Tapestries were largely popular during medieval times. It was used as insulation for castles and large stone churches to keep the interiors warm, particularly during cold seasons. It served as shrouds to bury their dead and as wall coverings for buildings and temples. They came to aristocratic homes in the 18th century and their popularity continues to this day.
Fast forward to the present, homeowners have become creative with tapestry uses. It can be seen as a wall hanging, upholstery, table covers, and even as curtains. It is more popular as wall hangings to accentuate certain areas. Some tapestries were made in order to commemorate important events in people’s lives. If you are looking for a way to decorate those bare walls, tapestries can be an alternative for paintings and other artwork.
Can You Clean Your Tapestries & Other Fibre Wall Art
Just like curtains, tapestries are made of threads woven to create beautiful pieces of work to adorn our homes. Because they are fabrics, they are also predisposed for the accumulation of dust, dirt, stains, and the absorption of smoke. Do not let the cleaning task come in between your love for tapestries. Large tapestries may require laborious cleaning procedures starting from getting them down and the cleaning procedures themselves, but it should be worth it, given the luxurious appeal they add to your home. Plus, you can always get dry cleaning services to get someone to clean it for you. Check out the following tips on how to clean your tapestries.
Soft Cloth Duster
Avoid immersing your tapestry in water and detergents. This can do more harm than good. Instead, use a clean, soft cloth to remove dust on the surface. You can also wet another cloth and gently spot clean the surface. Superficial dust can be removed by doing so. Remember to wipe it dry afterwards.
Vacuum
Vacuuming can remove the loose dirt accumulated in time. Use an upholstery attachment with a screen placed over the screen to prevent pulling any threads during cleaning. Practice caution if there are beads, stones, or embroidered pieces as they are likely to be suctioned by the vacuum cleaner.
Check for Colour Fastness
This is to ensure that colours will not change during the cleaning process and retain their tints and hues. Some threads used in the tapestry can fade and lose their colours, thus affecting the overall beauty of your piece. To check for colour fastness, dampen a clean, white cloth and rub it on an inconspicuous area of the tapestry. If any colour comes off, then you may have to rethink how you would clean your tapestry.
Light Wet Cleaning
Do this by laying your tapestry on a clean white towel and start cleaning one section at a time. You can apply a dry cleaning solution or wet cloth with mild soap. Finish by drying with another clean dry cloth.
Hanging
If you resort to using wet cloth, hang your piece before returning it to its place in your home. Turn it over after some time so that air reaches both sides. By doing this, you can prevent moulds from forming on the back where your tapestry touches the wall.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tapestry Cleaning
Can you put a tapestry in the washing machine?
Experts offering laundry and dry cleaning services do not recommend washing any kind of tapestry in the washing machine for the obvious reason that it can destroy its fabrics and threads. It can also shrink the tapestry due to heated drying.
How often should you clean your tapestries?
For proper maintenance, you should shake out the dust or vacuum clean your tapestry from time to time. However, it’s also necessary that you clean your tapestry every four years, or more often if it’s subject to smoke.
How do you remove stains from tapestry?
You can try removing stains from your tapestry using a gentle detergent, and spot-treating the affected area. If there are hard-to-remove stains, you can submerge the piece into some soapy water and swish it around. Do not brush or wring. If these don’t work, take it to the dry cleaners instead. For better cleaning and preservation of the intricate artwork done in your tapestries, dry cleaning is highly suggested.
Can you restore vintage tapestries?
With proper cleaning and maintenance, you shouldn’t worry about restoring your tapestries. However, if that isn’t the case for you, you would find businesses that specialise in tapestry restoration. It works even for vintage and antique tapestry pieces.
Final Tips: How to Maintain Your Tapestries
Proper care and maintenance can go a long way in keeping your tapestries clean for longer. As we conclude, below are some tips to keep them looking good in between cleanings.
- Children and pets can be both naturally curious and inquisitive, and you may not always be around to stop them from exploring your tapestries. Make sure your wall hangings are beyond reach and avoid possible damages associated with kids and pets alike (e.g. stains or pets chewing on them)
- Decorative tapestries look great as wall decor, they add more colour and life to any space. But, don’t let this colour fade and look dull—keep them away from direct sunlight that could bleach its colours.
- Invest in professional cleaning services. Clean Care offers curtain laundry and dry cleaning, which also works for your tapestries and other wall hangings.
Get Professional Laundry & Dry Cleaning with Clean Care
Clean Care is a premium cleaning professional equipped with all the amenities to guarantee excellent cleaning of your prized tapestries, curtains, and clothes. Its team of experts would start by taking down your tapestry and bringing them to the dry cleaners to remove any dirt, stain, and other particles.
They would also take care of the delivery, taking your tapestries back right at your doorstep. Reach out to them today so you can take care of the other responsibilities in your home.
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