Direct Fabrics Blog

How to Choose Medical Curtains for Hospital Use - What to Know

Hospitals are a host to a myriad of viruses and bacterias. Patients suffering from various diseases visit the hospital every day in hopes of making a full recovery. The curtains dividing each cubicle at the emergency room and wards are not there for aesthetics only—they should function to separate and protect each patient and to prevent cross-contamination. 

Fabrics used in the hospital curtain dividers are special and different from those used at homes and non-medical facilities. Therefore, hospitals should use a fabric that is suitable to their harsh environment. 

Here are some points on how to choose a hospital medical curtain divider:

Curtains should be fire retardant

Fire retardant curtains are a must in a hospital setting to prevent the spread of fire in case of an accident. It is also recommended that it should be installed with a mesh above the curtain so the water from the sprinklers can extinguish the fire on its onset, preventing it from spreading. 

Curtains should be stain-resistant and easy to clean. It is not uncommon for body fluids like blood, saliva, and vomit to be expelled by a patient, and it may stick to the curtain dividers. If possible, the fabric used should also be machine washable for easy sanitation. These features are essential to eliminate the hazards of contamination.

Curtain fabric should be suitable for use

Medical curtains serve as a divider between the patients in the hospital. It should be able to provide privacy as patients receive treatment. These dividers should be able to withstand the harsh hospital environment. They are heavily used every day, which is why the fabric should be strong and durable. 

The hospital is filled with different pathogenic bacteria, superbugs, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria and viruses due to the varied diseases that different patients bring in. To avoid and prevent the spread of these pathogens, use medical curtain dividers that are anti-microbial. 

Killing pathogenic bacteria immediately upon contact will help eliminate the spread of these disease-causing microbes, hence the importance of choosing an anti-microbial fabric to reduce the spread of disease and add an extra layer of protection for both the patients and medical staff. 

Curtains should provide privacy

The fabric of the curtain divider should be able to provide privacy between cubicles. Some patients are in fragile and sensitive conditions, so the curtains should not be sheer or see-through. Sheer fabrics can cause anxiety to other patients, especially when they see a patient in critical condition. 

Hospitals should always consider their patients' and medical staff's health and well-being. The medical curtain divider may be a trivial matter for some, but it has a valuable contribution to the safety and control of pathogenic bacteria from spreading in the hospital. Therefore, when purchasing a medical curtain for your health facility, make sure that it is fire retardant, stain-resistant, anti-microbial, and always consider the quality and strength of the fabric. Check out Direct Fabrics for a selection of quality curtains today!

Do’s & Don’ts of Selecting & Installing Curtains - Our Guide

Curtains are a multipurpose fixture in homes and institutions. They can be decorative, functional, or both. Some curtains are sheer and embroidered for visual effect, while others are heavy and used for insulation or sound control. Still, items made of other materials (like roman shades and blinds) take the function of curtains. 

Despite the relatively straightforward nature of curtains, installing a set involves more steps than you’d think. Here are some things to remember when buying and putting up these fixtures:

Do: Measure the space where you will hang your drapes.

Using short curtains can be awkward and tells guests that you neglected to measure the height of the wall or window you’re covering. Aside from aesthetics, you also impact the functionality when you don’t measure well. For instance, it is important to measure where you will hang flame retardant curtains—otherwise, they won’t work. Or worse, these will cause what they are supposed to prevent. For window curtains, a good rule of thumb is measuring above the moulding. This makes your room appear as tall as possible.

Don’t: Choose materials that impede your daily activities.

If you are shopping for curtains for home, take your circumstances into consideration. If you work the night shift, consider getting some in blackout material. Using more permeable material will not give you the rest you need. Likewise, if you need to speak into a microphone for work, you should get acoustic curtains to help reduce the reverberations and echoes in a room. When sourcing contract curtains for places like schools and hospitals, it is easier to start with why you’re getting these. We tend to think of curtains as mere decor at home.

Do: Inspect the curtain rod for durability.

If a curtain rod sags, it is definitely not made to last. A rod is the most important part of installing curtains, so invest in a sturdy one made of metal or wood. Cheap plastic rods often break after prolonged use; the only area these can be used long-term is in the bathroom, for shower curtains. Curtain rods for home use are easy enough to install. However, if you have something like ceiling curtain tracks, room dividing curtains, or an Alexa curtain track, you might need to have these installed by a reputable supplier.

Don’t: Hang brackets haphazardly.

Measure the space between your brackets while constantly checking for alignment. Make sure you put a suitable distance between them; most packages would have three or four brackets depending on the window size. It won’t do to bore a hole in your wall only to have the brackets sit on different heights. When you’re cleaning your curtains, or are moving homes, make sure you have all the screws in one place. It will be hard to source these later on, especially when you’ve had your window treatments for a while.

Do: Iron or steam your curtains.

This is a must for stage curtains or cubicle curtains. Pressed drapes convey professionalism. After taking pains to source the proper materials, measuring where these will hang, and choosing sturdy rods or tracks, you should ensure your curtains are presentable. When you have unpressed curtains it looks like they have just come out of the box or package, which gives the impression that your institution does not care about details—a worrying thing to convey especially for fields like medicine or the theatre.

In closing

When choosing curtains for your space, it’s important to consider more than whether or not it looks attractive on the wall. You have to consider how these fixtures can contribute to or prevent you from doing your job. Invest in sturdy fabrics and durable rods and tracks, and you will have one less thing to attend to at home or at work.

Direct Fabrics is a supplier of contract furnishings in the UK. We have a variety of curtains from ones for backdrops or the stage, to privacy screens for hospitals. We also have fabrics that are suitable for the home. Browse our selections today, or contact us for more information.

Practical Tips for Buying Blackout Curtains - What to Know

Whether you are looking for blackout curtains to block out light on your bedroom or your media room, the ultimate goal is to choose something both visually appealing and functional. Blackout curtains are great for shielding a room from outside light, ensuring that your circadian cycle is undisturbed. 

Science suggests that your body rests better in dimmer light. Sleeping in a bedroom where you are disturbed by bright light can trick your brain into thinking that it’s daytime, consequently making sleep a challenge. Blackout curtains are the perfect solution to this problem. They are extremely useful for children or adults who sleep during the day as well as for shift workers and those with sleeping disorders. 

Some benefits of blackout curtains include the following:

• Complete privacy from neighbours and passersby

• Energy efficiency by keeping rooms warm during winter and maintaining coolness during hot summer days

• Reduction of the noise level from outside, which is perfect for uninterrupted sleep any time of the day

• Ultimate light control in a room

• Protection of carpet, walls, and furniture from fading and discolouration effects of the sun’s UV rays
  

Before you take the plunge and order blackout curtains, however, here are some things you need to consider:

Where should blackout curtains ideally be installed?

It’s best to install blackout curtains in rooms with the most exposure to natural sunlight. The living room and the bedroom are two logical locations. Thick curtains can create a soothing and comfortable daytime ambience while also offering total light exclusion when you want to relax or sleep. If you have street-facing rooms, blackout curtains are also perfect for dampening the outside noise and offering complete privacy.

What is the quality of fabric you should choose?

High-quality blackout curtains are generally made from heavy-duty and solid fabric that can’t be easily penetrated by sunlight. Buyers should steer clear of curtains made from semi-transparent or lighter fabrics. While they may be able to offer light blocking benefits, they will not be as effective as high-quality and thick materials. The thicker and denser the fabric is, the more light protection it provides. Polyester or microfiber fabrics are usually best for blackout curtains. There are also other mixes, such as polyester and cotton. 

How do you properly care for and maintain blackout curtains?

Not all curtains are created equal. Blackout curtains require proper maintenance, seeing as they are created using a detailed manufacturing process where foam layers are added to the raw material to increase their opaqueness and thickness. 

Care and maintenance methods will vary depending on the fabric of choice. For cotton and polyester mixes, a simple hand wash in cold water will do the trick. However, spray or dry cleaning methods may be required for those with denser or thicker linings and fabrics. Always check the manufacturer’s guide for the correct product care and cleaning methods before choosing which blackout curtain to buy.

The Bottom Line

Sleep is important for the body to function well. Your choice of blackout curtain will depend on personal preferences, budget, and functionality.

For high-quality blackout curtains in the UK, contact Direct Fabric.