Journal · 9 articles

Caring for Curtains, Sofas, Rugs and Blinds

Fabric, foam, timber and mesh all age faster in damp, salty air. These guides set out how to clean and maintain each one, how to deal with stains, smells and mould, and which repairs are worth making.

Sofa reupholstered in sage green fabric with contrast piping, photographed during a renovation

In this section

01How to Clean a Sofa at Home Without Inviting MildewRead the code, vacuum properly, spot-clean with as little liquid as possible, and then do the step most guides skip: get the sofa completely dry before Goa's humid air turns a clean seat into a mouldy one.
02How to Clean Blinds: Roller, Zebra and Vertical Fabric BlindsFabric blinds are stiffened and coated to hang flat and roll true. Clean them like curtains and you ruin them. Here is the routine that keeps them working.
03How to Clean Mosquito Nets on Windows and DoorsDust, dead insects, kitchen grease and, near the sea, a film of salt. How to clean window and door mesh without stretching or tearing it, keep the tracks running, and catch the tears before the rains.
04Vertical Blind Slats Replacement: Measuring, Matching and FittingA cracked, yellowed or chewed vane does not mean a new blind. How to measure and match replacement slats, clip them on without breaking the carriers, rehang the chains and weights, and recognise the headrail faults that do call for a new blind.
05How to Remove Smell From a Sofa by Finding Its SourceA sprayed sofa still smells by evening. Find out whether the odour sits in the cover, the cushion, the frame or the floor beneath, then deal with that layer. Sometimes the honest fix is new foam.
06Termites in Wooden Furniture: Signs, Prevention and What to DoMud tubes on the wall behind a cupboard, wings on the floor after a rain, a leg that sounds hollow. How to read the signs, protect the rest of the furniture, and hand the treatment to a licensed professional.
07White Fungus on Walls, or Salt? How to Tell Efflorescence From MouldA white bloom on a Goan wall is either salt left behind by water moving through the masonry, or mould growing on the surface. They need opposite treatment, so it pays to know which one you have.
08Dampness in Walls: Find the Cause Before You Pay for a SolutionDamp walls have four usual causes, and each needs a different repair. How to read the signs yourself, what a good damp survey involves, and how to look after furniture, curtains and walls while the work is done.
09How to Wash Curtains: Machine, Hand Wash or Dry Clean, Fabric by FabricMost curtains can be washed at home, some only by hand, and a few should never see a washing machine. How to tell which is which, wash each fabric safely, and get them dry in a climate that does not always cooperate.

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Aftercare

Drape Haus

Preparing the room

Caring for Curtains, Sofas, Rugs and Blinds

Cleaning a sofa at home

How to clean fabric blinds

Cleaning mosquito nets

Replacing vertical blind slats

Removing smells from a sofa

Termites in wooden furniture

White fungus or salt on walls?

Dampness in walls, diagnosed

Washing curtains, fabric by fabric

Planning Workon a Villa?

Caring for Curtains, Sofas, Rugs and Blinds

Cleaning a sofa at home

How to clean fabric blinds

Cleaning mosquito nets

Replacing vertical blind slats

Removing smells from a sofa

Termites in wooden furniture

White fungus or salt on walls?

Dampness in walls, diagnosed

Washing curtains, fabric by fabric

Planning Workon a Villa?