Spring cleaning: 5 fabric care tips

While spring cleaning your home, don’t forget about textiles. Here are a few tips for cleaning your quilts, bedspreads, curtains, cushions, duvet covers and more.

1. Before putting any textiles in the washing machine, shake out all the dust and debris or vacuum them. This will make cleaning more effective.

2. Metal accessories such as zippers can damage delicate fabrics. Don’t take any chances! Wash your delicates in a separate load. Also, place particularly fragile fabrics, like lace, in a mesh laundry bag.

3. Use a mild detergent, and don’t use bleach which can discolor your fabrics.

4. Wash your fabrics in cold water on the delicate or normal cycle. Follow the care instructions on the label whenever possible.

5. The drying method you use depends on the fabric type. You can generally use the dryer for heavy-duty textiles. However, hang other materials to air dry before steaming or ironing them.

If you have any items with special cleaning needs, bring them to your local dry cleaner.