# Removing Dust from Curtains



## 2mojo2 (Jun 2, 2012)

We are having new blacks installed this summer, and the shop that is fabricating and hanging the curtains emphasizes that it is best to remove dust by vacuuming the fabric once or twice a year.
There was a fire in one of the other high schools in our district that raised the same issue. The curtains that went up were properly flame proofed, but the accumulated dust was not.
My Director recalls having a contractor (a young, self-employed man) clean the curtains on the college stage where she worked many years ago.
He stood on the stage floor and used extension tubes to vacuum the curtains all the way up.

We would like to buy appropriate equipment so the custodial staff at the high school (or possibly the stage crew) can conduct regular cleaning of the curtains in place.

While I could certainly fabricate something out of lightweight plastic tubing, my first choice would be to locate commercially sold equipment intended for the purpose.

Does anyone have any relevant experience with this?


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## Footer (Jun 2, 2012)

Yup. Backpack vacs and a genie lift is by far the best way to go. After that, a backpack vac with an extension is next. Something like this: Koblenz Backpack Vacuum Cleaner BP-1400

Are your new goods IFR?


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## 2mojo2 (Jun 2, 2012)

Footer said:


> Yup. Backpack vacs and a genie lift is by far the best way to go. After that, a backpack vac with an extension is next. Something like this: Koblenz Backpack Vacuum Cleaner BP-1400
> 
> Are your new goods IFR?



..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Yes, I believe that the fabric is IFR. These are being fabricated by the Maintenance Division of our Very Large School District, so I was not directly involved in selecting the fabric. 
The high school does not have a Genie lift and it is a bit of a PITA to get a loaner.

I have considered buying a used Genie in cooperation with the high school. There are two catches.
One is that I am not supposed to use student funds for tools the students are not permitted to use.
The second is that the annual safety inspection and certification of the lift costs about $900, a significant continuing expense.


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## JLNorthGA (Jun 2, 2012)

Another different thought. Vacuum the floor. Let the curtain "puddle" on the floor. Raise the curtain up bit by bit and vacuum it as it goes up.

Our blacks are about 18' x 38', so they don't make a very large "puddle". I've got a shop vacuum with a bristle brush attachment. I can usually vaccum the curtain in under an hour.


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## chausman (Jun 2, 2012)

JLNorthGA said:


> Another different thought. Vacuum the floor. Let the curtain "puddle" on the floor. Raise the curtain up bit by bit and vacuum it as it goes up.
> 
> Our blacks are about 18' x 38', so they don't make a very large "puddle". I've got a shop vacuum with a bristle brush attachment. I can usually vaccum the curtain in under an hour.



Just be prepared for that lineset to be very out of weight while you are vacuuming, if you use this method.


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## techieman33 (Jun 2, 2012)

When we do it we bury the legs and clean a few feet, fly them out a few feet and repeat until they're done. We do have to use a genie for the full curtains though.


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## 2mojo2 (Jun 2, 2012)

JLNorthGA said:


> Another different thought. Vacuum the floor. Let the curtain "puddle" on the floor. Raise the curtain up bit by bit and vacuum it as it goes up.
> 
> Our blacks are about 18' x 38', so they don't make a very large "puddle". I've got a shop vacuum with a bristle brush attachment. I can usually vaccum the curtain in under an hour.



That is a pretty good option if your curtains are on a lineset.
Ours are dead hung.


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## JLNorthGA (Jun 3, 2012)

chausman said:


> Just be prepared for that lineset to be very out of weight while you are vacuuming, if you use this method.



It does get a bit heavy hauling it down. But i've only got 13 oz Apollo velour curtains for the back - so the weight isn't too bad.


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## chausman (Jun 3, 2012)

JLNorthGA said:


> It does get a bit heavy hauling it down. But i've only got 13 oz Apollo velour curtains for the back - so the weight isn't too bad.



Just mentioning it. When we were working with our ripped mid, we had to remove ~400lbs just to get our curtains in. 


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## DuckJordan (Jun 3, 2012)

Each of ours weigh close to 800lbs and that's just the blacks no tracks at all if its a traveler. With trav it adds 300lbs we just over haul the linesets in and we have two hemp lines in either side to help haul down the batten. Definately not a single person job..


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## JBrennan (Jun 5, 2012)

Considering the cost of the $900 a year license and the cost of buying a lift, there are companies in most big cities that can be hired to clean the drapes. We budget to do this every few years here rotating between our spaces.


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## RickR (Jun 5, 2012)

Similarly there are companies in most places that rent lifts. For once a year it really makes sense. Of course for once a year (scheduled in advance) is a district lift really that much of a PITA?


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## 2mojo2 (Jun 11, 2012)

I don't know. 
The people in the schools who have to ask for the lift act as though it is like moving heaven and earth to get one lined up.
In my day job in facilities, I have control over a Genie lift but I do not loan it to the school custodial teams.

I have to be very careful not to let my interest in dramatics bleed into my day job (but it does happen now and then).


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## josh88 (Jun 11, 2012)

I'm usually the one with the genie and maintenance is good about bringing it back if they need it but I can't get a ladder for the life of me. I had 2 and they've apparently needed them for the past 3 months and I can't get one back. It takes emails and phone calls, so I can see where it'd be tougher if it was needing a genie pretty quick, that would be an issue.


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