain its original shape and look. Tassels, trim, silk, wool or have a blackout lining, they will be ruined with just one
- cleaning. Further a chemical reaction often occurs with existing flame retardant, can cause
- permanent staining.
- Majority of dry cleaners are still using perchloroethylene (perc)- classified as a Group 2A carcinogen and linked to Parkinson’s.
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) are being phased out of use in the US, due to its known detrimental effects on both humans and the environment.
- A lack of viable alternatives, perc is still widely used.
- Drum diameter of a dry cleaning machine is quite small compared to the size of stage drapes
- Cannot effectively remove the residual perc and unevenly removes the flame retardant, leading to the stains shown below.
- Further, the residual perc stays in the drape until it is hung in the school or theater where the VOC’s then off gas into the air, exposing children to a known carcinogen.
