Smokey old curtains - how to clean them?

Be quick while there's a bit of sunshine to line dry them. (Shame you removed the lining!)

I wash my ready-made lined cotton velvet curtains. They come up fine.

BUT, so far I haven't chanced it on the ones I had made specially. Too much to lose if it did go wrong. Would definitely try washing yours though constance.

Don't fast spin, of course.

From what I've seen, velvet curtains are not particularly expensive so rather than paying out for dry cleaning, why not just buy a new pair if you want velvet curtains?

You could do what aka suggests even if it does rain.

Do let us know what worked

Some dry cleaners have a specialist smoke removal technique. I think it is fairly expensive, but it does work. If you give up and decide to try washing, pre-soak the curtains in the sink in a solution of 100 ml bicarbonate of soda dissolved in 10 litres water. Transfer to the washing machine and use a detergent that includes oxygen bleach. Don't wash anything else at the same time - you probably couldn't get anything else in the washing machine anyway. Line dry.

Constance As they will be unusable if they reek of tobacco you might as well carefully wash them and see what happens, youv'e nothing to lose really.
Do you know if they are made of a artificial fibre velvet or a cotton velvet?
You could try washing them in the bath as it might scrunch them up less than putting them in a washing machine.

Hang them on the washing line. If it doesn't rain ( and none is forecast) hose them down gently but thoroughly with a hosepipe and cold water and a fine spray on both sides each day and let them dry.

As Jane says it will take a week, and leave them out overnight.

This worked for me.

I've left them in the garden. I think I might just wash them and accept the crushed velvet look!

My sister gave me some when she still smoked. She was cross that I complained that they smelt, because she had just had them dry-cleaned. So I took them and put them (upside down) on my rotary dryer to get some fresh air and rain on them, I thought it would be gentler than washing. It worked, it took about a week, with two rain showers. That was after the dry-cleaning though.

Sadly I think you wont get rid of it- send to the charity shop.

Did try a bit of febreezing but no noticeable difference.
I could try the tumble drier trick first and then if that doesn't work, the cool wash.
As long as the tumble drier doesn't get all smelly.

You could try washing them on a cool wash, fabric conditioner, hang outside , steam , worth a try!

Put them in a tumble drier on a cool setting with four or five fabric softener sheets. You'll be amazed how black the sheets come out and they should get rid of the smell.

Fabreeze might do the trick.