Cleaning greasy valance

Question

The valance sits above the drapes and has not been cleaned in 15 years. These have become quite greasy as shown in the picture. I cannot put them in the laundry as the fabric is stuck and stapled to the wooden backing. Any ideas to clean the grease?

Answer 1

I would recommend either buying:

1. Dawn dish soap is one of the most gentle of all the dish soaps and is considered safe in taking oil off animals so it should be gentle enough not to ruin the upholstery.
   Dilute some soap in a small bowl. Then soak a microfiber cloth and squeeze it so that the cloth is only damp but still has some soap to it. You can dab the upholstery until the grease starts to break down while rinsing the microfiber cloth as needed when dirt gets on it.

2. Murphy's Oil Soap, which is very good at removing oil stains on any kind of clothing or carpet. It works similarly that you dilute it and then you dab the section you need cleaned. It's important not to rub or do things in circles because that can damage the surface of the upholstery. I have used this particular product when having to clean out animal feces on carpet.

In either case, once you have been able to clean all the grease off, I recommend getting a fresh microfiber cloth and only having it damp enough to read every area to remove some of the soap.

Answer 2

I think this calls for some upholstery cleaner so that you can clean the valences in situ (in place). There are numerous brands available.

• Start by gently brush-hoovering or hand brushing to remove cobweb etc.

• Then use the upholstery cleaner following the manufacturer's instructions.

You can clean curtains in situ too – there are plenty of videos to be found – but cleaning your valence might be a lot easier, because it won't move as you clean it.