All about blackout curtains

[Softkitty2]

Hello, hope you can help. I bought blackout curtains from dunelm. They needed washing but are dry clean only, took them to local dry cleaners and they refused them, they said the curtains had rubber backing and would disintegrate. Rang a few more dry cleaners all refused. They suggested I remove rubber backing and wash then re sew the backing

Contacted dunelm about how to clean these curtains they recommended a particular franchise of dry cleaner; nearest one to me was about 50miles away, I rang them they said they could do it but had to be sent away to a specialist to be done and would basically cost more than the curtains themselves, not to mention the 3 weeks timescale.

After some research I decided to wash in the machine in the handwash/silk cycle. It was fine but not throughly clean as the water was still murky; when it came to drying I forgot to make sure the rubber backing weren't stuck together.

Basically now they are ruined.

I need blackouts for the bedroom because we have huge windows especially now that its lighter outside.

Any suggestions that doesn't cost an arm and a leg?

Must have no issues with cleaning/drycleaning.

Thank you

Separate blackout lining?

I was going to suggest a separate blackout lining, too. Or blackout roller blinds inside the window recess, with purely decorative (and washable) curtains over the front of the recess. That's what we've done in DD's room and it works well.

My suggestions really depend on who you are using them for and exactly.how much light you want to block out...The only real.way we have blocked out light is using this - but it does cost an arm and a leg. www.meritblinds.co.uk/eco-thermal/
Cheaper things we have used was In have sewn a panel of fabric with blackout lining and attached it to the window with 3M strips, or I managed to get a cheap pair of curtains from the Argos outlet shop on eBay. I do like pps suggestion of blackout roller blind in recess as well - but you will still find light getting in around outsides.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will look into the seperate blackout and i do quite like the roller blind idea.

Thank you

We have blackout roller blinds in all our bedrooms and then curtains with thin (not blackout) lining over the top. That way when you want to change the decor, it's not too pricey to change the curtains too....