Made in the Shade Drapery, Side Panel & Soft Treatment Care Guide – Made in the Shade Home Office

Custom drapery and soft treatments add warmth, softness, texture, color, and finished design to a room. Proper care helps protect the fabric, lining, pleats, hardware, and long-term appearance of your investment.

This guide applies to most custom soft treatments, including:

Drapery panels
Side panels
Ripplefold drapery
Pinch pleat drapery
Inverted pleat drapery
Goblet pleat drapery
Grommet drapery
Rod pocket treatments
Sheer drapery
Lined drapery
Blackout-lined drapery
Interlined drapery
Stationary panels
Traversing drapery
Valances
Cornices
Fabric top treatments
Decorative fabric accents

Always follow the specific care instructions provided by your local Made in the Shade location, the fabric supplier, workroom, or applicable manufacturer.

Important Drapery Care Note

Drapery is different from most blinds, shades, and shutters. Drapery products are textile-based and may include specialty fabrics, linings, interlinings, trims, pleats, rings, pins, carriers, tracks, or decorative hardware.

Because fabrics and linings vary widely, spot cleaning is not recommended unless specifically approved for your exact fabric. Improper cleaning may cause:

Water rings
Shrinkage
Color change
Dye bleeding
Texture change
Lining damage
Blackout coating damage
Permanent wrinkles
Pleat distortion
Fabric stretching
Uneven appearance

When in doubt, contact your local Made in the Shade location before cleaning.

New Drapery Settling Period

It is normal for new drapery to need time to settle after installation. Drapery panels are often folded, packaged, transported, and installed after being handled by the workroom, shipping carrier, and installer.

During the first several days or weeks after installation, you may notice:

Folds that need time to relax
Slight wrinkles or packaging creases
Pleats that need time to train
Fabric that appears slightly stiff
A hemline that needs time to hang naturally
Minor waves in the fabric
Sheers or lightweight fabrics that move with airflow
Blackout or lined panels that feel heavier or more structured

Made in the Shade recommends allowing drapery to hang naturally for 7 days after installation so the fabric can relax and settle into place. For traversing drapery, the panels may be left in the closed position for a period of time to help train the folds.

Do not pull, stretch, steam, iron, or reshape the fabric aggressively. If the drapery continues to appear severely wrinkled, uneven, distorted, or difficult to operate after a reasonable settling period, contact your local Made in the Shade location.

Basic Drapery Care

Routine Dusting and Vacuuming

Regular light maintenance is the safest way to care for most drapery and soft treatments.

Dust drapery lightly with a soft, clean duster.
Vacuum gently using a soft brush or drapery attachment.
Use low suction when possible.
Work from the top down.
Support the fabric while vacuuming to avoid pulling on pleats, rings, hooks, carriers, or seams.
Vacuum both the front and back of panels when accessible.
Dust rods, rings, tracks, brackets, finials, returns, and other hardware.
Clean more often in homes with pets, fireplaces, candles, high pollen, cooking residue, or heavy dust.

Do Not Use

Bleach
Ammonia
Harsh household cleaners
Solvents
Abrasive cleaners
Carpet cleaners
Upholstery cleaners unless approved for the exact fabric
Fabric refreshers unless approved
Disinfectant sprays
Glass cleaner
Steam cleaners unless approved
Excessive water
Hot irons
High heat
Washing machines or dryers unless specifically approved
Adhesive lint rollers on delicate fabrics
Aggressive scrubbing, twisting, or wringing

Cleaning by Soft Treatment Type

Drapery Panels and Side Panels

Drapery panels and side panels should be treated as custom fabric products.

Vacuum periodically with a soft brush attachment.
Avoid spot cleaning unless the fabric is approved for it.
Do not rub or scrub stains.
Do not spray cleaner directly on the fabric.
Do not machine wash unless specifically approved.
Professional cleaning may be recommended for heavier soil, stains, odor, or long-term maintenance.
Keep panels away from moisture, pets, candles, fireplaces, and cooking grease.

Floor-Length, Break, and Puddle Drapery

Some drapery styles are designed to touch the floor. This may include floor-length panels, slight-break drapery, or puddled drapery. These styles are intentional design choices, but fabric that touches the floor may collect dust, pet hair, moisture, and debris more quickly.

To care for floor-contact drapery:

Vacuum around the bottom hem regularly.
Keep floors clean and dry.
Avoid allowing fabric to rest on wet mopped floors, damp carpet, or freshly cleaned surfaces.
Use extra care in homes with pets, children, fireplaces, or high foot traffic.
Gently lift or protect fabric before cleaning floors.
Do not drag furniture, vacuums, or cleaning tools across the fabric.
Contact Made in the Shade if the hem becomes stained, frayed, stretched, or damaged.

Ripplefold Drapery

Ripplefold drapery is designed to create consistent, flowing folds using a track and carrier system.

Use the wand, cord, or motorized control to operate the drapery.
Avoid pulling directly on the fabric.
Do not force the panels if they catch, bind, or stop moving.
Keep the track clear of dust, pet hair, debris, and obstructions.
Vacuum fabric gently while supporting the folds.
Leave panels closed for a period of time after installation if folds need to train.
Contact Made in the Shade if the carriers, snaps, splice, cord, or track system does not move smoothly.

Pinch Pleat, Inverted Pleat, and Decorative Pleat Drapery

Pleated drapery relies on the fabric, buckram, hooks, rings, and hardware staying properly positioned.

Vacuum gently around pleats.
Do not pull hard on individual pleats.
Do not bend, twist, or crush pleat headers.
Make sure hooks, pins, and rings stay properly seated.
Do not remove hooks unless instructed.
Keep pleats dressed neatly after opening or closing.
Contact Made in the Shade if a hook, ring, carrier, or pleat appears loose or misaligned.

Sheer Drapery

Sheer drapery is delicate and may snag, stretch, wrinkle, or distort more easily than heavier fabrics.

Dust lightly and vacuum only with very low suction.
Use extra care around seams, hems, and pleats.
Avoid rings, jewelry, watches, fingernails, pet claws, or rough surfaces that may snag the fabric.
Do not scrub sheer fabric.
Do not spot clean unless approved.
Do not steam or iron unless the fabric supplier or workroom allows it.
Professional cleaning may be required.

Blackout-Lined and Room-Darkening Drapery

Blackout and room-darkening drapery may include specialty linings or coatings that require extra care.

Vacuum gently with a soft brush attachment.
Do not scrub the lining.
Do not use adhesive lint rollers on the lining unless approved.
Do not use harsh cleaners, solvents, or high heat.
Do not steam directly against blackout backing unless approved.
Avoid folding or creasing the lining sharply.
Contact Made in the Shade if the lining appears cracked, peeling, stained, or damaged.

Interlined Drapery

Interlined drapery has an additional layer between the face fabric and lining. This creates a fuller, more luxurious appearance but also requires careful care.

Vacuum gently and support the weight of the fabric.
Do not pull or tug on seams, hems, or pleats.
Avoid wet cleaning unless specifically approved.
Professional cleaning is usually recommended.
Allow panels to hang naturally after installation so the layers can settle.

Valances, Cornices, and Fabric Top Treatments

Valances, cornices, and top treatments may include fabric, wood, foam, padding, batting, trims, or decorative details.

Dust regularly with a soft cloth or duster.
Vacuum gently with a soft brush attachment.
Use caution around trims, tassels, banding, nailheads, welting, and decorative details.
Do not spray cleaner directly onto the fabric or structure.
Do not pull on decorative trim.
Contact Made in the Shade if the treatment becomes loose, crooked, or damaged.

Professional Cleaning and Rehanging

Professional cleaning may be appropriate for some drapery, but not all fabrics, linings, trims, and construction methods respond the same way to cleaning. Always confirm that the cleaner has experience with custom drapery and decorative fabric window treatments.

After professional cleaning, you may notice:

Slight dimensional changes
Minor shrinkage or relaxation
Folds or pleats that need to be re-trained
Hooks, pins, rings, snaps, or carriers that need to be reinserted or adjusted
Panels that need time to hang naturally again
Linings or face fabrics that settle differently than before cleaning

Do not force panels back into place or rehang them if you are unsure how the hardware, hooks, carriers, or pleats should be positioned.

Contact your local Made in the Shade location if you need assistance removing, rehanging, dressing, or adjusting custom drapery after professional cleaning.

Hardware, Tracks, Rods, and Rings

Drapery performance depends on both the fabric and the hardware system.

Routine Hardware Care

Dust rods, rings, brackets, tracks, carriers, and finials periodically.
Keep tracks free of debris, pet hair, insects, and construction dust.
Use the wand, cord, or motorized control when provided.
Open and close drapery gently.
Do not yank the fabric.
Do not hang clothing, plants, décor, or other items from drapery rods or tracks.
Do not allow children or pets to pull on panels.

If Drapery Is Hard to Open or Close

Stop forcing it.
Check for furniture, décor, rugs, window locks, or objects blocking the fabric.
Look for tangled cords, twisted rings, or caught carriers.
Check whether the panel is caught on a splice, bracket, return, or center overlap.
Contact Made in the Shade if the track, rod, carrier, splice, wand, cord, or motorized system does not operate smoothly.

Motorized Drapery Care

Motorized drapery systems are designed for convenience and consistent operation. Proper use helps protect the motor, track, carriers, and fabric.

Basic Motorized Drapery Tips

Keep remotes, wall switches, chargers, hubs, bridges, and power supplies dry.
Replace remote batteries when response becomes inconsistent.
Charge rechargeable systems according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Make sure furniture, décor, pets, and other objects are clear of the drapery path.
Do not manually pull motorized drapery unless the system is designed for manual operation.
Do not repeatedly run the drapery open and closed without allowing the motor to rest.
Contact Made in the Shade if the drapery moves unevenly, stops unexpectedly, loses limits, makes unusual noise, or does not respond after basic troubleshooting.

Before Requesting Service for Motorized Drapery

Check the following:

Is the remote on the correct channel?
Are the batteries charged?
Is the system plugged in or connected to power, if applicable?
Is the hub, bridge, or app connected?
Is anything blocking the drapery path?
Has the drapery been manually pulled or forced?
Did a recent power outage, router change, or app update affect the system?
Has the system recently been reprogrammed, paired, reset, or removed from an app?
Is the drapery making unusual noise or stopping in a different place than normal?

Sun Exposure, UV, and Fabric Fading

Drapery is often exposed to direct sunlight for long periods. Over time, sunlight, heat, and UV exposure can affect fabric color, lining, texture, and overall appearance.

Gradual fading, softening, or color change may occur over years, especially in windows with:

Strong direct sun
Western exposure
Large glass areas
High heat
Coastal exposure
Reflective surfaces
Skylights
Dark-colored fabrics
Natural fibers
Printed or textured fabrics

To help reduce fading:

Use lining when appropriate.
Use shades behind drapery when appropriate.
Rotate, open, and close panels periodically when practical.
Avoid leaving panels in the exact same position every day for long periods.
Keep windows clean to reduce heat buildup and residue transfer.
Use caution with window film, reflective glass, or high-heat glass conditions.

Some fading, color variation, and texture change is normal with long-term sun exposure and may not be considered a product defect.

Lining Yellowing and Discoloration

Drapery linings, including blackout and room-darkening linings, may change color over time due to sunlight, heat, humidity, window condensation, air quality, and normal aging.

Some yellowing, softening, or discoloration of linings may be normal over time, especially on windows with strong direct sun, high heat, western exposure, coastal exposure, or reflective glass.

To help reduce lining discoloration:

Keep windows clean to reduce residue transfer.
Avoid allowing condensation to sit against the lining.
Use proper ventilation in humid rooms.
Avoid exposing linings to harsh cleaners, fragrance sprays, smoke, or direct heat.
Contact Made in the Shade if discoloration appears sudden, severe, uneven, or related to moisture, staining, mildew, or lining damage.

Humidity, Moisture, and Environmental Conditions

Drapery and soft treatments are designed for interior use unless specifically stated otherwise. Moisture and environmental conditions can affect fabric, linings, trims, seams, pleats, and hardware.

Use extra care in rooms with:

High humidity
Condensation
Bathrooms
Laundry rooms
Kitchens
Poor ventilation
Fireplaces
Wood-burning stoves
Candles
HVAC vents blowing directly on the fabric
Coastal conditions
Strong direct sun or heat buildup

To help protect your drapery:

Avoid allowing condensation to sit on fabric or lining.
Keep wet windows, sills, and trim from touching the fabric.
Keep panels away from open flames, candles, stovetops, and fireplaces.
Avoid placing humidifiers directly under or near drapery.
Let damp rooms ventilate properly.
Do not allow drapery to rest on wet floors, damp carpet, or freshly cleaned surfaces.
Contact Made in the Shade if you notice mildew, staining, odor retention, rippling, shrinkage, lining damage, or fabric distortion.

Sheers and Window Condensation

Sheer drapery is often installed close to the glass, which can make it more vulnerable to condensation, moisture transfer, and staining.

If condensation forms on the inside of the window, sheer fabric may touch or wick moisture from the glass, sill, or trim. Over time, this can lead to water marks, mildew, discoloration, odor, or fabric distortion.

To help protect sheer drapery:

Keep glass, sills, and trim dry.
Improve ventilation in rooms with condensation.
Avoid letting sheer panels rest directly against wet glass.
Open panels periodically to allow airflow.
Contact Made in the Shade if sheers show signs of water marks, mildew, odor, or staining.

Pets, Hair, and Everyday Messes

Pets can create everyday care issues for drapery, especially pet hair, nose marks, paw prints, chewing, scratching, and fabric pulls.

Pet Hair

Use a vacuum with a soft brush attachment on low suction.
Work from the top down.
Support the fabric while vacuuming.
Avoid sticky lint rollers on delicate fabrics, sheers, velvet, blackout lining, embroidery, trims, or specialty fabrics unless approved.
Do not brush aggressively.

Paw Prints and Nose Marks

Do not scrub the fabric.
Blot gently with a clean, dry cloth.
Avoid water unless the exact fabric allows spot cleaning.
Contact Made in the Shade before attempting to remove visible stains.

Chewing, Scratching, or Pulling

Do not continue operating damaged drapery.
Keep pets from chewing, clawing, climbing, or pulling on panels.
Contact Made in the Shade if the fabric, lining, hem, rings, hooks, carriers, cord, or track system is damaged.

Pet damage is generally considered misuse and may not be covered by manufacturer or labor warranty.

Odors, Smoke, Cooking, and Fireplaces

Fabric products can absorb odors more readily than hard window coverings. Cooking, smoke, fireplaces, candles, pets, and poor ventilation may cause odor buildup over time.

To reduce odor absorption:

Keep rooms properly ventilated.
Use kitchen exhaust fans when cooking.
Avoid placing drapery near active cooking areas when possible.
Keep drapery away from smoke, fireplaces, candles, incense, and strong air fresheners.
Dust and vacuum panels regularly.
Do not spray fragrance, fabric refresher, disinfectant, or odor remover directly onto drapery unless specifically approved for the fabric.

For persistent odors, professional cleaning may be needed. Always confirm whether your specific fabric, lining, and construction can be professionally cleaned before proceeding.

Wrinkles, Creases, and Fabric Memory

Some wrinkles, folds, waves, or packaging creases may be normal after installation. Drapery fabric has often been folded, handled, and transported before being installed.

To help drapery settle:

Allow panels to hang naturally.
Leave traversing panels closed for a period of time to help train folds.
Gently dress the folds by hand if instructed by your installer.
Avoid pulling, stretching, or forcing the fabric into shape.
Do not iron or steam unless the exact fabric allows it.
Do not apply high heat to linings, blackout materials, sheers, trims, or specialty fabrics.

Professional steaming may be appropriate for some drapery, but it is not appropriate for every fabric. Some fabrics, linings, trims, and finishes may shrink, spot, pucker, or change texture when exposed to steam or heat.

Contact your local Made in the Shade location before steaming or pressing custom drapery.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

Drapery Is Dusty

Vacuum gently with a soft brush attachment.
Use low suction.
Work from top to bottom.
Dust hardware, rings, rods, tracks, and brackets.

Drapery Has Pet Hair

Vacuum gently with a soft brush attachment.
Avoid sticky lint rollers unless approved for the fabric.
Do not brush aggressively.
Use extra caution with sheers, velvet, embroidery, trims, and blackout lining.

Drapery Has a Small Spot or Smudge

Do not scrub.
Do not apply water or cleaner unless approved for the exact fabric.
Blot gently with a clean, dry cloth.
Contact Made in the Shade for guidance before attempting stain removal.

Drapery Has an Odor

Air out the room.
Vacuum gently if dust or smoke residue is present.
Do not spray odor removers directly onto the fabric.
Contact Made in the Shade if the odor is strong, persistent, or related to moisture, mildew, smoke, or staining.

Drapery Does Not Hang Evenly

Allow the panels time to settle.
Make sure the fabric is not caught on furniture, flooring, rugs, or window hardware.
Confirm the rings, hooks, carriers, or snaps are properly positioned.
Do not pull aggressively on the hem or side edges.
Contact Made in the Shade if the issue continues.

Drapery Is Hard to Open or Close

Stop forcing it.
Check for obstructions.
Check for caught fabric, twisted rings, tangled cords, or carrier issues.
Make sure the fabric is not dragging on furniture or flooring.
Contact Made in the Shade if the track, rod, cord, wand, motor, or hardware needs adjustment.

Ripplefold Drapery Gets Stuck

Stop forcing the drapery.
Check whether a carrier is caught at a splice, bracket, return, or overlap.
Make sure the fabric is not twisted or pulling against the carriers.
Use the wand, cord, or motorized control gently.
Contact Made in the Shade if the drapery continues to catch or bind.

Hemline Looks Uneven

Allow new drapery time to hang and settle.
Check whether flooring, rugs, or furniture are interfering.
Keep the fabric from resting on wet floors or freshly cleaned carpet.
Contact Made in the Shade if the hemline remains significantly uneven after the settling period.

Lining Looks Yellowed or Discolored

Some discoloration may be normal over time, especially with sunlight, heat, humidity, or condensation.
Check whether the lining is exposed to direct sun, window condensation, smoke, or moisture.
Do not attempt to bleach or scrub the lining.
Contact Made in the Shade if the discoloration is sudden, severe, uneven, or appears related to mildew, staining, or lining damage.

Before Requesting Service for Drapery or Soft Treatments

Before contacting Made in the Shade for service, check the following if it is safe to do so:

Is furniture, décor, a rug, a window lock, or a handle interfering with the drapery?
Is the fabric caught on a bracket, ring, carrier, splice, return, or center overlap?
Are hooks, pins, rings, carriers, or snaps still properly attached?
Is the drapery being operated by the wand, cord, or motorized control instead of pulling on the fabric?
Is the track, rod, or hardware visibly loose?
Is pet hair, dust, or debris in the track?
Has the drapery recently been pulled, forced, cleaned, steamed, or moved?
Is the drapery newly installed and still within the settling period?

If the issue continues, take photos or a short video before contacting your local Made in the Shade location. Helpful photos include:

A full picture of the drapery or soft treatment
A close-up of the issue
The rod, track, brackets, carriers, rings, hooks, or snaps
The hemline
Any area where fabric is catching, pulling, wrinkling, staining, or dragging
Any remote, motor, cord, wand, or control system involved

This helps your local Made in the Shade team review the issue more quickly and determine the best next step.

Seasonal Maintenance Checklist

Monthly or As Needed

Dust or vacuum drapery gently.
Dust rods, rings, tracks, brackets, finials, and hardware.
Check that traversing drapery opens and closes smoothly.
Confirm panels are not caught on furniture, flooring, rugs, or décor.
Check for pet hair, insects, dust, or debris.
Check for odors in kitchens, fireplace rooms, pet areas, or rooms with poor ventilation.
Check floor-contact drapery for dust, pet hair, moisture, or debris along the bottom hem.

Every 3–6 Months

Inspect hooks, pins, rings, carriers, snaps, brackets, rods, tracks, cords, wands, and motorized systems.
Check for fraying, loose parts, uneven operation, or fabric pulling.
Confirm pleats and folds are hanging properly.
Inspect for signs of fading, lining yellowing, moisture, mildew, staining, odor retention, or fabric distortion.
Charge or replace batteries for motorized products as needed.
Contact Made in the Shade for service if anything looks loose, damaged, crooked, or unusual.

After Painting, Remodeling, or Heavy Dust

Protect drapery before construction, drywall work, painting, sanding, flooring, or window replacement.
Do not allow paint, drywall dust, adhesive, caulk, stain, or construction debris to remain on the fabric.
Do not scrape fabric or hardware with sharp tools.
Contact Made in the Shade if drapery needs to be removed before remodeling, painting, or window replacement.
Do not reinstall drapery until paint, stain, flooring, or wet construction materials are fully dry.

After Professional Cleaning

Inspect panels before rehanging.
Confirm hooks, pins, rings, snaps, or carriers are properly positioned.
Allow panels time to hang and settle again.
Re-train folds or pleats gently if needed.
Do not force panels into position.
Contact Made in the Shade if panels need to be rehung, adjusted, dressed, or inspected after cleaning.

Do’s and Don’ts

Do

Vacuum gently with a soft brush attachment.
Dust hardware regularly.
Use the wand, cord, or motorized control when provided.
Allow new drapery time to settle.
Keep panels away from moisture, smoke, flames, candles, and cooking residue.
Keep pets away from fabric, hems, cords, and tracks.
Keep floor-contact drapery away from wet floors, damp carpet, and cleaning chemicals.
Use professional cleaning when appropriate.
Contact Made in the Shade if panels need to be removed or rehung for professional cleaning.
Take photos or video before requesting service.
Contact Made in the Shade before attempting stain removal, steaming, washing, or major cleaning.

Don’t

Do not scrub drapery fabric.
Do not spot clean unless approved for the exact fabric.
Do not spray household cleaners, glass cleaner, disinfectant, fragrance, or odor remover directly onto the fabric.
Do not machine wash or dry unless specifically approved.
Do not use bleach, ammonia, solvents, or harsh cleaners.
Do not use high heat, steam, or an iron unless approved.
Do not pull drapery open or closed by the fabric when a wand, cord, or motorized control is provided.
Do not hang items from rods, tracks, rings, or panels.
Do not allow children or pets to pull, climb, chew, or play with drapery.
Do not force drapery if it catches, binds, or stops moving.
Do not allow sheer panels to rest against wet glass or condensation.
Do not mop, steam clean, shampoo carpet, or use floor cleaners while drapery fabric is resting on the floor.

Safety Notes

Drapery and soft treatments are designed for beauty, privacy, light control, and interior design. They are not designed to hold weight, restrain children or pets, or act as a barrier.

Keep children and pets away from cords, chains, loops, controls, and fabric.
Do not allow children to climb, hang, pull, or play with drapery.
Keep cribs, beds, furniture, and climbable items away from corded window treatments.
Make sure safety devices remain installed and secured.
Stop operation if fabric is caught in the hardware.
For motorized drapery, make sure the path is clear before operation.
Keep drapery away from open flames, candles, fireplaces, heaters, and stovetops.

Warranty / Service Reminder

Proper use and routine maintenance help protect your investment and may be required to keep your product warranty in good standing. Damage caused by misuse, excessive moisture, improper cleaning products, pets, pests, forced operation, unauthorized repairs, construction debris, environmental conditions, improper steaming, improper washing, improper professional cleaning, improper rehanging, or lack of maintenance may not be covered by warranty.

Please contact your local Made in the Shade location for details regarding product and labor warranty coverage. Each Made in the Shade location is independently owned and operated, and labor or service warranties may vary by location. Manufacturer warranties are provided by the applicable vendor, fabric supplier, hardware manufacturer, or workroom and may differ by product, brand, fabric, or construction method.

If your drapery or soft treatment is not operating correctly, stop using it and contact Made in the Shade before the issue becomes worse.