Frequently Asked Questions
How should I clean my curtains?
The correct answer depends on fabric type, while you can check the manufacturers instructions, most manufacturers list dry clean only because it is causes the least shrinkage….Most curtains will not respond well to either washing or traditional Dry Cleaning, causing shrinkage, and fabric damage.
Which drapes can I wash safely?
Curtains made of synthetic fibres can be safely washed in cold water. Do not machine dry, re-hang wet drapes and let air dry. May require steaming to smooth wrinkles.
What about other fabrics types-natural fibres such as cotton, wool?
Unlike clothing fabric, most drapery fabric is not designed to be washed. Washing draperies will cause fabric damage, shrinkage and shorten the lifespan of your drapes. While we know it sounds cocky, but only the On Site cleaning method can guarantee no shrinkage and no fabric damage. When it comes to cleaning your delicate drapes, contact On-Site for safe cleaning.
How do I clean silk drapes?
Do not get them wet, do not dry clean. They will never be like new again. You can vacuum them to remove surface dust. Only the On-Site process can safely clean these delicate fabric types.
How about Blinds? Verticals, Horizontal, Roller Shades, Silhouettes?
Some can be simply wiped down regularly to remove dust. Other fabric style blinds cannot be wiped down as it will simply grind the soil in deeper. Contact local blind cleaner who uses Ultrasonic technology or if you need one, contact us.
How often should I clean my drapes?
That all depends on your facility. Here is the basic cleaning schedule followed by the majority of our clients.
Once a year: Homes (sensitive to dust), Hotels, Hospitals, Restaurants, Banquet Halls, Nursing Homes
Once Every Three Years: Homes, Golf Courses, Universities, Funeral Homes, Retirement Homes, Resorts
Once Every Five Years: Theatres, SchoolsWhy should I clean my drapes?
All Drapes, Curtains and Blinds are filters absorbing airborne pollutants, dust and allergens due to constant airflow. This creates a fertile environment for dust mites and other harmful organisms for infectious disease transmission. Embedded dirt and moisture combine with sunlight to produce dry rot. Fumes from furnaces and fireplaces and food odours contain airborne chemicals which oxidize to form a mild acid when combined with Oxygen & Moisture. Even drapes not visibly dirty require regular cleaning to prolong their lifespan. Without cleaning, the lifespan of your drapes is shortened considerably.
How do I remove allergens from my drapes? How do clean drapes & curtains improve my indoor air quality?
All Drapes, Curtains and Blinds are filters absorbing airborne pollutants, dust and allergens due to constant airflow. Drapery cleaning removes dust & allergens and can have an immediate impact on improving air quality.How do you prove that your cleaning process leaves no toxic residue?
Indoor Air Quality Tests, conducted by the Safety Service Branch of the Ontario Government, before and after Drapery Cleaning by On-Site concluded the DrapeGlo™ Process;
- Leaves no traces of toxic residue,
- Leaves no residual toxins in the drapes
- Leaves no toxins in the air of the room
- Subject staff indicated there was "a nice clean smell" and no "problems" reports.
Is the On-Site Process Environmentally Friendly?
Simple and natural, our unique system holds considerable advantages. We use no liquids therefore we produce no waste water AND have no dry cleaning fluids to dispose of. Soiled residue is extracted & captured using a series of filters. Independent lab testing has verified the residual waste from the On-Site process is completely NON TOXIC and ECO FRIENDLY.
What are the advantages of the On-Site Process?
Same Day Service: Our competitors think it is OK to take your drapes away for up to a week, then let you arrange flame proofing, we don’t think so! We can do it all in one day with our mobile dry cleaning units.
Environmentally Friendly: Let us help you achieve your green objectives with our green process.
Compliance with the Fire Code: Our unique process is the only method of cleaning drapes which will not remove the existing flame retardant from fabric. Also, we can apply additional flame retardant and issue a current certificate for your records.
Fully Guaranteed: Only On-Site will guarantee: No Shrinkage, No Fabric Damage, No Colour Fade.
How is the cleaning process developed by On-Site different?
EXCLUSIVE DrapeGlo™ CLEANING PROCESS
The On-Site exclusive DrapeGlo™ Cleaning Process gently tumbles drapes in our custom built machines using DrapeGlo™ Powder. DrapeGlo™ massages dust, dirt and contaminants out of the drapes. A powerful blower motor extracts the DrapeGlo™ powder bound with the dust and contaminants. This unique process guarantees outstanding cleaning results without the harsh cleaning process.
Can’t I just vacuum them myself?
Vacuums can remove surface dust, but will not remove embedded dust, especially up behind in the pleats where the majority of the dust accumulates. In addition, the brush of the vacuum will spread and embed surface dust deeper in the fabric, and may leave dirty streaks on fabric.
What about drapes and disease transmission?
A recent study at the Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio found that Hospital Drapes were a significant cause of infectious disease transmission including C. difficile. Since they are often touched by both patients, visitors and staff, they have been found to accumulate and spread infectious with unnerving efficiency, over 42 percent of privacy curtains tested were contaminated. CLICK HERE to learn more about the risks presented by Drapes.
How do you flameproof a drape or curtain?
Flame Retardant must be applied to a drape after it has been cleaned, if dirty, flame retardant will not adhere to fabric fibres. It is a light spray which must be applied evenly. Typically applied while curtains are hanging to ensure even application.
How long does the flame retardant typically last?
Typically, flame retardant on drapes will last 5 years. If washed or dry cleaned, will be removed in as little as one cleaning.
Which drapes need to be flame proofed?
Typically any drape in a room with occupancy of more than 100 people, lobbies, exits, hallways. In addition, hospitals and health care facilities must have all flame resistant fabrics.
Does flame retardant wash out?
Yes, Cleaning drapes in Laundry or Dry Cleaning will remove the flame retardant (if not made from inherently flame retardant materials). Flame retardant is chemically similar to salt and is water soluble. If washed, dry cleaned, or even simply gotten wet, the flame retardant can be washed out and will no longer be effective.
How do I safely clean a flame retardant drape?
The only way to clean a drape without removing the flame retardant applied to it is to use the On-Site process which does not use liquids of any kind, therefore does not affect flame retardant.
How long does it take to clean a drape?
Our cleaning process takes about 3 hours.Do you clean them on while they hang on the window?
No, doing so does not remove embedded dust, especially where dust accumulates most, up in behind the pleats. Many carpet cleaners have modified units which can do drapes, but they simply spray chemicals on them, and vacuum them out. These wet and dry cleaning chemicals will distort the fabric fibres and embed grime deep into the fabric fibres.
In addition, be careful who you hire, cleaning drapes in this method is time consuming, so often the demonstration or first drape looks much better than the ones done at the end of the day!
Bottom line, without removing the drapes, you cannot clean them thoroughly.
Should I take the drapes down for you?
No, we prefer to take them down so we know exactly how they are to go back up.
Do you replace missing hooks?
Yes, missing hook replacement is free.
Do you guarantee your work?
Yes, in fact we are the only company who guarantees our work 100%. Not only do we guarantee no shrinkage, no fabric damage, and no colour fading, but also your complete satisfaction is guaranteed. Be sure to ask our competitors if they will match our guarantees before you decide who to trust your drapes to.
How do you protect from shrinkage?
Fabrics shrink when exposed to liquids. Since we don`t use any liquids, our process does not shrink fabrics.
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How do you safely clean Blackout Style Drapes?
Improperly cleaned blackouts will show tiny holes letting the light in, and you will notice pulls on the seams where the fabrics have shrink at different rate than the blackout.
Our process was originally developed specifically to clean blackout drapes for major hotels over 30 years ago. The On-Site process is still the only way to safely clean blackout drapes without causing damage to the blackout material. We guarantee it.
The fire marshal said I need a Flame Spread Certificate or a Match Flame Test, what is that?
A Match Flame Test (as per NFPA 705 procedure): Quite simply, burn a sample of fabric with a match, if it burns after the flame is removed, it fails. Contact On-Site for a Match Flame Test. We regularly test and issue certificates on behalf of our customers.
What is NFPA 705?
The detailed procedures for conducting a Match Flame Test as designed to be conducted in the field by fire inspectors.
How do I get my drapes flame retarded?
We regularly re-test and re-apply flame retardant for our customers.
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Do you clean blinds also?
Yes.
Do you do residential drapery cleaning also?
Sorry, we do not service the residential market.
How do you clean my drapes On-Site?
Our crew arrives with our mobile drapery dry cleaning trailer, parks it in a convenient spot, we then take down your draperies, take them to the trailer for processing, once cleaning cycle is complete, drapes are re-hung immediately to preserve look.
What is a mobile drapery dry cleaning trailer?
Our full self sufficient mobile units contain our custom built drapery dry cleaning machines. We developed a unique process which uses powder, not liquids, to clean drapes. The On-Site Cleaning Process gently tumbles drapes in our custom built machines using DrapeGlo™ Powder. DrapeGlo™ massages dust, dirt and contaminants out of the drapes. A powerful blower motor extracts the DrapeGlo™ powder bound with the dust and contaminants. This unique process guarantees outstanding cleaning results without the harsh cleaning process.
I am interested in a business relationship with On-Site, who should I contact?
Brad Davies, President. 800-465-2082,
Do you offer franchises?
No, we are not a franchise. However, we are always open to discuss potential business relationships with qualified candidates, we think there should be On-Site operations everywhere there are drapes.
What is a Drapery Maintenance Program?
Our service includes a customized Drapery Maintenance Program where we will recommend the appropriate cleaning cycle for your facility, and, after we have completed your initial cleaning, we will automatically remind you the next time your cleaning is due. Our drapery maintenance program includes a written summary of the work performed for each individual property.
Only On-Site offers you the opportunity to establish a regular cycle of drapery maintenance based on the standards of the individual properties.
Why should I have a Drapery Maintenance Program for my facility?
Regular Maintenance of your Drapes makes sense. Without regular cleaning, the lifespan of your drapes is considerably shortened. The On-Site system provides consistency and quality of service and ensures that you get the maximum life from your drapery investment.
Knowing when to clean your drapes is important. Some areas, like those exposed to food and regular wear, or in areas with dust sensitivity, should be cleaned annually. Others such as Stage Drapes, only require servicing every 5 years to maintain the effectiveness of the flame retardant.
You have enough to worry about, let us worry about your drapes. Since cleaning your drapes is not something you do every day, our system saves you having to worry about when your next cleaning is due. Also, it allows you to include the costs of regular maintenance into your annual budget, so drapery cleaning is never an additional, unbudgeted expenditure.
What types of customers does On-Site service today?
We have a long list of satisfied customers, including Public & Private Schools, Universities and Colleges; Hospitals and Health Care Facilities; Golf & Country Clubs, Resorts, Hotels and Property Management; Theatres, Museums and Restaurants, and private homes. We work with stage companies, seamstresses, designers and suppliers, Fire Inspectors and Safety engineers, Insurance Adjusters, Remediation companies and yes, Dry Cleaners. All with the same end result—to provide a Healthy, Cost Effective solution for cleaning extending the life of your drapery investment.
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How long have you been in business?
Proudly Cleaning Drapes Since 1978
Why is the On-Site cleaning process superior?
Because of our unique process, developed exclusively to clean drapes, we can clean 99% of the fabric combinations used today, regardless of types of delicate fabrics such as silks and wools, decorative beading, tassels, etc.
We developed a unique process which uses powder, not liquids, to clean drapes. The On-Site Cleaning Process gently tumbles drapes in our custom built machines using DrapeGlo™ Powder. DrapeGlo™ massages dust, dirt and contaminants out of the drapes. A powerful blower motor extracts the DrapeGlo™ powder bound with the dust and contaminants. This unique process guarantees outstanding cleaning results without the harsh cleaning process.
