Tapestry Care Guide

Tapestry Care Guide

When you receive a new tapestry, it may arrive with a few creases. This is what you should do in order to remove the creases:

1. Lay the tapestry on your ironing board or an anything soft that has a stiff backing. Be sure that the tapestry back is on the top.

2. Place a soft cloth, either muslin or something similar, along the crease.

3. Using a stem iron on low setting, gently and carefully iron the crease.

On an unfinished tapestry, you should remove the creases this way:

1. Follow the first directive just as you would do for a finished tapestry.

2. Place a soft cloth on top of the crease.

3. Gently and carefully iron the crease. It is not recommended that you steam iron the crease. However, if you have some very stubborn creases, they will require steam ironing.

You tapestry may not be perfectly square like a framed print. Usually tapestries are individually woven on a loom and may have some natural flaws, just like any custom work, to retain the elegance and beauty of your tapestry. In order for your tapestry to hang well, it is recommended that you use a steam iron to lightly go over your tapestry.

How do I clean my tapestry?

Because your tapestry is usually wall-mounted, it should not get the same kind of wear and tear as would your carpet or upholstered seating. It should, therefore, need less frequent maintenance. There are some people who do use a tapestry as a floor covering and still others use tapestries as bed coverings or table covers, which happens to be the traditional use of a tapestry. You should probably plan to vacuum the front and back of your tapestry either once of twice a year with the upholstery attachment for your vacuum. This kind of maintenance should be sufficient for years to come. You should consider cleaning your wall tapestry just as often as you would your fine window treatments. Cleaning your tapestry will involve taking it to an experienced drapery dry cleaning shop.

My tapestry has a curl to it. What to do?

If you find that you have a curl in your tapestry, know that this is not unusual. Tapestries will wave, bend and curl and may change due to the humidity differences and seasons. Some people suggest that hanging decorative weights at the bottom of the corners of the tapestry will alleviate these problems. This may not be the best approach to use. Weights will help to keep the tapestry taut, but it may cause excessive stretching therefore causing the tapestry to lose even more of its shape. One very good idea is to use a dowel rod that is the width of your tapestry. Open up the seam about an inch from the bottom and slide the tapestry rod in.

Will my tapestry fade?

Since your tapestry is a textile, it may fade just as any textile may do. However, decades may come and go before you notice any distinct fading. You will notice that antique tapestries tend to look washed out and faded. If you wish to minimize the risk of tapestry fading, do not hang it in direct sunlight. It would also be a good precaution to close blinds or drapes. As another alternative, you could also apply a window tint or film to lessen the damaging ultraviolet light rays.

Here are two maintenance and cleaning tips to keep in mind for your tapestry:

1. In order to dust your tapestry, get a soft brush and give it an annual brushing or use your vacuum cleaner attachment always remembering to be gentle.

2. When it is necessary, dry clean your tapestry only.