So, you’ve gone green and bought yourself a nifty pair of bamboo curtains. Now you’re wondering “how do I clean my bamboo curtains?”. Fear not, it’s much easier than you’re anticipating.
How to clean bamboo curtains the easy way? A simple mix of dusting, vacuuming, sponging, and consistency can help keep your bamboo curtains looking brand new. In fact, there are a few different ways to clean your bamboo curtains depending on their current state.
Let’s find out how to clean bamboo curtains the easy way.
How to Clean Bamboo Curtains the Easy Way
Step 1 – Dust
The first thing you want to do with your bamboo curtains is to give them a good dusting. You can use a feather duster or a vacuum brush. Avoid using a microfiber cloth as parts of the cloth will get stuck in the rough fibers of the bamboo. The vacuum brush is usually the best option.
Bamboo curtains can be an odd shape and design so you want to make sure you can get in all the little nooks and crannies. Be careful not to put too much pressure on the individual bamboo slats as you could break or damage them.
If you have vertical bamboo curtains be sure to deep clean the bottom of each bamboo slat as dust gathers much more abundantly here. Some custom bamboo shades can be difficult to clean also, make sure you find the best way to clean them. Usually, the companies that create custom bamboo shades can give you proper maintenance and cleaning information.
You should be dusting your bamboo blinds at least once a week to keep them in their best condition. If you happen to live in a particularly dusty or sandy environment, it’s best to dust every 4 or 5 days. The more often you dust the less cleaning work you will give yourself in the future. Consistent weekly dusting means all you will need to do is a light dusting each time.
Step 2 – Wash
You should plan to wash your bamboo blinds every 2-3 months but only if you’re regularly dusting them each week. If you’re not dusting you might want to wash them completely each month. We suggest dusting regularly so you don’t have to keep washing them each month.
When washing, you will need to dismantle the shades before giving them a bath. Vertical bamboo curtains can be more difficult to dismantle, make sure you know how to dismantle before doing so to avoid any damage.
You’re going to give your beloved bamboo curtains a nice warm bath. Make sure the water is not too hot, it should be just above lukewarm.
Once you have the slats in the bath, add some special oil soap. Once you have all the slats in the bath you can leave them to soak in the water and oil soap for around 4 minutes. Try not to leave for more than 5 minutes.
Once your bamboo curtains have soaked, you can gently scrub them with a sponge or washcloth to clean off any remaining dirt or dust. Once satisfied with your work, you can drain the bath and take the slats out of the water. Now, using the showerhead, rinse the bamboo curtains of any remaining soap with warm water.
If possible, let the bamboo curtains drip dry in the sun. If you have no sun, place them in an airy and dry room. It should take around 7-8 hours for your bamboo curtains to fully dry. Avoid putting the curtains back up before fully dried.
Step 3 – Regular Maintenance
Keeping your bamboo curtains clean doesn’t have to be hard work and is predetermined by the amount of work you put into maintaining them on a regular basis. Here are three top tips on how to clean bamboo curtains by maintaining them properly.
1. Vacuum
Each time you clean the room where your bamboo curtains are up, give them a quick vacuum while you’re there. Try to get in all the small nooks and crannies to suck out any unwanted dust or dirt that will have accumulated inside the slats and fixtures.
2. Use a Dust Repellent Spray
Bamboo curtains attract a lot of dust. To make your dusting that little bit easier, you can opt for a special dust repellent spray to use with a soft cloth. This will make dusting your bamboo curtains a piece of cake.
3. Only Use Soft Bristled Brushes
Giving your bamboo curtains a light brush is integral to keeping them looking smart but you should avoid any hard-bristled brushes. Using a hard bristle brush will result in scratches on your delicate bamboo fiber slats. Use a nice soft bristle brush to gently remove dust or dirt. The TriNova Soft Bristle Brush (link to read reviews on Amazon) is gentle on all fabrics and materials.
Don’t forget that bamboo curtains are made up of delicate fibers that need to be treated gently whenever you’re maintaining or cleaning your bamboo curtains.
How to Treat Mold on Bamboo Curtains
If your bamboo curtains have suffered from a terrible case of mold then you take the following steps. You may want to wash your curtains outside as to not let the mold spread to any other wooden furniture in the house.
1. Remove Mold
Gently remove any surface mold with an old rag and treat any weakened or blackened areas with a natural disinfectant such as vinegar or lemon. Avoid using ammonia or bleach and never use both of them together.
2. Treat Mold
Spray full-strength vinegar on the mold. With the help of an old eco-friendly toothbrush, the vinegar should help remove that nasty mold.
3. Rinse and Dry
Make sure you rinse the bamboo curtains with water and allow to fully dry. Once dry, you could clean the bamboo curtains with turpentine to remove any natural oils.
4. Protect
Finally, give the bamboo curtains three coats of polyurethane with a paintbrush. This will help protect your bamboo curtains form moisture and stop any mold growing back.
Follow these simple steps and you should remove any fear of future mold growing back on your precious bamboo curtains.
Avoid using bleach with your bamboo curtains, while it may help remove mold it may damage the string attached that holds your bamboo slats together. Replacing this string attachment is a nightmare of a job!
Why Clean Your Bamboo Curtains and What Do You Need?
Bamboo curtains are a beautiful addition to any household. They have gained huge popularity with homeowners because they are durable, organic, environmentally friendly, convenient, natural-looking and most importantly add charm to any room in the house.
In a world dominated with headlines about climate change and the need to protect the environment, bamboo goods can help significantly reduce you and your home’s carbon footprint. Not only are bamboo products eco-friendly in the material, but they are also natural and chemical-free. Bamboo fiber is also 100% biodegradable.
They are also a safe alternative to plastic or synthetic blinds which can be made from all sorts of dangerous materials including hydrochloric acid, vinyl chloride, mercury, cadmium, lead, and even the extremely dangerous carcinogen, dioxin!
Your all-natural and stylish bamboo curtains can last you a lifetime and bring you joy if properly looked after and cared for.
Remember, your bamboo curtains are made from eco-friendly materials which means they are at risk of a number of natural issues such as dust, mildew, mold and nasty cobwebs. To have the best chance of cleaning your bamboo curtains and make them look brand new you will need:
- A sponge or a soft washcloth
- Feather duster or vacuum brush
- Vacuum cleaner
- Oil soap
Try to avoid using unnatural products on your bamboo curtains such as bleach or ammonia. Both of these can damage your curtains and compromise their durability.
The Bottom Line
Bamboo curtains offer homeowners a slice of natural and authentic charm inside the home. The interior design world is becoming more and more focused on materials that are eco-friendly, stylish and functional. Bamboo curtains tick all three boxes.
However, while bamboo curtains can give their owners a lifetime of joy they really do need love, care, and attention. It’s important to learn how to clean bamboo curtains before purchasing.
What’s great is that they don’t need a lot of difficult maintenance. As described above, maintaining and cleaning your bamboo curtains is really simple.
Love and care for your bamboo curtains and they will continue to spark joy in your home for many years to come.
