With that in mind it is a very good idea for housekeeping to tack all round the edges & hems of interlined curtains before they go to the cleaners. It will help stop the interlining moving / shrinking out of the turnings.Certainly it is a bit of a bother but not nearly as much as trying to repair the damage would be.

If you have hand sewn hooks, fold the heading down and tack securely with the hooks inside, otherwise take out all hooks. If you have a tape heading, let out the cords, making sure that there is a firm knot at the end so that they cannot disappear. Measure the curtains before you take them and make sure that this measurement is written on the order! This will enable the dry cleaner to check that they have not shrunk.

When you get them back, hang and draw closed for 12 hours with ventilation, to ensure all solvent is evaporated. Draw open and dress into folds, tie back with cord/ plastic/ tie-backs and leave to set in folds.

If there is a real problem such as red wine staining or another accident, the results will need to be dealt with as soon as possible. Firstly, if the lining is not stained, undo the sides and pin up out of the way. If you get lining wet there will always be a tidemark. Tack the edges if you have time, and then use your favourite stain removal technique.

Ordinary sewing cotton with the saliva will remove blood. A baby wipe / makeup remover pad will remove lipstick. With all these, use as little as possible & rinse carefully. If all else fails, check your insurance and call your designer, but be reasonable, no amount of cover can re-print a discontinued fabric.


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