Lined Curtains

Is the lining the same fibre content as the curtains? They may shrink at different rates. I would probably risk it though.

Ilovecheese.
No, the lining is 80per cent polyester, 20 per cent cotton.
And the actual curtain is 52per cent poly, 48 per cent cotton.. must have been dreaming when I typed original message!

If your washing machine has a 30 degree gentle/hand wash programme, I would risk it!

Take then out as soon as the wash finishes, give them a good shake and a gentle stretch if necessary, hang them over the banisters to dry, they should be ok.

I think a lot of manufacturers err on the side of caution with labels with washing/dry cleaning info.

Wonder if the dye would run from curtains onto lining. Might not matter though. I would give it a try.

I have washed lined curtains I made for a dd - supposed to be washable at 30 deg - before shortening them to fit her new house.
They did shrink, at different rates, which distorted them, so I just removed the lining - too much faff to do anything else. Luckily they were only for a small spare room.

Personally I wouldn't risk it. I know getting curtains cleaned is very expensive though, and I'd always prefer to wash - I never think dry cleaning gets things as properly clean as washing.
If I ever make any more curtains, lined or otherwise, I will wash the fabrics first to pre-shrink them!

I’d risk it, put a couple of those colour catcher sheets in and use a cool, short wash. Alternatively I’d steam them, have to do that with some hand embroidered curtains that are well over 50 years old as I don’t want to risk disintegration, they look and smell clean enough. Hopefully they are .

Thank you all for your sound advice. Will probably risk a wash when I feel brave enough! Will post to say how it turned out.

If they only need a freshening up then perhaps you could do them on a cold wash?

I would risk it!

The problem with different fabrics is they tend to shrink at different rates.
I like to have separate linings which can be washed separately and it doesn't matter if they strick.
Just a warning about dry cleaning is this doesn't mean the curtains will not shrink, that is a myth.
Years ago I had rail to floor long curtains which I had dry cleaned and they shrank 3."
If your really like the curtains wash them at 30 and take the risk, you could always replace the lining if it shrinks too much by unpicking it and buying separate linings.

Like Witzend and jeanie 99 say, you can always remove the linings if they do shrink at different rates. Or you can unpick the side seams and just leave them attached at the top, so the curtains will not be distorted.
Do let us know how you get on.

Proper curtains are a no-no for me. I like changing stuff too often so I have chalky white folding shutters and, in the bedroom in summer, white voile lengths from H&M (£14.39pp with my 20% discount) which are wound round antique metal rosettes either side and puddle on the floor. They're really long and filter the sun beautifully if I want to lie down in the afternoon.
None in the sitting room, only shutters and 3 plain nude/blush roller blinds to mitigate sun damage to furniture.

I would risk it and possibly wash on a wool wash which is very cool.

Dry cleaning is so expensive unless you have one machine in a local laundrette.

I’d risk it.

I wouldn’t do it! Curtain lining tends to shrink more....and no way wLl they come out the same as they went in. Unless they were cheaper than the dry cleaning fee...or you really fancy new ones!

With that amount of man-made fibre in the curtains and linings I would be sorely tempted to wash them on a cold cycle. After all curtains are usually more dusty than dirty, and cold water loosens dust, whereas even lukewarm water binds it into the fabric.

Or at least so I was taught in the dim and distant past.

UPDATE!

Washed curtains today, 20 degree mixed fabric programme, used a colour catcher. Hung out on line. Just ironed them whilst still bit damp.
They look fine, no shrinkage.
Really pleased.
Thanks for all advice, glad I went for it!

Wow! Fantastic! Well done.

Great stuff! Dry cleaning would have cost quite a bit!

Glad they turned out o.k.

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I make all my curtains and always give them deep hems, front fabric and lining, that way, when I wash them, even if they do shrink, and it is never more than a couple of inches I can then undo the hems and readjust them.

They only shrink once and I only wash them very occasionally