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Old 06-19-2002, 11:29 AM   #2
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Default Re: Window curtain cleaning

Think CAREFULLY before washing your curtains.  The previous owners of our unit washed and dryed the curtains and they shrunk.  I am not clear as to what method (machine or hand) they used.  I am only clear as to the results - it doesn't take much shrinkage to make top and bottom attachment impossible.

Their solution was to remove the bottom plastic strip attachment and have the curtains be free-hanging.  This is not a good solution as the free-hanging curtains really get caught-up in the folding down of the trailer.

We first tried re-wetting and stretching the fabric; adding new plastic tab strips to the bottom; hanging back up; rewetting again while hung.  This did not solve our problem.  The stress on the upper and lower channel strips (that the plastic tab strips fit into) was substantial.

Eventually, I will complete the fun task of re-hemming all of the curtains in order to add to their length.  This requires removing the plastic tab strips from both top and bottom as there is not much hem allowance at either end.

I was not comfortable reusing the plastic tab strips as some of the tabs were spliting from the strip.  The good news is that new strip fabric is available, reasonably priced, from the TM factory.  It was not available at any of the fabric/drapery stores in my area.

Spot cleaning, a good brushing or vacuuming, or dry cleaning (possibly that new home stuff like Dryel) might be a reasonable solution.

Btw, new curtains from TM, assuming they still have your fabric available, are pretty pricey.
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