Cleaning Method

There are only three ways to clean your Drapes. Be sure to ask about what cleaning method they are using while getting an estimate. The two most common methods used by our competitors are:

  1. Magic Wand Cleaning: Often, carpet cleaning companies are sold an upgrade to their vacuums which has been designed to clean draperies while they are hanging. (without removing your draperies). Or, there are other companies who specialize in drapery cleaning on site. With any of these methods, you might as well vacuum the drapes yourself. Any cleaning method which does not involve the removal of drapes seems to neglect the two primary sources of dirt accumulation: the top and the back. No wand based solution can access the areas where dirt is most likely to accumulate. Only high pressure air extraction can guarantee to removal of dust and dirt. Surface cleaning simply does not suffice.

  2. Drapery Dry Cleaning: Traditional Dry Cleaners use liquid solvents to clean drapes. In addition, to compensate for the shrinkage caused by liquid immersion, drapes are often stretched and pressed to attempt to restore original shape and form. Unfortunately, delicate drapery fabric does not stand up well to heat, pressing and harsh chemicals. The result is a degraded fabric which will never regain its original shape and look.

    In addition, traditional Dry Cleaning removes fire retardant from fabric (unless inherently treated). And since traditional Dry Cleaners do not offer flameproofing, this adds an additional step of hiring an on-site flameproofing company, adding hassle and expense.

  3. On-Site Cleaning Process: What different about the On-Site Process? The cleaning process developed by On-Site is a truly DRY cleaning operation, and completely different than traditional Dry Cleaning. Typical Dry Cleaners immerse fabric completely in harsh chemicals at high temperatures and then run through presses, which lead to shrinkage, fabric degradation resulting in shorter life for your drapes. With On-Site, your drapes are gently tumbled with our proprietary DrapeGlo Dry cleaning agent, a powder, which massages dust, dirt and contaminants out of your drapes. A powerful blower motor then vacuums out the DrapeGlo powder, which has bound with the dust and contaminants. The drapes are then sprayed with disinfectant, anti-static solution, and air freshener leaving a clean fresh scent. This unique process guarantees outstanding cleaning results without the harsh cleaning process.

Our unique DRY cleaning process does not remove any existing flame retardant from fabric. If necessary, On-Site has the ability to conduct a Match Flame Test on your draperies and flameproof your draperies while they are re-hung, saving your time and money. On-Site will provide a Flame Retardant Guarantee which can be shown to Fire Marshalls as proof of compliance during inspections.

Laboratory Tested

Although gentle, only the On-Site dry cleaning method is thorough - a fact demonstrated by comparison tests conducted under a laboratory microscope. A sample fibre from drapes cleaned by On-Site was compared to three other fabric fibre samples - one from a brand new bolt of material that had never been cleaned; another from used soiled drapes that had been tumble dusted in a laundry dryer; a third from drapes that had been cleaned by a traditional dry cleaning method.

The pathologist's report stated that the fibre from the drapes cleaned by On-Site was identical in appearance to the brand new fibre. In the tumble duster method, fibres we absent or lying flat, and in the traditional dry cleaning method sample, the fibres appeared degenerated, lacked colour, and were matted with grape like clusters of dirt (re-deposition of dirt) throughout.