Curtain confusion - Can anyone help?

[bluejeanswhiteshirt]

I live in a rented house and the curtains are manky to say the least so I'm looking to get some new ones. Here's where I make myself sound dumb .. there's no curtain pole with rings on it like I'm used but it has this white plastic rail and the curtains are connected with hooks which slot onto a band of material at the top. What curtains do I need to look for? I've googled but can only see the ones with the loops at the top.

[TheOddity]

They are called track curtains. You buy the little white track hooks at the curtain shop. Prepare curtains already have the cloth for the hooks to attach sewn in at the top. You just need to hook the hooks (same number as there are on the track) through the loops on the track and it's done. The curtains will also have a piece of white string dangling out. You use this to gather the curtain up until it looks aesthetically pleasing, then tie it off.
Dunelm call them pencil pleat curtains but if you ask in a shop and mention a track they will understand. Measure the length and width of your window before you go. Good luck.

[TheOddity]

www.dunelm-mill.com/shop/curtains/ready-made-curtains/pencil-pleat-curtains/

[munchkinmaster]

You can just take the hooks out the existing curtain and re-use.

[bluejeanswhiteshirt]

Thank you TheOddity you're a star!

[TheOddity]

Yes check your existing hooks, although if old they may be brittle and snap when you put them in/out which is a right pain in the arse when you've just got back from the curtain shop

[Elysianfields]

And before you put the curtain hooks back in give them a good wash in soapy water - they get really grubby, and the track too. When it is dry smear on a little neat washing up liquid on the track itself - makes the track super-slidy.

[bluejeanswhiteshirt]

Thanks for the tips

Footle I don't mind spending a bit of money on curtains, I'll hopefully find a way to re-use them in the future.

[OrangeOwl]

Really important: when you pull the cords on pencil pleat curtains, in order to make the gathers, make sure you knot them together at one end before pulling. Otherwise the cords will come out as you pull. (You might need to pull them out a little bit before you can knot them, just don't pull too hard so they start coming away from the other end).

Also buy approx double the width of curtain to track. So on a track 137cm wide you will need 2 x curtains 137cm wide. It often says on the back of the pack what size track the curtains will fit.