Taking down and rehanging curtains without the stress

01Plan before you climb

Taking curtains down looks like a five-minute job until you are at the top of a ladder holding three metres of interlined fabric with forty hooks still attached, wondering which way round it went. Rehanging is worse if nobody remembers how the pleats were gathered or which curtain belonged on which side.

A little planning makes the whole job calm and safe. Choose a time when you are not rushed, ideally in daylight. Clear the floor beneath the window and have a clean space nearby, such as a bed or a sheet laid on the floor, where curtains can be laid flat. Find a helper for anything long or heavy. Gather what you need before you start, so you are not climbing up and down for a pen or a bag.

This guide covers safety, the common kinds of curtain fittings, how to take each type down, how to look after the curtains while they are away, and how to rehang them so they hang straight and fall into neat folds.

02Safety first

Most curtain accidents involve ladders.

• Use a proper step ladder on a firm, level floor, fully opened and locked.
• Never stand on chairs, stools, tables or windowsills.
• Do not stand on the top steps unless the ladder is designed for it.
• Keep your body between the ladder's side rails; move the ladder rather than overreaching.
• Have someone hold the ladder and take the weight of heavy curtains.
• Be extra careful near open windows, especially upstairs.
• Keep children and pets out of the room.
• If curtains are very high or very heavy, consider getting help from someone experienced.

03Know your fittings

Curtains hang from one of a few types of fitting, and each comes down differently.

04Tracks in more detail

Curtain tracks vary more than most people realise.

05Photograph before you start

Take photos of each window with the curtains closed and open, and close-ups of the heading, hooks and how they attach. These photos are your instruction manual for rehanging. They also show how many hooks and gliders were used and how the curtains were dressed.

06Taking down curtains with hooks

This covers tracks with gliders and poles with rings.

• Close the curtains, so the fabric is spread along the track.
• Starting at the end nearest the wall, unhook the first hook from its glider or ring.
• Work along to the other end, unhooking each hook in turn.
• Let your helper take the weight as each section comes free.
• Lay the curtain face down on the clean surface.
• Repeat for the other curtain.

07Hooks in or out?

Hooks can be left in or taken out for cleaning. Many cleaners prefer them out.

08A short guide to curtain hooks

Hooks come in several types, and knowing which you have helps when rehanging.

09Eyelet and tab-top curtains

For curtains threaded onto a pole through eyelets or tabs, the pole usually has to come down.

• Open the curtains, bunching them towards the ends.
• With a helper, lift the pole out of its brackets, keeping it level.
• Remove the finial at one end if it unscrews.
• Slide the curtains off the pole.
• Put the pole down safely, away from where people walk.

10Very heavy curtains

Interlined, blackout and velvet curtains can be very heavy, especially on long drops.

• Always work with a helper.
• Unhook in sections, with your helper supporting the fabric below.
• Fold heavy curtains on the floor rather than trying to fold them in the air.
• Carry them in two people's arms, not over a shoulder.
• When rehanging, hook the outer end first, then have your helper lift the weight as you work along.

11Handling blackout and coated curtains

Blackout and thermal curtains with a coated backing need gentle handling when they come down and go back up. The coating can crack if it is folded sharply, crushed or pulled hard at the hooks. When taking them down, avoid bunching them tightly in your arms; let the fabric hang and lower it gradually. When folding, fold loosely with the coated side inwards and avoid sharp creases. When rehanging, check the heading tape is secure, since the extra weight of coated linings puts strain on the hooks. Small cracks in the coating let light through and cannot be repaired by cleaning, so gentle handling at every stage is worth the extra minute.

12Folding curtains for cleaning

• Lay each curtain face down.
• Fold it lengthways into a long strip, then fold or roll it loosely from the hem upwards.
• Keep heading tape and hooks, if left in, on the outside so they do not mark the fabric.
• Label each curtain with the room, window and side.
• Keep each pair together in a clean bag.

Do not cram curtains into small bags; heavy creasing makes them harder to press.

13Getting curtains to and from the cleaner

Heavy curtains are awkward to move. A few tips make it easier.

• Fold each curtain loosely and put it in a large, clean bag or a duvet cover.
• Keep pairs together and labelled.
• Do not pack curtains into a car boot with other heavy items on top.
• Lay them flat across a back seat if possible.
• If the cleaner collects, tell them how many curtains there are and roughly how heavy, so they come prepared.

When curtains come back, unpack them as soon as possible and either rehang them or lay them flat. Leaving cleaned curtains folded in bags for days sets new creases.

14While the curtains are away

The days the curtains are being cleaned are a good chance to deal with the window area.

• Dust and wipe poles, tracks and finials.
• Check brackets are firm; tighten or refix any that are loose.
• Run gliders along the track to check they move freely; replace broken or missing ones.
• Clean the windows, inside and out if you can.
• Wipe windowsills and check for mould from condensation.
• Vacuum or clean the floor where curtains pool.
• Check cords on corded tracks for fraying.

15Checking curtains when they come back

Before rehanging, have a look at each curtain.

• Check the labels match the right rooms and sides.
• Look at areas where there were stains.
• Check the heading tape is intact and hooks or pockets are undamaged.
• Check linings for puckering or pulling at the hems.
• Compare a quick measurement with your earlier record if you have one.

Raise any problems with the cleaner promptly, before rehanging if possible, with photos.

16Rehanging curtains on hooks

• Check the hooks are in the same pockets as before, using your photos.
• Start from the outside edge, nearest the wall, and work inwards.
• Hook each hook into its glider or ring in turn.
• Make sure no gliders or rings are skipped or left over.
• Check the curtain hangs level at the top.

17Choosing the right hook pocket

Pencil pleat tape usually has two or three rows of pockets at different heights. The row you use decides whether the heading sits below the track, covering it, or hangs below the pole, showing the rings.

Hooks in the top row make the curtain hang lower, so the heading covers the track. Hooks in the bottom row make it hang higher, so the pole and rings show above. Your photos show which row was used. Using the same row ensures the curtain hangs at the same height as before.

If a curtain seems shorter after cleaning, moving the hooks up a row can sometimes help it reach the floor or sill again.

18Re-gathering pencil pleat curtains

Pencil pleat curtains are gathered by pulling cords in the heading tape. If the cords were loosened for cleaning, they need gathering again before the curtain is hung.

• Lay the curtain face down with the heading towards you.
• Find the loose cord ends, usually at the leading edge or the outer edge.
• Hold the cords together and gently push the fabric along them, little by little, until the heading is the right width.
• Use your note or the knot you marked earlier to get the width right; it should be a little more than half the width of the track or pole, so the curtains overlap in the middle.
• Spread the gathers evenly along the heading.
• Tie the cords in a neat slip knot or wind them around a cord tidy, so they can be loosened again next time.
• Never cut the cords.

19Rehanging pinch and triple pleat curtains

Pinch, triple and goblet pleat curtains have pleats sewn in, usually with a hook behind each pleat and at each end. Rehang them by putting a hook behind each pleat, in the same position as before, then hooking into the gliders or rings. These headings usually need a glider or ring for each pleat plus the ends; count them before you start.

20Rethreading eyelet curtains

• Lay the pole on a clean surface or hold it with a helper.
• Starting at one end, thread the first eyelet so the fabric folds towards the window, as it did before.
• Alternate the direction of each eyelet, so the fabric folds back and forth in even waves.
• Thread the other curtain the same way, starting from the opposite end so the curtains mirror each other.
• Replace the finial and lift the pole back into its brackets.

21Net curtains and voiles

Net curtains and voiles often hang on tension wires, slim rods or tracks.

22Bay windows

Bay windows often have curved or angled tracks or poles with brackets in the corners, and several curtain panels.

• Photograph the whole bay before you start.
• Label each panel by position: left, left centre, centre, right centre, right.
• Take panels down one at a time, supporting the weight.
• Rehang in the same order, starting from one end.
• Check that panels meet neatly at corner brackets, and that passing rings or gliders move freely around the curve.

23Motorised and corded tracks

Motorised curtain tracks and corded tracks need extra care.

24Tie-backs and holdbacks

Tie-backs hold curtains open in a graceful sweep. When rehanging, refit tie-backs at the same height as before; your photos help. A common height is about a third of the way up from the floor, but it is a matter of taste. Fabric tie-backs should go to the cleaner with the curtains so the colour stays even. Metal or wooden holdbacks fixed to the wall can be dusted while the curtains are away.

25Dressing the curtains

Dressing means training the folds so curtains hang in even, neat pleats.

• Open the curtains fully.
• Starting at the leading edge, fold the fabric into even pleats, following the folds made by the heading.
• Run the folds down to the hem.
• Tie the bundled curtain loosely with soft fabric strips at intervals.
• Leave it tied for a day or two, then untie.

The curtain will remember the folds and hang neatly when closed and open.

26Getting hems level

After rehanging, curtains sometimes look uneven at the bottom.

• Check the track or pole is level first; brackets can drop over time.
• Check hooks are in the same pocket height on every hook position.
• Give lined curtains a few days to settle; linings and face fabrics can relax at different rates.
• Gently pull down on the hem along its length to encourage the fabric to settle.
• If one curtain is clearly shorter, compare it with your before measurements and talk to the cleaner.

27Children's and pets' safety

Looped blind and curtain cords can be a strangulation risk for young children. When rehanging, make sure cords are out of reach, using cord tidies or cleats fixed high on the wall, and that there are no loops a child could put their head through. Keep chairs and beds away from windows with cords. Pets can also become tangled.

28When to call in help

Some situations call for professional help rather than a ladder and a helper.

• Very high windows, such as double-height rooms or stairwell windows.
• Very heavy interlined curtains on long drops.
• Motorised or complex track systems.
• Curtains in listed or period homes with delicate fittings.
• If you are not comfortable on a ladder.

Some curtain cleaners offer a take-down and rehang service, and handymen or curtain fitters can help too. It costs a little more but avoids risk.