Do You Iron Curtains Before Hanging? When you get new curtains and want to hang them, ironing is a great way to make sure that they are going to hang the way you want them to the right off the bat.
If you choose to iron your curtains, use a steam iron (on a low setting) directly on the wrinkled portions while curtains hang. Curtains requiring more intense ironing should be placed on an ironing board with a cloth placed over them to steam iron, flat, on a higher setting.
Before you start hanging curtains, make sure the panels are wide enough to cover your home's windows. You don't want to be rudely awakened by a beam of sunlight that the curtains don't block, so measure your window dimensions before purchasing or making your curtains.
If you need to treat wrinkles without taking them down, there are several easy options, such as spritzing them with water, using a wrinkle-release product, or steaming them. If you want to take the curtains down to get the wrinkles out, try drying them with a damp towel, steaming them in your bathroom, or ironing them.
Remove the curtains from the dryer while still slightly damp. If the fabric has any remaining wrinkles, press them with a steam iron, using the heat setting appropriate to the fabric type. Hang the curtains in the window immediately.
As a general rule of thumb, the heavier the fabric, the heavier or sturdier the hook should be. If you're using a heavy to mid-weight fabric, metal curtain hooks or brass curtain hooks will be the most suitable choice. If your fabric is lighter, something like cotton for instance, you could use plastic curtain hooks.
As a general rule, drapes will be open during the day, so make sure the curtain rod extends at least four inches on each side of the window's inside frame. To create the illusion of a wider window, extend the rod up to 10 inches beyond the window's frame.
A rule of thumb (from Architectural Digest) is that curtains should be hung between four to six inches above the window frame, so install your curtain rod accordingly. When you hang the curtain rod high, it will make the window appear taller.
If you purchase curtains that are washable it is very important to wash them prior to hanging. They normally shrink the most the first time they are washed. I washed mine in hot before hanging them the first time to get all of the shrinking behind me.
Getting Started: Iron or Steam to Remove Creases
If in doubt, lay a clean towel over your drapery fabric and iron over the towel on low. However, just ironing your curtains will cause your drapes to spread out at the bottom rather than hanging uniformly along with the built-in pleats.
Steaming your curtains is arguably the easiest way to remove those stubborn wrinkles and creases that creep up over time, and it's also the best option, says Frej Lewenhaupt, the co-founder of Steamery. "The fabric will feel richer and more natural in texture with steaming, as opposed to ironing," he says.
Stretch the curtain and spread it out as much as you can. Fill your iron with water and set it to the ideal temperature for your curtains. Iron the top half of the curtains, pressing firmly down and releasing steam/spraying as needed for the fabric. Once the top half is done, hang them back up on the rod.
Before you iron curtains, wash them on a cold cycle to get rid of wrinkles, and make sure your iron is set to the correct fabric setting for the curtains. Next, place the top of your curtain on an ironing board and iron over it side to side.
In most spaces, a rod with decorative finials hung on the wall outside of the window frame will look best and provide the most coverage. Allow about 3 inches on each side of the window. Mark the wall with a pencil to indicate this area. By doing so, you'll make sure you get adequate light when the curtains are open.
Yes, They should! The length of the curtain determines the height of the curtain rod. Therefore, even if you buy curtains that are 84 inches long, if the curtains hang from the rod without rings, the rod must be approximately 84 inches from the floor to enable the curtain to touch the floor and avoid the awkward look.
How wide should curtains be? To ensure that curtain panels look ample when closed, they should have a combined width that is 2 to 2.5 times the width of the window/rod. That means if you are ordering Grommet style or Rod-pocket style, the total drapery width should be at least 2 times the window/rod widths.
Center Support Brackets
If your curtains cover a lengthy window span, you'll need a functional support bracket in the center to prevent the rod from bowing. Most rods require support brackets every 30 to 36 inches. So if your window is longer than 60 inches across, you'll need two center support brackets.
Hang the curtain on a rod or step on a stool to reach the top portion of the curtain. Press the steam button that is usually located on the handle. Without pressing the curtain, slowly glide the steamer down until the end of the curtain's length. Allow the curtain to air dry for about 10 or 15 minutes.
While some blackout liners are sewn directly onto the curtain, other liners are a separate structure, one side looking like vinyl, the other like fabric. The fabric side faces the window to help protect the coated side, although the blackout feature works regardless of the lining's direction.
Step 1: Wash them on warm and dry them on high to pre-shrink them (they'll shrink a ton – maybe 5″, but in a standard height room that's just fine – and you NEED to preshrink curtains before you hang them.
Lightweight curtains: can be cleaned in the washing machine. Curtains made of delicate materials: should be hand washed to reduce the risk of shrinking. Curtains made from heavy fabric: can be steam cleaned, in order to avoid a lengthy drying process.