cleaning curtains - Montana Owners Club

kdeiss · 03-19-2005, 08:53 AM

Has anyone taken down their living/dining room curtains to wash or dry clean them? Today I took off the bedroom ones and washed them in cold water on gentle cycle and they turned out very nice. I just finished ironing them and they are ready to rehang tomarrow. However I wasn't able to figure out how to take down the lr/dr ones unless I remove the whole valence, so I'm curious to know if anyone else has done this. Also, if someone washed them instead of dry cleaned how did they turn out? I thought they would probably be ok as long as I used cold water, gentle cycle and hung them up to dry.
Also, does anyone remember the "ginny stick"? I used it today to clean the bathroom and it made me think of you all and smile.
We are getting the camper out of winter mode to take it to Florida for the first 2 weeks in April. By the time we come home it will almost be time to start camping here in Pa.

prariepoodle · 03-19-2005, 09:35 AM

It is not easy to remove the curtains but it can be done. I removed all of mine because I made new curtains. If your windows are like mine they are hung on a standard curtain rod behind the valence. I just kept pushing up on the end of each end of the rod. If you go my pictures click on my montana album I have pictures of the new curtains. One more thing is that they are hard to put back,at least they were for me. Good luck

kdeiss · 03-19-2005, 10:05 AM

Prariepoodle - thanks for the reply. I guess this will have to wait til we get home from Fla.
I saw your pictures of the desert - it os soooo beautiful. I would love to see the desert when we retire. I have never been further west than Denver.

CountryGuy · 03-19-2005, 10:52 AM

OK, gals, why we are doing our spring cleaning, anyone know how the blinds come down (kitchen)? Mine are past needing cleaning, and to tell the truth, I have been a little afraid to look up under that valance!

Next question, is about the valances themselves. Mine have this decorative braided cording that goes around the bottom of the section of the valance that is made of decorative material. I have noticed lately that some of it is "rolling" back. Because only part of it is rolling, it gives an uneven look. Anyone had this happen, or have a fix???

Carol

lawrenceb42106 · 03-19-2005, 11:40 AM

Carol

If you look real close there are 2 metal levers that will release the blinds so that you can clean them. You can remove the valances to get to them but really not necessary to do it. I removed them to see how to get the blinds down.

prariepoodle · 03-19-2005, 11:54 AM

Carol, Thanks for the heads up about the trim, I found that mine was curling backward. I took strait pins and came from behind and surcured them until I can get some fabric glue. May have to put the glue on and repin them till it drys. Now about the blind if you will run your hand up under the valance and feel along the top of the blind you will find two little metal tabs, Move both of them to the right and you should be able to remove the blind. Please let me know if you find another fix for the trim..

CountryGuy · 03-19-2005, 12:48 PM

Linda,

I was just saying to Al, I think I will take straight pins, like so!

What kind of fabric glue do you think would hold?? and not leave evidence that we have been gluing stuff back in place?? Do you have a name??

Thanks lawrenceb42106 and Linda for the info on the blinds, I kinda thought that was how they worked, I have been procrastinating!

Carol

prariepoodle · 03-19-2005, 02:10 PM

Carol, I have been thinking about it and am not sure what one to use, I was also thinking about useing a staple gun, but don't know how hard or even if it would work. Then I thought maybe super glue because it is clear. I will let you know what one I find out that works. But right now the pins are working great. LOL We are going into camping world on monday to get a second A/C put on and I will come up with something that will work.

CountryGuy · 03-19-2005, 02:22 PM

Linda,

I think I am off to walleyworld soon, to get some nice new straight pins (don't have any on board, or not enough to pin all these valances!

I don't think I could get a staple gun in there, so, that would mean taking the valances down, now, I don't want to sound lazy, or accuse Al of being lazy, but, I can tell you, there ain't NO way we are taking those babies down!

I even thought of the ole trusty hot glue gun, but I fear what might happen come summer when we are not using Montana and she is sitting on the blacktop driveway on a nice cool 85 degree sunny day, whew, it gets warm in here. That said, I have some flower arrangements and crafty things put together with hot glue and they don't fall apart in the heat. My experience with super glue is that I have a variety of stories of success and failures with that stuff. So, I guess we need to contemplate this one some more!

Carol

prariepoodle · 03-19-2005, 02:35 PM

I will let you all know what I find to fix this problem at camping world but I am with you carol I am not taking thoes babies down. The pins are working great, but I just know that we need to do something a little more. I don't know who sewed the trim on but what caused this is that it was not sewed close enought to the edge.

CountryGuy · 03-19-2005, 02:49 PM

Linda,

I can see the back of one of mine (see it from the side), it is all stapled on.

Looking at it, I see that the dark portion of the valance (in my case that dark redish color, plain fabric) is attached AFTER the cording. On mine, where ever that dark red is, it holds the cording in place. When there is none of that dark plain fabric, then the cording is curling back.

Carol

mfoss · 03-19-2005, 03:21 PM

You can get some Ailene's fabric glue at Wal Mart and it should work real well. It remains flexible and holds well. Mine came in a tan plastic bottle. Some of the Elmer's glue can be used on fabric also. We still don't have our camper home-----we have had a few things added so it's still at the dealer's!

lawrenceb42106 · 03-19-2005, 03:35 PM

Taking those valances are not all that bad. There are just 2 or 3 screws holding them up. Had all ours down in about 15 min. It takes the square headed bit to do it. It sure would be easier to repair if they were taken down.

Montana_440 · 03-19-2005, 11:08 PM

This is our 4th 5th wh & from the 1st one, I replaced curtains.What really works for me, is replacing all the rods with tension rods.What a difference they make.Never moves on the road, but just reach up & take it down to get curtains for washing.Mine came from Walmart.I've often wondered if any RV nfgr ever had to take a curtain down...I doubt it.

kdeiss · 03-19-2005, 11:46 PM

I haven't looked at ours yet but being a sewer I think I would consider hand sewing it back in place - just a thought. If it pins back in place it should sew back in place.

Montana_354 · 03-25-2005, 04:51 PM

Prariepoodle,
I was noticing your dust ruffle. How did you attach that to the base of the bed? Velcro?

Montana_354 · 03-25-2005, 04:53 PM

Country Guy,

Did you ever take your blinds down to clean them? If so, how'd you clean them? I've always run baby wipes over them, but never taken them down.

Thanks.

smc · 03-26-2005, 12:15 AM

So.. has anyone actually washed their living room curtains. The manual says dry clean, but I have washed a lot of things that said dry clean! Also, the manual says a spot cleaner would work on the shades, does this mean a carpet spot cleaner, or laundry spot cleaner???

CountryGuy · 03-26-2005, 01:23 AM

Kalamity

I have NOT cleaned my blinds. I think there was a thread on this in the past. What I remember coming away from that discussion was, not sure how to clean them. Maybe I better do a search function myself and refresh this ole memory. At some point I am thinking I will say, they are icky and now something has to be done. For now, I am living with whatever. Try real hard to NOT catch bugs in them when going up. ewwww, have one spot on one that I know must have been one of those lady bug wannbees.

I just might try your baby wipes, they clean just about everything else!

Love em for dusting as they are just damp enough to grab the dust, instead of making it fly around, and throw em away! Not so wet that they would damage surfaces. I have been cleaning with them for a few years, and so far, I see no ill effects, but keep my eyes on situations. (that is my ooops, CY* comment)

Personally I would probably try to clean while they hang, makes me a tad nervous taking them down, first of all, I would think one would be best off taking off the valances first, see my previous comments about taking them down. This ole gal ain't gonna climb all over Montana and get into pretzel like positions to take em down.

OK, too much talk of cleaning this early in the morning, I have not even had my coffee yet!

Carol

P.S. SMC, a number of the gals report washing their bedspread, which also comes with the warning of dry cleaning. Some used Woolite, and gentle cycle, line dry. That is also from memory, best heat up that Search button again to see if you can find that thread.

prariepoodle · 03-26-2005, 03:06 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Kalamity

Prariepoodle,
I was noticing your dust ruffle. How did you attach that to the base of the bed? Velcro?

What I did was just use thumb tacks along the top edge.

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