A division of Hessler Paint & Ace Hardware
Back to the main siteMain site
Answers
How do I clean and care for shades, shutters, and wallcovering?
Salt air, sun, and humidity are hard on window treatments. What to do routinely, and what to never do.
Routine care
Most treatments need very little, done consistently:
- Dust shades and shutters with a vacuum brush attachment every few weeks
- Wipe faux-wood and vinyl with a damp cloth — no solvents
- Spot clean solar screen fabric with mild soap and water, then let it dry fully down
- Have drapery professionally cleaned; do not machine wash lined panels
- Wipe vinyl wallcovering with a soft damp cloth; never scrub grasscloth
Coastal homes
Within a few blocks of the ocean, salt accumulates on hardware. Rinse exterior screens and wipe interior hardware more often, and specify stainless or marine-grade components from the start.
Sun damage
UV is what ages a treatment fastest here. Lining drapery, choosing fade-resistant screen fabrics, and running motorized schedules that close shades during peak sun all extend the life of everything in the room — including your floors and furniture.
Also asked
Follow-up questions
- Can I take my shades down to clean them?
- Ask us first. Some systems come out easily, and others risk damaging the brackets or the fabric roll. We're happy to walk you through it over the phone.
- Do you service treatments you didn't install?
- Call the showroom with the brand and we'll tell you honestly whether we can help or whether the manufacturer needs to.
Next
Get a real number for your rooms
Bring photos and rough dimensions, or have us come measure.