Care and Cleaning of Stage Draperies

Properly cared for, our quality stage draperies can last for many years. Improper care of the curtains will cause them to deteriorate in a matter of a few years.

Your drapery setting represents an investment of many thousands of dollars and in future years replacement costs may be even greater. Anything you can do in establishing good housekeeping practices to extend the life of your drapery will be time and money well spent.

Proper Curtain Cleaning

Dust and dirt is the greatest enemy of cotton velour. It will discolor the nap and weaken the threads of the fabric. The equipment needed to do consistent cleaning will be a good broom, dust mop, and a vacuum cleaner, this equipment should only be used for the stage curtains for temporary and consistent cleaning.

Once each 3 - 5 years the curtains should be dry cleaned by drapery dry cleaning method to completely clean all saturated dirt and dust from the curtain. Proper and professional drapery dry cleaning will not deteriorate the curtain and to the contrary should allow the curtain to be used for 20 to 30 years or longer.

Warning: Do not clean with water or with carpet cleaning methods as they may remove the flame proofing properties of your curtain, causing the curtain to spot and or shrink.

flame proofing

The law requires all stage drapery fabrics to be treated for fire retardancy. This does not mean fireproof but rather that the treated fabric will char under continuous flame or heat but not flame or smolder.

Care should be taken to insure that the drapes do not come into direct contact with lighting instruments or interrupt the light stream in close proximity to a light fixture. Unsightly discoloration, charred spots or holes could result.

Curtains fabricated of the flame proofed cotton have a slight tendency to draw moisture from the air. If moisture concentrates, or if water is spilled on the curtain, the flame proofing will be leached to the surface and give the fabric a blotchy appearance. If spotting occurs, consult a professional drapery dry cleaner such as Specialty Drapery Cleaners to properly remove the stains.

Curtain Restoration; Tears and Snags

The nap of the velour fabrics is not tightly locked into the mesh of the backing. If a tear or snag occurs, the nap will loosen and fall out at that point. For that reason, it is wise to repair tears immediately. Stage curtain restoration is best done by professionals who use the proper backing materials sewn together against the tear in a matching tread.