Drape Stains..water?

[Sav'h Steve]

The window drapes on my recently purchased Excello are stained on the liner that is close to the windows. Looks to me that the brown stains (seen from the outside) may be from condensation while sitting up. I was thinking of soaking in OxiClean overnight, but thought some of you may have a better suggestion.

Are there any "don'ts" in cleaning the drapes that I should avoid?

Thanks for your expertese!!

Steve in Savannah

[overlander64]

I suspect that you are correct about the origin of the stains, but would be hesitant about laundering them. If these are the factory original draperies, my suggestion would be to contact the factory regarding care instruction for the fabric used. I strongly suspect that the fabric may be dry clean only - - I suspect this as lined draperies often have top layers that must be dry cleaned while the lining material would likely be washable. A second option would be to take a panel to a local dry cleaner and ask his/her opinion about the washability of the fabric.

Another concern might be whether washing the fabric might result in other problems. I forged full-steam ahead with washing the draperies in my Overlander, and ended up with shreds when I removed them from the washer - - and this was on gentle cycle with cold water and woolite. The drapes were about 12 years old when I tried this process.

Good luck with your project!

[Edie]

I would think long and hard before trying to clean the drapes with water. If water made the original stains, it may leave more stains. Also, can you say shrinkage?

I have an area rug that had some small orange stains on it. I was ready to throw the rug away, so took a chance. I laid it on my lanai (screened covered patio), and washed it with a soap made for hand washing silk and wool. Now the entire rug has an orange tint to it. That worked okay since I was going to throw it out anyway.

Something to consider if you choose to replace your curtains would be using "Rain No-Stain" drapery lining. I made new drapes for our last two coaches. I used the Rain No-Stain for all the curtain linings. It's a little more expensive than other lining, but not by much. I think it's worth its weight in gold.

Another possibility...since you know the stains aren't really dirt can you live with them?

Good luck, and let us know what you do and how it works.

[Sav'h Steve]

Your replies make sense. Especially about dry cleaning them. If I replace anything I think it would be the liners only as the drapes are in very good shape for being 12 years old. The unit was under cover for most of it's life.

Steve

[Geri]

Absolutely use OXIclean. All of our front drapes were very badly water stained, courtesy of a dealer who did a lousy repair job, such that we had leaks everywhere. Dry cleaning did nothing, and the factory said we should replace them.
One soaking on Oxiclean and letting them drip dry took care of it.

[loechli]

Originally Posted by Edie G

I would think long and hard before trying to clean the drapes with water. If water made the original stains, it may leave more stains. Also, can you say shrinkage?

I have an area rug that had some small orange stains on it. I was ready to throw the rug away, so took a chance. I laid it on my lanai (screened covered patio), and washed it with a soap made for hand washing silk and wool. Now the entire rug has an orange tint to it. That worked okay since I was going to throw it out anyway.

Something to consider if you choose to replace your curtains would be using "Rain No-Stain" drapery lining. I made new drapes for our last two coaches. I used the Rain No-Stain for all the curtain linings. It's a little more expensive than other lining, but not by much. I think it's worth its weight in gold.

Another possibility...since you know the stains aren't really dirt can you live with them?

Good luck, and let us know what you do and how it works.

We are considering making new drapes and thought we would use Rain No-Stain but found it is dry clean only.

How have your new drapes help up, have you had to wash them?

Anyone know of any other fabric liners that would not stain and be washable?

[Edie]

Originally Posted by loechli

How have your new drapes help up, have you had to wash them?

Our drapes have held up beautifully. I also used dry-clean only fabric. We sprayed the fabric with two coats of Scotch Guard before sewing.

I just vacuum the dust off the drapes. We haven't gotten anything else on them that didn't just wipe off.

[sovereignrwe]

Haven't thought of the Scotchguard solution - intriguing.

We are currently washing our curtains with success. Ours were replaced in 1985 or so (can't remember the date on the paperwork that came with the trailer). We also had some brown water stains.

We are using clear 20gal tubs (low and wide - not tall) and 3 caps of woolite and 3 caps of pinesol and cold water right from the hose. Soaking for 4+ hours, occasional aggitation. Amazing how you can see the color of the water darken over time.

We spin dry those without drape pin/hooks. Those with pin/hooks are hung on the tracks of our garage door. We do some minor hand stretch before re-hanging damp. Process has worked great. Cabin is much brighter now.

[COArgosy78]

Our 78 Argosy had the same kind of stains in front wrap windows. I put them in clean bathtub w/a little laundry soap and oxyclean, let them soak for about 45min., agitated them carefully by hand, let all water out of tub, turned on shower to rinse (using handheld faucet), put them in closed laundry basket (kinda heavy), took down to washer, put on spin cycle to spin out water for about 2-3min., took out and hung them w/pinch hangers to dry outside. Worked for me!!!

[H2K]

Has anyone tried to dye their curtains? I recently purchased a 1991 Excella. I don't kow if the curtains are original, but, they have a mint green tinge to them when the light shines through. I thought about taking them to a dry cleaners and seeing if they can dye them. Any thoughts or recommendations?

Kathy

[djs66]

Kathy,
You could try one pair of curtains that you could replace with something else-say,the small pair of curtains over the sink. You could see pretty quickly whether the dye would take evenly (sometimes the thread used to sew the curtains takes color differently). If the fabric shrinks and can't be used, you can replace them with a blind or something that coordinates with the rest of the interior. I was able to soak the curtains from our 1993 Limited in Oxyclean and cold water, run them through the gentle cycle in Woolite and cold water and line dry them. The curtains are made of something that appears to be polyester with a cotton-polyester lining and they came out unwrinkled and ready to rehang. But I tried the kitchen curtains first!
Good luck!
Deb
PS If the dye test is successful, number the curtains somehow so you can get them back in the right places without trial-and-error.

[2airishuman]

Originally Posted by Sav'h Steve

...Are there any "don'ts" in cleaning the drapes that I should avoid?...

hi steve,

depends a LITTLE on the year but the a/s company line is DRY CLEAN ONLY.

with spot cleaning for misc stains in 1 of 3 ways.

this should be covered in your owners manual and IF u don't have one...

many are NOW online at the mothership's website.

IF your year isn't listed a couple of years newer or older might cover the issue.
___________________

however

there are many threads here with reports from owners on using a variety of approaches.

of course ONLY the successful get reported and rarely with picturess, but there are some who...

cold water wash, or soak or oxeewhatever them.

IF u are prepared to TOSS them and buy new, go for it.

the mixed poly fabrics to NOT take dyes well, that doesn't mean some1 hasn't dyed them.

visit your local dry cleaner, WITH a panel of curtain and ask about the stains and cleaning.

cheers
2air