A word of advice for anyone planning to wash their blackout curtains.

[springbabydays]

Don't!

I followed the instructions and washed them at 30 degrees and they are ruined. All the lining has stuck together and torn and it's a huge mess.

Won't be doing that again.

[SweetCharityBeginsAtHome]

Oh yes. Even dry cleaning is a bit risky, mine got slightly stuck together from dry cleaning, though still useable.

[RandomMess]

Oh dear, wonder if you can just wipe them down occasionally instead?

[springbabydays]

That's what I'll be doing in future Random. I wouldn't mind if I'd just gone against the advice and risked it. But the flipping label says wash at 30 degrees. Will be having a word with Dunelm about this I think.

[YeOldTrout]

Just sponge them down. Dry cleaning ruined mine, too :(.

[Justbatteringon]

Thanks for the advice I was literally just thinking they could do with a clean. Damp sponge it is.

[RandomMess]

Presumably sunlight actually attacks the rubbery coating stuff so once they're a few years old they can't take it?

[WhattodowithMum]

I just washed some at 40 degrees, they were fine. I had added the blackout lining myself with lining I bought at John Lewis.

[specialsubject]

yes, they are UV degradeable like most things and the washing machine will make the fragile bits disintegrate.

they still work, though!

[Dad80]

I thought you had to cold wash them ie no heat.
I may be wrong. Im a Dad lol

[Palaver1]

My were destroyed as well after washing

[Mousetolioness]

If the face fabric is okay could you re-line them but make the lining detachable?

[LazyFace]

I think it depends on the material. I washed mine at 40 and they were almost fine (some of it stuck to the front glass and that crinkled up a bit).
(My other curtains that I had dey cleaned though... they informed me they shrunk by about 20% ... I haven't dared put it up yet.)

[Pattie2020]

I luckily only washed one curtain and was surprised all bits came off so looked it up and it turns out that loads of people have had this trouble. So now I know thanks to mumsnet