Laura Ashley curtain - lost cleaning instructions

JulieJ1407

Hi folks,
I made some lovely Laura Ashley curtains from their Edwin fabric, Composition - 82% Viscose, 16% Linen 2% Silk - but I lost the swatch with cleaning instructions.  Does anyone know whether this fabric should be dry cleaned? 
They are lined with blackout curtain lining (if that makes a difference).
I can't seem to find anything online about what to do or not to do.

YBR

The Silk content would mean avoiding standard laundry detergent and warm/hot washes. Often Silk & silk mixes are dry clean only.

Emmia

All the current Laura Ashley curtains available on the John Lewis site appear to be dry clean only - so I suspect yours are also not washable.

The lining not being the same fabric as the curtains would also indicate dry clean only as it will shrink at a different rate to the curtain fabric.

Emmia

I just searched for 'Laura Ashley Edwin fabric" and came across this site.

https://www.specifiedby.com/laura-ashley/edwin-dove-grey-upholstery-fabric

The fibre mix looks similar to your curtains, and it is listed as dry clean only.

maman

I'm sure other posters are right that they're dry clean only. 

I think I'd want to weigh up whether they are new enough/dirty enough to warrant the cost of dry cleaning. 

I have some made to measure John Lewis curtains (and a couple of silk dresses) that I put through a cold wash on a good drying day with no problem. I've had my moneys worth from them so if they were ruined then it wouldn't bother me. 

Another alternative if they just want freshening up is to just give them a good blow on the line or use a spray (IIRC it's Febreeze). 

twopenny

The problem with curtains is that the fabric and linings shrink at different rates so they won't hang right.
I've just unstitched the lining and re done though it's never perfect.
Also had to let down hems.

If you make curtains yourself then you should wash and dry both fabrics a couple of times before making them.
Amazing to think back when it was common to buy fabric and make your own or pay someone to do it. Cost a fraction of ready made.

YBR

twopenny said:

If you make curtains yourself then you should wash and dry both fabrics a couple of times before making them.
Amazing to think back when it was common to buy fabric and make your own or pay someone to do it. Cost a fraction of ready made.

Not for sometime! I have made my own curtains and could/would again as it's not difficult, but it costs much more to buy curtain fabric than the cost of ready-made curtains (then there's lining and curtain tape as well) so I'd have to be very particular to bother.

greenbee

A friend who makes curtains says to avoid both washing and dry cleaning if possible - her advice is to vacuum regularly while hung up, using an upholstery attachment. 

JulieJ1407

Thanks everyone for the responses really appreciated! Am off to speak to the cleaners now. 
@greenbee, appreciate the vacuum route but when you live with 2 German shepherds (dogs, not people), vacuuming ain't going to cut it 🤣

greenbee

I live with a labrador, so appreciate the problem - although he's not as bad as the cats who nest behind the long curtains! They are brushed weekly with a pet fur removing brush and hoovered with the upholstery brush - as none of my curtains have cleaning instructions and all have heavy interlining, this is the only options and it does keep them clean. It's just labour intensive!