Wash curtains at the laundromat Karlsruhe-Oststadt
You wash curtains at the laundromat Karlsruhe-Oststadt gently in an 8 kg machine (€5.00, with the Discount card from €3.80). Then give them a short spell in the dryer or hang them up still damp, and they will hang smooth.
Getting the curtains ready
Take the curtains down, remove hooks and rings and shake the dust out outdoors. Then put them into a laundry net or a pillowcase so the threads stay intact and nothing snags. The care label tells you the temperature, and 30 degrees is usual for delicate fabrics.
Washing and drying
An 8 kg machine is plenty for two or three curtain panels. Keep the drum loosely filled so nothing tangles, and leave out the fabric softener, which makes white fabric turn grey sooner. After the cycle (about 35 minutes) you can put the curtains into the dryer for just 10 minutes and take them out while still slightly damp. Hang them up, pull them straight and let them finish drying: you will hardly see any creases.
What does a window-washing day cost?
Example for a living room plus kitchen: one load (€5.00) plus 10 minutes of dryer (€1.50) comes to €6.50. With the Discount card it is €4.90 (€3.80 plus €1.10). With lots of windows you simply use two of the 7 machines at the same time.
Waiting by the window
The glass front at the laundromat Karlsruhe-Oststadt makes the room bright. Three chairs stand right beside it, with free Wi-Fi. You can just as well walk over to Karl-Wilhelm-Platz or run a quick errand near Gottesauer Platz and be back on time.
How often should you wash curtains?
Once a year is a good rhythm. A wash day makes sense in the spring pollen season or after the heating season, when dust has built up. More in our guide to spring cleaning.