SHEER GLASS FIBER CURTAINS should be hand washed in hot suds and, like glass fiber draperies, they most not be ironed. They should be handled very gently during washing like all curtains but in this case it is especially important not to wring or twist them. Hard rubbing and rough treatments distort the weave and may break threads. Dirt slides right off glass fibers anyway, so slap-dash methods are totally unnecessary. These curtains are a wash, rinse, and rehang proposition no bluing, no starch. Roll them in a towel or let them drip for a while, then rehang them and smooth the seams and hems with your fingers.



SILK CURTAINS have moved into the luxury class and it is unlikely that many of us will have them, but the directions for handling them are also applicable to other articles such as summer dresses and scarves.

WASHABLE SILKS SHOULD BE HAND LAUNDERED in lukewarm-to-cool suds made with a mild detergent which is better for silks than the mildest soap. Handle silks gently, squeezing the suds through the fabric. Rough treatment damages the fibers. After rinsing put them between Turkish towels to remove excess moisture, and hang them to dry indoors, away from any source of heat such as a radiator.

IRON SILK when it has dried to a uniform dampness, with your iron set for it. Silk that has dried completely and has then been sprinkled for ironing is likely to show watermarks when it is pressed. This is especially true of pongee, which is ironed either uniformly damp or when it is completely dry. Iron silk on the wrong side, preferably with a piece of cheesecloth over it as a protection, since silk scorches very easily. If the silk is too wet when it is ironed it will emerge stiff and papery, and too hot an iron will turn white silk yellow.

SHEER WASHABLE RAYON CURTAINS are handled like silk but can be washed equally well with mild detergents or pure white soap flakes and warm water. Rayon fibers tend to be weak when they are wet and should therefore not be soaked before washing or hung with clothes pins. Roll them in a turkish towel to remove most of the moisture. Rayons differ widely in the amount of heat they will stand and if you have the manufacturer's directions for ironing, be sure to follow them. Otherwise start with a warm iron, dialed for rayon, and raises it if more heat is needed. Iron the top and bottom hems first, then iron the curtains lengthwise with the threads, on the reverse side.

LACE AND NET CURTAINS are often dry-cleaned. If they are to be washed, measure them first so that they can be stretched to the right dimensions afterwards. Handle them like cotton curtains, using a nylon mesh or muslin bag if they are delicate. The threads of lace curtains are easily pulled or broken. These curtains can be stiffened with gelatin or gum Arabic, which is better for them than starch. To make such a finish add an ounce of gelatin or powdered gum Arabic to a pint of cold water, then heat the mixture until the powder is completely dissolved. Add from eight to fifteen parts of hot water to the gelatin mixture and from five to ten parts to the gum Arabic solution, depending upon the stiffness you want to give the curtains. The gum Arabic solution is also good for silks and rayons. The gelatin mixture is often used in preference to starch for sheer cottons. Grocery store gelatin is what you use. The gum Arabic powder can be purchased at a drug store.

Now we know that sheer glass fiber curtains should be hand washed, and most not be ironed. Some of Silk curtains are washable, but it should be hand laundered in a lukewarm with a mild detergent, hang them to dry indoor.