to wash dry-clean only curtains??

[MillyONaire]

They are 93% cotton, 7% linen with a 50/50 cotton/polyester lining. They are about 20 years old and have been (dry) cleaned once before. I cannot be arsed afford to go to the dry cleaners and have them all ready to pop into the machine (at 30 degrees??). I'm afraid if I have to get them dry cleaned they will sit in a heap on the floor by the machine (where they are now) and their window will remain undressed for 5 years or so!!

As long as you're prepared to replace them if it all goes wrong. FWIW I suspect they'll be fine, it's the linen that might be a problem, it shrinks and creases terribly, but it's a low content fibre. 30c is good, do you have a low aggitation/gentle cycle too, something for wool perhaps? That would be a good choice too.

If you don't mind the prospect of having to replace them go for it. They'll prob be fine anyway

This thread has me eyeing up our curtains...

The problem is that if they shrink, the linings and curtains will shrink at different rates and so will hang funny. For that reason, all lined curtains are dry clean only. I'd go for it, so long as you were prepared to put a bit of work in, removing the lining if the curtains do shrink.

Because the lining and the curtains are different fabrics, there is a risk that they will have a different shrinkage rate. That is the main reason lined curtains are dry clean only.

Most fabrics are unlikely to shrink if washed at 30, so that makes it a non issue. Go for it.

X post with the wise ChronicallyTired.

We recently did all of ours, only 1 set out of 5 shrunk to the point of being unusable.

But we had backup curtains just in case, if you can risk it, do it, last time I dry cleaned curtains it came to over £100

I've just washed my dry clean only sofa covers. I've done it before on a 20 degree wash, it all worked fine.

I have shrunk curtains before, mind.

I have washed curtains at 30 degrees, they were fine afterwards.

I have washed my sofa covers on handwash 30 deg cycle.

I often do this with dry clean only stuff. I look at the label and think No! I will wash it!!

I would risk it with the curtains, if you are willing to chuck them out if it goes wrong. Low temp, gentle wash, gentle spin, dry as uncreased as you can. As said above, it is the variety of fabrics that is the problem.

But first, I would try and get as much dust out as you can too - shake them out side (or put them over the line and beat them if you have a beater!)

Best of luck

Linen doesn't shrink, quite the contrary. Cotton shrinks. However I think you will be fine on a gentle cycle or perhaps fill the bath with detergent and luke warm water and soak them gently, then hang up to dry after a good rinse.

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