Peculiarities of tapestry care

Tapestry is first of all associated with a handmade wall rug. Such carpets with various plot compositions decorated palaces and rich houses for centuries. But do not think that tapestry is a relic of the past. In the modern interior is also widely used not only classic tapestry, but also products made of tapestry fabric.

Tapestry fabric is quite heavy and durable material. Therefore, it is used for furniture upholstery, sofa cushions, curtains. Modern light industry for the production of tapestry fabrics uses not only classic cotton, silk and wool, but also various synthetic fibers, which allows you to diversify the pattern and colour range of the cloth. A special way of weaving threads makes the fabric recognisable and unique. A wide range of patterns from classic to modern avant-garde allows it to fit into any interior.

The market of tapestry fabrics today is very diverse: handmade products woven by folk masters, fabrics created with the help of machines, single-sided and double-sided, impregnated with special agents that protect the material from dust and burnout. But all of them have one thing in common – vulnerability to environmental and mechanical influences. Therefore, to preserve the beauty of tapestry products, they need proper care.

Basic rules of tapestry care

1.When buying any product, the first thing to do is to read the instructions for its care and use. If the product is purchased from a master, ask for his recommendations.

2. To wall tapestries can decorate your home, they need to be framed and hung on the wall. Sometimes the picture is sold already in a frame, but sometimes it is necessary to decorate it yourself.

• Buy a ready-made frame. The fabric should be smoothed beforehand to get rid of folds and creases. If there is a vapourizer, treat the product with steam, if not, you can just iron the trellis. Heat the iron to medium temperature and iron from the wrong side. But there is a need to iron the product from the face, then you need to use wet gauze. When ironing through the gauze, the iron can be heated to the maximum temperature.
• Stretch the smoothed tapestry onto the stretcher. To do this, place the stretcher on the wrong side of the border. Fix the corners. Secure the tapestry evenly on all sides with thread. Make sure there are no wrinkles or warps. Now you can insert the tapestry into the frame.
• Another option is to hang the tapestry on a rod (for example, a curtain rod). To do this, brackets are fixed on the wall. Choosing fasteners, be sure to take into account the material from which the walls are made. Pay attention to this point – if the tapestry is heavy, do not hang it on a plasterboard partition, it can crack or even fall.
• If the tapestry has a ready-made wader, insert the rod into it and fasten it to the brackets. If you want to make the backstrap yourself, sew a strip of sturdy fabric on the wrong side of the top of the tapestry, such as burlap or linen.

3. Do not hang tapestry near fireplaces, so that the products of combustion do not settle on the product and spoil it. It is also undesirable to expose tapestry to direct sunlight. Like any other natural textile, tapestries are afraid of high humidity, so the room should be well ventilated.

Cleaning wall tapestries

The embossed surface of tapestry quickly accumulates dust, which of course harms both the fabric and the people living in the house. Therefore, the main task of care for tapestry is its cleaning. Wall tapestry should not be washed. Only dry cleaning is allowed. Go over the fabric with a soft brush to remove dust. Several times a year vacuum the product, not forgetting to pass not only on the front, but also on the underside.

Try to remove heavy soiling with a neutral detergent, being careful not to apply noticeable force. The water should be slightly warm. It is forbidden to wring the tapestry. If the stain could not be removed by yourself, do not conduct experiments, so as not to spoil the thing permanently, it is best to leave the request to the experts of our cleaning in Calgary. 

Care of furniture with tapestry upholstery

• Furniture tapestry upholstery is cared for in the same way as wall trellises. Preference is given to dry cleaning with a soft brush or vacuum cleaner. Many models of vacuum cleaners in the set of attachments has a special brush for upholstered furniture. If you do not have such an attachment, you can use improvised means. Wrap the usual brush head with a thin soft cloth, pre-moistened it with a salt solution prepared in the proportion of one teaspoon of salt per one liter of water. Dust residue can be wiped off with a moistened cloth.
• Dust can be knocked out by covering the sofa or armchair with an old white sheet soaked in water. You can add table white vinegar to the water (one tablespoon per one liter of water). First of all, wring the sheet well. Lay it on the furniture and gently pat the fabric with the palm of your hand or a beater. The wet sheet will absorb the dust. If the dirt is heavy, rinse the sheet and repeat the process again.
• Alas, sometimes the upholstery of upholstered furniture suffers, even with very careful handling. Then you still have to turn to wet cleaning. Dilute in barely warm water neutral detergent or shampoo, shake to a thick foam. Clean the fabric with the resulting foam, not water.
• If the dirt can not be cleaned or you do not want to risk the appearance of expensive products, you can invite home cleaning service employees who will clean tapestry upholstery with the help of special professional devices and means right at your home.

Cleaning of tapestry pillowcases and covers

• Tapestry covers or pillow covers can be washed with slightly warm water if necessary. Do not wring such fabric, it loses its structure and deforms. Dry the product preferably in the fresh air, avoiding sunlight. It is forbidden to use heating devices for drying.
• If you decide to use a detergent, test it on the underside of the fabric. Select a small area and apply the detergent, wait thirty minutes, if the fabric has not received visible negative changes, you can apply it to the entire product.

Cleaning tapestry curtains

• Tapestry curtains can also be cleaned with a brush or vacuum cleaner only. A lightly dampened sponge can be used to wipe off dust residue from a surface that has already been vacuumed.

Tapestry curtains are very heavy. To cope with the elimination of stains and other contaminants on your own will be very difficult. Therefore, it is better to use the services of a cleaning company.