IKEA curtain question

[gummybear]

I just bought IKEA curtains for my family room. Since I've formally decorated I've never used them before. I am reading so much conflicting advice about washing before hanging to shrink them. As is length is fine because it's a vaulted room.

If you have IKEA curtains (100% cotton) did you wash and dry before putting them up? Did they shrink unevenly? This is my biggest fear - they'll be all different lengths. I also worry if I don't wash them, I'll need to in the future and they'll shrink then, but I heard they shrink every time you wash them so I guess it would always be an issue? Can't I just spot clean them? I've never washed curtains before.

[jenny1223]

So funny you posted this. This weekend I pulled down all the curtains in my house to wash them for the first time (they weren't dirty just kind of dusty). The oldest ones had probably been up for 4 years. They are not Ikea nor 100% cotton (poly or poly/cotton blends), so I didn't have any shrinking issues (washed cold/delicate and dried on low heat). Obvi cotton will shrink more. I think I would prewash if I were you. Cotton generally shouldn't be a progressive shrinking fiber unless you wash in warmer temps in the future.

[redheadk]

I don't have experience with IKEA curtains but for sewing clothes, the general advice is to wash on the hottest water you think you'll ever use before starting. I'd personally wash the curtains in cold and tumble dry on low. Consider pulling them out when damp and ironing them dry (if they are just cotton, it's a good idea to iron them with steam, which will dry them in the process and give them a nice, crisp finish) if they are safe to iron.

If you don't want to wash before installing them (I don't blame you), I'd just plan to wash in cold and tumble dry on low just until damp. You can always just hang them back up to let them dry completely. Unless the care instructions say to not wash, it shouldn't really be a problem. 

[gummybear]

Feb 22, 2021 16:29:11 GMT -5 redheadk said:

I don't have experience with IKEA curtains but for sewing clothes, the general advice is to wash on the hottest water you think you'll ever use before starting. I'd personally wash the curtains in cold and tumble dry on low. Consider pulling them out when damp and ironing them dry (if they are just cotton, it's a good idea to iron them with steam, which will dry them in the process and give them a nice, crisp finish) if they are safe to iron.

If you don't want to wash before installing them (I don't blame you), I'd just plan to wash in cold and tumble dry on low just until damp. You can always just hang them back up to let them dry completely. Unless the care instructions say to not wash, it shouldn't really be a problem. 

Can I admit something totally embarrassing? I don't even know where my iron is. When we moved, my then 8-year-old said, "What the heck is that thing?" when we packed it.   I use a steamer for everything. I already steamed them to get the creases out and they look great! Hence why I really don't want to wash them. I like the crisp appearance. In all honesty, for what I paid, it's probably a wash cost wise what I would pay to hem them if they dried unevenly vs. just getting all new ones. 

[expectantsteelerfan]

If they look nice now, why would you bother washing them? I get washing curtains when they've been up for a while and get dusty, but why would they need washed before putting up initially (other than to get wrinkles/creases out, which you already did)? I would just put them up, and then down the line if you wash and they shrink, you at least got a good use out of them before being annoyed with them.

[gummybear]

Feb 22, 2021 17:11:56 GMT -5 expectantsteelerfan said:

If they look nice now, why would you bother washing them? I get washing curtains when they've been up for a while and get dusty, but why would they need washed before putting up initially (other than to get wrinkles/creases out, which you already did)? I would just put them up, and then down the line if you wash and they shrink, you at least got a good use out of them before being annoyed with them.

This is how I’d normally think but the Google got to me

[redheadk]

Feb 22, 2021 16:51:59 GMT -5 gummybear said:

Feb 22, 2021 16:29:11 GMT -5 redheadk said:

I don't have experience with IKEA curtains but for sewing clothes, the general advice is to wash on the hottest water you think you'll ever use before starting. I'd personally wash the curtains in cold and tumble dry on low. Consider pulling them out when damp and ironing them dry (if they are just cotton, it's a good idea to iron them with steam, which will dry them in the process and give them a nice, crisp finish) if they are safe to iron.

If you don't want to wash before installing them (I don't blame you), I'd just plan to wash in cold and tumble dry on low just until damp. You can always just hang them back up to let them dry completely. Unless the care instructions say to not wash, it shouldn't really be a problem. 

Can I admit something totally embarrassing? I don't even know where my iron is. When we moved, my then 8-year-old said, "What the heck is that thing?" when we packed it.   I use a steamer for everything. I already steamed them to get the creases out and they look great! Hence why I really don't want to wash them. I like the crisp appearance. In all honesty, for what I paid, it's probably a wash cost wise what I would pay to hem them if they dried unevenly vs. just getting all new ones. 

I’d just hang them and call it a day, then!

I hate ironing clothes but don’t mind large swaths of fabric. When I decided to start sewing I realized I had to learn to love ironing or I would not enjoy sewing.

[freshsqueezed]

I got the IKEA Ritva curtains and they will shrink considerably! We wanted them to so that worked for us but if they are the length you need now they will be too short after shrinkage.

[gummybear]

Feb 22, 2021 18:34:49 GMT -5 freshsqueezed said:

I got the IKEA Ritva curtains and they will shrink considerably! We wanted them to so that worked for us but if they are the length you need now they will be too short after shrinkage.

Did they all shrink to the same size? I went in for RItva but fell in love with Annalouisa in person. They are a bit more cavassy and less sheer than RItva, and without the texture.

[wildrice]

I did not wash my Ikea curtains before hanging. It never occurred to me to do so. I probably never will, honestly - I sometimes vacuum them to get rid of the dust, but unless something splattered on them I'm not really sure why they would even need washing.

If I did wash them, I'd probably hang dry just to be on the safe side.

[freshsqueezed]

Feb 22, 2021 18:45:00 GMT -5 gummybear said:

Feb 22, 2021 18:34:49 GMT -5 freshsqueezed said:

I got the IKEA Ritva curtains and they will shrink considerably! We wanted them to so that worked for us but if they are the length you need now they will be too short after shrinkage.

Did they all shrink to the same size? I went in for RItva but fell in love with Annalouisa in person. They are a bit more cavassy and less sheer than RItva, and without the texture.

Pretty much, yes.

[puppyluv]

My Ikea curtains shrank up by about 3-4” when I washed them. I made the mistake of hemming them before washing. If i steam them after putting them back up, they go back to their original length.

[gummybear]

Feb 23, 2021 0:23:03 GMT -5 puppyluv said:

My Ikea curtains shrank up by about 3-4” when I washed them. I made the mistake of hemming them before washing. If i steam them after putting them back up, they go back to their original length.

Very good to know. Do you happen to remember which ones you have?

[scout8]

It's never occurred to me to wash curtains before hanging them.

[gummybear]

Feb 23, 2021 7:08:15 GMT -5 scout8 said:

It's never occurred to me to wash curtains before hanging them.

Right? I’ve never washed a curtain in my life. I THINK this all stems from people purposely trying to shrink the RItva curtain bc its so long (length is not an issue so I don’t need to do this) or washing it to turn it more white since it’s very antiqued in color (main reason I didn’t care for it in person) and being surprised. I didn’t even end up with that specific curtain so it’s all a moot point.

[isabel]

Feb 22, 2021 16:51:59 GMT -5 gummybear said:

Feb 22, 2021 16:29:11 GMT -5 redheadk said:

I don't have experience with IKEA curtains but for sewing clothes, the general advice is to wash on the hottest water you think you'll ever use before starting. I'd personally wash the curtains in cold and tumble dry on low. Consider pulling them out when damp and ironing them dry (if they are just cotton, it's a good idea to iron them with steam, which will dry them in the process and give them a nice, crisp finish) if they are safe to iron.

If you don't want to wash before installing them (I don't blame you), I'd just plan to wash in cold and tumble dry on low just until damp. You can always just hang them back up to let them dry completely. Unless the care instructions say to not wash, it shouldn't really be a problem. 

Can I admit something totally embarrassing? I don't even know where my iron is. When we moved, my then 8-year-old said, "What the heck is that thing?" when we packed it.   I use a steamer for everything. I already steamed them to get the creases out and they look great! Hence why I really don't want to wash them. I like the crisp appearance. In all honesty, for what I paid, it's probably a wash cost wise what I would pay to hem them if they dried unevenly vs. just getting all new ones. 

I bought an iron for the first time last year. After I had to go over to the neighbor’s and borrow hers (to iron an IKEA kivik cover as I was putting it together), I was embarrassed enough to buy one.

I will say, it is convenient to finally have one, but it honestly wasn’t that big of a deal that we didn’t own one before. Lol

[freshsqueezed]

Feb 23, 2021 7:14:11 GMT -5 gummybear said:

Feb 23, 2021 7:08:15 GMT -5 scout8 said:

It's never occurred to me to wash curtains before hanging them.

Right? I’ve never washed a curtain in my life. I THINK this all stems from people purposely trying to shrink the RItva curtain bc its so long (length is not an issue so I don’t need to do this) or washing it to turn it more white since it’s very antiqued in color (main reason I didn’t care for it in person) and being surprised. I didn’t even end up with that specific curtain so it’s all a moot point.

I wash curtains because I have a dust mite allergy.

[puppyluv]

Feb 23, 2021 6:35:15 GMT -5 gummybear said:

Feb 23, 2021 0:23:03 GMT -5 puppyluv said:

My Ikea curtains shrank up by about 3-4” when I washed them. I made the mistake of hemming them before washing. If i steam them after putting them back up, they go back to their original length.

Very good to know. Do you happen to remember which ones you have?

Merete grommet top curtains in white

[bugandbibs]

I’m puzzled by all the people who think washing curtains is weird. I wash ours at least 2x/year. When I had ones that couldn’t be washed I vacuumed them every month. Curtains hold a lot of allergens and dust.

OP- we use those curtains on our patio. They have all been washed a ton, they shrink fairly evenly if you hang dry them. If you wash them and then put them on the rod the dry, they shouldn’t be too wrinkled. You could always use a steamer to touch them up.

[eb777888]

We wash our curtains maybe 3x a year. They’re white. And I really wish I would have washed them before I had them hemmed. I washed them later, and yeah, they shrink a lot, like 6 inches. All panels shrank evenly, though.

[eb777888]

Feb 23, 2021 0:23:03 GMT -5 puppyluv said:

My Ikea curtains shrank up by about 3-4” when I washed them. I made the mistake of hemming them before washing. If i steam them after putting them back up, they go back to their original length.

Oh, I’m not the only one!
It really never even dawned on me that they would shrink.