By Katherine Brown · Published 28 November 2023
To care for your new curtains we would recommend giving them a vacuum using your soft curtain attachment every 6 – 8 weeks. This will prevent too much dust getting into the curtains which may cause the fabric to discolour and if in a silk fabric, perish.
Quick answer: About 48 hours. Once your curtains are fitted, they are dressed into their pleats and tied in place, which trains the fabric to fall in neat, even folds. Katherine explains why it matters, and the other detail a curtain expert always spots.
There are two things, when you’re making and fitting curtains, that a curtain expert will pick up on and know instantly, and they make such a difference to the overall look.
The first is hand-finished curtains. Curtains where the stitching is done by hand just have a more luxurious and a more gentle feel to them, rather than harsh machine sewing.
The second is curtains that are professionally dressed after they’re installed. The curtains are dressed into their pleats and then left. We usually tell people to leave them in their pleats for about 48 hours, to train the curtains and train the pleats.
That makes the world of difference, and it’s something a curtain expert would certainly pick up on. They’re very important.
Caring for your new curtains is easier if you can avoid handling your them – a corded track or pole works well, with a pull on one side, or on a large bay a pull on each side.
If the curtains are on a un-corded track or pole and in a delicate or light fabric, you may over time leave hand marks from handling the curtains. In this instance draw rods work well to pull the curtains across, they can be in transparent acrylic so they disappear or they can be in metal or wood to complement the look of your room.
You can dry clean curtains to the fabric manufacturers instructions but you will also need to consider the type of lining that has been used and the care instructions for that.
Caring for your new curtains means using a professional dry cleaning company and always check the terms and conditions in case of damage.
It’s definitely better, where possible, to use a company like Pilgrim and Payne, when caring for your new curtains, who will visit your home to see the curtains in situ, they will then advise you if its better to clean on site or take away to clean. They also offer a service which includes re-hanging your curtains after cleaning.
If your curtains are unlined and the fabric is washable, always wash as the fabric manufacturers instruction but don’t forget to also check that the heading tape or buckram is washable too.
Caring for your new curtains also involves checking that the weight is not too heavy for the washing machine you are going to use. And finally, don’t let the curtains dry too much as they can then become very difficult to press!
* when caring for your new curtains we would always recommend curtains are cleaned by a professional *
