What's the best way to clean drapery (Sheers)

[saltysam]

Hello everyone!
I'm getting ready to start taking each room apart and do some deep cleaning and need some advice as to cleaning drapery (some of it I know has to be dry cleaned) but what would be the best course of action for the sheers and what would be the best detergent to use on them. They are white lace and haven't been cleaned in a long time......They are in good shape but don't want to damage them if i just throw them in the washer. They will need to be ironed too I'm sure. ....I'm open to any suggestions the experts might have........Thanks a bunch!
Mark

 

[launderess]

First take them outside and give a good shake to get off as much loose dust as possible.

Modern front loaders do not seem to use enough water to clean sheers properly, IMHO, which is why one does ours in the Hoover TT or even a the bath tub.

You can use a top loader, just use gentle agitation, lots of water.

First run a few cool water pre-washes with to remove as much of the dust and grime as possible, then wash in warm to hot water using a good detergent with OBAs (such as Tide), to clean and brighten. Rinse enough times until water is clear, but do NOT spin. Sheers are normally rehung while wet and allowed to dry, which helps remove wrinkles and remove the need for curtain stretchers and such. Most modern curtains are man-made blends which should not be ironed, nor really require it. Ironing was mainly done on pure cotton curtians, and even then if possible the things were stretched instead.

In Europe, mainly Germany, there are all sorts of detergents for laundering curtians. Most contian oxygen bleaches, heavy doses of OBAs and chemcials designed to remove cigarette smoke odours and such.

 

[polkanut]

I just did our sheers last month, shake them out first as Launderess says, then I put mine in our Speed Queen wringer washer with a full load of white bath towels. I used Viva detergent and warm water, and Nature Fresh Suavitel in the cold water rinse. Ran them through the wringer sandwiched between the towels. I hung them over the shower curtain rod overnight to dry. I only needed to touch them up with an iron set on the coolest temp. possible the next day. I swear they are about 10 shades whiter now.

 

[polkanut]

P.S.

I also added 20 Mule Team Borax & Bluette bluing to the wash water.

 

[jeffg]

Never use fabric softener (or liquid detergent) on curtains, or on anything that goes for long periods between washings. It can cause permanent yellow stains when ironing, and dust/dirt accumulate in the waxes used in these products. Just rinse well, and iron using pressing cloths and a light spray fabric finish or starch (if you want them to look brand new).

 

[mattl]

Funny, I just did my dining room sheer on sheer. They are a little on the old side, and I always sent them to the cleaners. The under and over sheers added up to 120 pleats, and the going rate was $1 per. I rarely close the under sheers and opted to try and wash them. I was worried about the stiffening in the pleats, but on close examination I found that they had none -- it was just fabric turned 4 or 5 times to give it weight!

Anyway washed beautifully in Tide Pure Essentials, love that variation on Tide, hung them right out of the washer and they look great, no ironing. For some reason 50% of the time when they came back from the cleaners, even though I told them not to, they came back with what I call "Knife Pleats" Every pleat was pressed to a sharp crease, I'd have to iron them out.

 

[saltysam]

Thanks for the help!

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.....

Sheers are normally rehung while wet and allowed to dry

I had no idea that they were supposed to be re-hung while wet......

All wonderfull ideas here........Thank-you.....!
Mark

 

[polkanut]

I learned something new too. I've always dried mine 1st, never had any problems, and never had any yellow spots from using fabric softener, I use maybe a 1/4 cap at the most. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.

 

[launderess]

Sheer fabrics do not absorb much water, which is one of the problems in laundering them. Think of them as nylons.

Housewives hung them still wet from the rinse bath because the weight of the panels would help them dry without creases. Besides not everyhome had room for the alternative, which was to either lay the things out on the floors (on a clean sheet of course), or out in the yard, (again on a clean sheet).

Curtain stretchers were only used for cotton lace curtains, because the lace would need to be pulled back into shape before drying.

If at all possible, find a detergent with phosphates, or add some to the wash bath. It keeps the muck and dirt suspended and makes white sheers gleam.

 

[whitekingd]

I do my curtains and shears every other year, usually. I am completely sold on Woolite! It does a beautiful job. I also use Mrs. Stewart's liquid bluing in the rinse water. Delicate cycle of course.