To want to machine Wash my Laura Ashley curtains

[ijustwantfiveminutespeace]

I have a set, I am
Wanting to sell but don't want to pay dry cleaning. They are from Laura Ashley's ready made range 95%cotton 5% linen. Lining 50% cotton/polyester.
Would you take the chance and wash in machine????
Have you ever done it?
Thank you

I would risk it, but I'm not great at lay dry, I shrank my Argos curtains! Delicates setting should be OK though.

I would. I wash all sorts of things I supposedly shouldn't with no problems.

I do use the delicates/wool setting tho.

Make sure you pull them into shape whilst they are still damp and you should be fine.

Thank you for advice. Grudge the dry cleaning bill.
I have a 'hand wash' cycle will use that.
A good blow in the wind should help stretch them out too. 😀

I machine-washed a pair of cotton Laura Ashley curtains once. The curtains shrank, the linings didn't and therefore hung down below the curtains when I put them up again! I'd never risk it again after that.

Oh no, Manon that's not good.
I am still debating the pros and cons! Thank you for reply x

Why not soak them in the bath and then rinse hang over washing line that's what I do

Don't do it! The curtain fabric and linings are very different fabrics and will shrink at different rates . The curtains will never hang straight again unless you unpick the linings and re attach.

Just asked my mum, she's a Laura Ashley curain fan!
Soak in bath as said before.
Hers also shrank a little, but linings didn't!
Not too bad but not can see linings a little bit.

I would not do this and I do machine wash many things against the label advice successfully.

I have machine washed 2 sets of curtains with not good results:

First set, red wine splashed on them (DH and a football!). Lined. Curtain material shrank more than lining - even on low temp wash and despite much pulling back into shape lining still hung lower than curtain. I also found them difficult to iron.

Second set, not lined, 100% heavy weight cotton. White and needed brightening up before moving into different room. Didn't shrink but they were impossible to iron - they were put up and stayed there for 5 years but looked terrible and annoyed me constantly.

I really would take the hit on dry cleaning.

curtain and you can see, still got baby brain, does it ever go??!??

I've done this with John Lewis curtains. As other posters said, curtains shrank, lining didn't. Totally ruined them. I'd definitely dry clean them.

I really wouldn't machine wash curtains, they'll shrink & lose their shape. I'd get them dry cleaned.

I washed LA full length linen lined type curtains on the gentle cycle plus my cotton sateen ones which shrank slightly

If you are going to sell them I would machine wash. If they shrink more than the lining could you whip the lining up with a sewing machine?

Depending on how big they are , they won't be worth paying out and selling so just sell as is . I'm an ex dry cleaner and even a small pair will cost you a lot as they have to go in the machine on their own . Second hand curtains don't have much value as they are very personal in taste and fitting . ( I also sell a lot of stuff )

The cotton curtain will definitely shrink and the lining will not. I have washed loads of curtains (cat) and the natural fabrics will shrink. The curtain seams will no longer lie flat and the lining will hang down longer than the curtain. Not a good idea if selling. Are they heavily soiled? Maybe sponging the odd mark is a better idea.

If you're selling them for a pittance then why would you have to wash them anyway. Sold as seen!

My DH, for reasons best known to himself, washed my dressing table curtains last week. Let's just say that things were very frosty between us for a few days. Completely destroyed and will cost a fortune to replace. Don't even think about it.

He used the handwash cycle BTW (or claims to have). Seriously. Don't.

Machine hand wash cycles will be more gentle than hand washing in the bath so if you're going to do it,just bung them in the machine!

As I said just soak them in the bath I have done this with all my curtains and no problem with shrinkage....after soaking fill bath with cold water and rinse do this a couple of times and then put into a big bucket and drape them over a washing line easy peasey

I'm trying to buy second hand curtains on a budget (ebay) and am being very careful on what I bid on for the very reason of not wanting to buy curtains that need washing, having to wash them myself and ruining them all :(

I think if you hand washed them in the bath then ironed or hung them up and could show they are still fine, you would sell them more easily. I did that on a Laura Ashley cotton pair that I only paid £8 for but wouldn't chance it on anything more expensive. Especially when postage can take up a large chunk of the cost.

I avoid dry cleaning for the nasty chemicals as much as the considerable expense.

Sorry non-sensical!!

*what I mean is that I hand washed a pair of cotton LA curtains I bought for £8 and they came out completely fine, but wouldn't risk it on curtains that cost a lot more.

I think the lining and the curtain material are different fabrics and one will shrink
I've done this and it has not worked out well

Just to add as an x dry cleaner I've seen so many disasters with ' soaking in the bath ' .. for a start they will be very heavy when you get them out and secondly if you aren't careful the water will leave a very big brown water mark as they dry . Also the weight of the water can pull them out of shape . It will be the spin on the washing cycle that shrinks them and as above the lining will unlikely shrink and the material will but not evenly . I would dry clean or don't .. to the poster who is looking to buy most charity shops have curtains upstairs if not on display .