washed 100% cotton curtains, now shrunk and creased!

jamels2

Hi- after doing some diy and creating a lot of dust I decided to wash the curtains using detergent, no fabric conditioner, I used the delicate program which I think is 40 on indesit and did an extra spin at the end so they would dry better.

However, they are now about 6 inches shorter and creased all over!

They are the zen curtains from b and q, cheap ones which I realised say you can wash at 30, unlined and 100% cotton. Cost £30 so not the end of the world if I have to bin, but is there any way to get the length back and creases out?

I am unsure what the problem was, temperature 40 not 30, extra spin drying them too much, not ironing them. I hung them straight back up.

It's a rental property and unfurnished so the curtains aren't essential, I could just leave poles up and let people buy their own curtains? I could possibly put the pole lower but it means more drilling and I'm still left with awful creases.

Thanks for any suggestions.

-taff

There is no way to make them longer other than sewing on a band at the bottom or top of 6 inches.

There is a big difference between a cool wash [30] and a hot wash [40] for cotton or jeans or wool....especially with cheap cloth.

jamels2

thanks, thought as much. seeing as theres only 3 windows and none of the curtains are exactly that nice i think i will take them all down and rent it unfurnished then whoever moves in can put there own up

Yorkie1

Or you could at least give the tenants the option of having them - tenants may have their own sofa etc, but as windows are such unpredictable sizes they may not have their own curtains to fit your windows and not want to spend a lot of money buying them.

My previous rented place was unfurnished but it had some curtains at the windows which 'did' until I got round to getting some new ones which fitted and I subsequently took with me (replacing the LL's at the end of the tenancy).

System

If you dampen the fabric and iron it the creases may come out but I doubt you'll get the length back, sorry

Chunks

Once shrunk I think you can't reverse the process.

Assuming there's enough width left in the material (they would have shrunk in all directions most likely, I would try this:

get the curtains damp again;
pull the fabric as hard as you can in the direction you want them to 'grow' (you will lose more on the curtain width);
check the 'drop' against the pole until you have achieved the needed length; and
with a very hot iron, iron while damp continuing to pull the fabric in the direction you want to lengthen as you do so.

You may get a better result with spray starch but it is likely that creasing will remain even with a very hot iron setting.

Maybe a waste of time but might be worth a shot.

good luck.