Closing Your Curtains? How To Keep Them Clean!
If you are someone who actually draws your drapes from time to time you may notice that when you repeatedly pull on the fabric it stretches out over time and may become grimy on the edge of the cloth. I have an easy and inexpensive solution to avoid these problems. Closing Your Curtains? How To Keep Them Clean!
The picture below says many things:
- Contractors should quit building pony walls.
- Thank goodness there is just one more week until school begins.
- Sweet Boy cracks me up on a daily basis.
- I selected white linen drapes for our living/dining room areas.
White linen! Am I insane? I have children and a husband who close the curtains regularly in the living room area so that there will be no glare on the tv that sits directly across from the window. But what can I say? I wanted a simple, clean and lightweight look.
For the sliding glass door in the kitchen, I selected natural Belgian linen fabric panels that feature a very loose weave and gets open and closed even more.
The fabric is delicate but provides the exact privacy and light filtering levels that I was seeking. Because no one wants to work in a dark (or here in Arizona) hot kitchen.
In the master bedroom, I have custom drapes that have actual drapery batons (also known as a wand or pull) attached to the first ring.
Here’s a close up of how they attach.
But when I began pricing the wands I discovered that it would cost close to $50 to outfit my 4 sets of curtains with batons. So, I sought out a less expensive solution. At Home Depot I found a replacement wand in the blind section. Cost? $2.10 each.
(If you still want actual baton’s Ebay seems to have the best prices.)
The Supplies
Curtain ring, replacement wand, and wire cutter/crimper.
Open the wire clip ring and cut off the small curved tail.
Slide the wire ring through the wand and then crimp it closed.
Slide the ring back onto the curtain rod and attach your draperies.
This is a side view of the drapery wand.
A front view shows nothing at all.
The total for all 4 sets of draperies was less than $15.00. Much better than $50.00! Not to mention the curtains will stay clean!
So now you can shut it and keep it clean!
Laura
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I definitely need new curtains! I'll check this out–I like the pretty light and airy ones!
Super idea. I never open or close mine, just use the blinds, but this is fabulous. Hugs, Marty
That is a fantastic idea, Laura! My panels are stationery, but this would work great on panels for my daughter's sliding glass door. Plus, I love the panels you chose. She needs something like this ~ privacy but still allowing some light to come in. While we are not in Arizona, the sun is quite strong and present all day at the back of her house.
Gotta love a creative budget minded Gal… Love this and thanks for the clear instructions…
What a great idea!! I love it!! And your son is soooooooooooo cute!!!! I dislike pony walls for the same reason! LOL!! 🙂
Laura, that's a great idea!
Thanks for sharing!
School starts early in your parts!
Hi Ho Silver!
~Lynne
w/L.
Laura,
Great solution to a problem all of us have! Added to my Home Depot shopping list. {I knew you had a magic wand —
but 5?}
Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold.
Your Friend,
Deborah
FairfieldHouseNJ.com
Hi Larua,
Your new home is coming along and it's fun to see all the projects that you, hubby and Sweet Boy are doing!
School doesn't start here until after Labor Day…
Can't wait to see more of your new home.
Warmly,
deb
And the clear's less visible! What a neat tip, Laura!
A resourceful woman, who can find her! Great idea on do it yourself batons! Now, where did you find those loose weave drapes for your kitchen? I am so tired of vertical blinds that I could rip them off with my bare hands!
Brillant! Makes a lot of sense! Gotta do something with that pony!!
Laura always the best tips to save on interior design changes,
xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
2012 Artists Series
That's a great way to save on wands! Not only do they keep the fabric clean, they stop kids from stressing the top border by pulling down on the panel. ~ Maureen
Looks good! Take time to relax and enjoy this new process like I know you will! By the way, I just finished reading all your wonderful items on the Queen. Great job! Kit
That is just brilliant!
Btw, I was actually a lot closer–I was in Phoenix/Scottsdale for a short time. I thought of you.
Hello Laura, fabulous helpful post! Great idea, and the drapes look great.
Your header is really lovely too.
Hugs,
Terri
thanks for the great tips!
I love your drapes!!!! Thanks for the tip, I knew about those wands but never knew where to buy them…
Thanks for visiting me & leaving such a sweet comment.
xox
Hi Laura, This post is great! I too have shared this with many a client. I got the idea from staying in hotel/motels on vacation. I actually spray painted mine to match the fabric because the wand peeked out and bothered me. Of course being in the paint business it only makes sense for me! Sweet boy riding pony is too funny, I hope he didn't scuff that paint I put on. 😉
Awesome! You always come up with the neatest ideas the cheapest ways! You rock!
This is a very very useful tip! I am getting new curtains for my living room and dining room and will absolutely use your tip! Thanks so much dear friend!
I scrolled down in your post enough to read your list about what the picture says… then scrolled down to see the picture. I howled! So so funny! My son would have done the same thing too! Don't you just love raising a boys! They keep life interesting and so much fun!
Thanks for joining TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS with this great tip!!!!
Love it! Great idea…thinking a dowel rod and small eye screw would accomplish the task too, if a person HAD those things in their stash already. 🙂
Sweet Boy cracked me up.
Your rooms are looking like VACATION.
(That's a compliment)
Hugs,
April
You always have wonderful ideas. 🙂
You'd laugh at me because I barely have drapes of any sort in our house. Now that I think about it – let's see, we have only 7 windows in our house. It's a small ranch, as you know. There are only “drapes”, if you want to call them that on the back, south-facing side of the house, but they're always opened and they're not formal at all. I have room darkening shades on that side of the house as well (a necessity to ward off the heat from the southern exposure).
Love, Linda
I always wondered why they were called pony walls. Duh,LOL
Great idea… love the tutorial on this. Thanks so much for sharing with us. Hugs, Cindy
I do open and close mine and I think this is a great tip. Thanks!
Such a great idea Laura! Your blog is beautiful and I'm happy to be following along with your pinterest ideas from now on, too! Xo, Aimee
What a great idea!
Your so smart!
Pretty curtains!
~Liz
Any ideas on how to add the wand to curtains with grommets?
Any idea how to add wand to grommet curtains?
HI Lynn I tried to respond to you directly but you are listed as a “No reply blogger” so there was no way to contact you.
For grommet curtains you could sew the wand on as the open hole at the top would allow for that.
Best of luck!
You're kidding me–it's that simple? Genius! Thanks for sharing!