Why You Should Change Curtains Seasonally

We're all familiar with the concept of spring cleaning, and most people know enough to take their curtains and blinds down to clean them thoroughly. The main reason for spring cleaning is to remove dust. The pollen count is higher in springtime, and folds in the fabric of your curtains can collect lots of irritants. If you start the new season with clean window treatments it will go a long way towards alleviating allergies.

Blinds are easier to clean than curtains. If your blinds come off easily, you can dip them in a cleaning solution in a large rubber bin and do the whole blind at once. If not, you'll have to clean each slat by hand with a spray cleanser and a paper towel. You may very well be shocked at how much dirt comes off them because blinds are notorious for being dust collectors. Even so, it will take a couple of hours to do this at best.

Curtains, on the other hand, should be removed and dry cleaned in order to get rid of all the dust. Most curtain fabric is delicate and needs to be handled by a professional that understands the care that it needs. Fabrics like silk or velvet require delicate handling. Curtains made of ordinary fabrics like cotton or rayon still need the same because of embellishments like embroidery or eyelash accents. You can't just throw your curtains in the washing machine and hope they'll still look good, but sending them to a custom drapery cleaner can take a long time.

If you have shades on your windows, you can just take the curtains down and wait for them to get back, unless you're going to be doing entertaining in the meantime. If privacy or home decor are an issue, though, you'll need a temporary solution. One answer is to have a pair of cheap but attractive ready made curtains on hand. You can put them up while you're waiting for the good curtains to come back from the cleaners.

Another solution is to have two sets of curtains made of different fabrics, one with a fabric that's suitable for fall and winter and another with a fabric that's suitable for spring and summer. This can require a significant investment upfront, but it will help you update your décor seasonally, make you more comfortable and save you money over time. During winter, curtains made from heavy fabrics help insulate the windows and lower heating costs. Similarly, during summer, curtains made from lighter fabrics help the air circulate and make you more comfortable.

Examples of fabric that are good for summer curtains include muslin and organza. They give a light, airy feel to a room. There's more to take into consideration than the weight of the fabric, though. Muslin curtains will work well with casual, modern or beachy decor, while organza curtains are more appropriate in a formal room.

Textures that are good for winter curtains are velvet and taffeta. Keep in mind that both velvet or taffeta can be made from silk or synthetics. Curtains made from textured natural fabric will be more luxurious but more expensive and more delicate, while curtains made from textured synthetics will be less expensive and easier to care for but less luxe. As a compromise, you can also go for curtains made from one of the new microfibers that mimic natural fabric at lower cost.