How to Clean Canvas Roman Shades

Cleaning canvas Roman shades can be done in a variety of ways. You can clean them while leaving them hanging on the window, or you can take them down and, after a bit of disassembly, put them in the washer on a cycle with a very gentle spin. Learn more about cleaning your canvas shades from the tips below.

Step 1 - Vacuum

Vacuum your Roman shades weekly if they are in a living room or dining room. If you live in a dusty climate, vacuum them three times a week to prevent dirt from dust deposits.

Step 2 - Spray with Fabric Freshener

Use a fabric freshener such as Febreze (TM) on your shades each week, especially if they hang in the kitchen and pick up cooking odors and oils.

Step 3 - Remove Stains and Spills

Any upholstery spot cleaner will be safe for canvas material. Immediately apply the spot cleaner according to directions, and vacuum it off when dry.

Step 4 - Use Detergent Spot Remover for Non-Greasy Spots

Apply a detergent spot remover such as Tide to Go (TM) to the spot right away, following the directions. Completely rinse off with cool water, and pat dry with a towel.

Step 5 - Wash

With patience and a bit of disassembly, your canvas relaxed or flat Roman shades can go in the washing machine and dryer, if your dryer has a cool temperature setting. Take down the shades from the window and coil each cord separately at the top of each shade. Securely tie up the coils with long plastic-coated twist ties, wrapped twice around each coil.

For flat Roman shades, carefully undo the stitching at one end of each dowel pocket, and pull out all the dowels. Be sure to undo the same pocket end for each dowel. Sew on a tiny snap fastener to each dowel pocket so you can remove and insert them for future washings. Use a mild laundry detergent and cool water in the washer. Put just enough water in to cover the material. Run the washer on a gentle cycle with intermittent agitating and slow spin for 15 minutes.

Step 6 - Dry

Put the shades in the dryer on a cool cycle for 30 minutes, and check at that time to see if they are dry. If they are nearly dry, take the shades out of the dryer, reinsert the dowels, uncoil the cords and hang them back on the window.

Step 7 - Dry Shades Outdoors

If you have a clothesline, hang up the shades by the bottom edge to avoid stretching the cords. Choose a partially shaded area to avoid fading the canvas material. If your shades are white or unbleached canvas, hang them to dry in full sunlight.