Can I wash my curtains?

[FabBakerGirlIsBack]

I have taken my curtains down to give them their first wash and having taken all the hooks off I find they are dry clean only. They are 100% cotton. I am not going to get them dry cleaned if I can wash them and they will be fine. Can anyone advise me please?

We were told, when we had our curtains made, that curtains shouldn't really need washing. I was a bit but they don't get dirty as such so the woman suggested you can take them down and give them a beating in the garden to get the dust out but not to bother with the wash.

I would be careful about washing them actually. Even if they fit in your washing machine, they might well shrink if they are cotton which could mess up the headings and stop them from hanging properly. Plus the linings may shrink (or not) in a different way.

If you didn't pay a fortune and can afford to replace them if it all goes wrong, you could give it a go on a cool wash but I certainly wouldn't be doing them at 40 degrees or anything.

They were fairly expensive from John Lewis and I was planning on washing them at 30. I am not sure hanging them on the line will freshen them up tbh and I don't fancy beating them.

We never even close them so it wouldn't be too bad if they did shrink.

Will have to think.

That will teach me to get cleaning,

If they are unlined it should be OK. Bear in mind that if they do shrink they might look uneven at the bottom.

I washed our bedroom curtains this week which say dry clean only. I also washed the dry clean only headboard cover from our (expensive) feather and black bed. I have had this dry cleaned before and felt it came back still grubby and also with one of the buttons damaged. So IMO this washes better.

I don't think they are lined.

You'll know if they are lined because they will have a double layer of fabric.

Ok, they are not lined.

Shall I wash?

Hanging them in the garden would give them and airing and freshen them up but I agree that the idea of beating them sounds a bit Victorian. Plus I am lazy.

Sounds like you are willing to take a chance on them shrinking so just stick them in the machine. I regularly wash things that are dry clean but I just go for the lowest temperature and the shortest spin and do it gently, then work my way up, after a few goes, to a 60 degree wash, the fast spin and the tumble dry on max heat.

I am going to risk them in the washer.