I have some blackout curtains and they work when it is dark. But as soon as it’s 7am, light comes through the sides and the top. It brights up my entire room. It is more annoying that soon it will be bright at 5am. Is there any curtain specialist that can tell me how to stop the light. I also can’t use black bags or tin foil. I don’t think I can have blinds put up either. Thanks
Comments
amilkia t1_j8qwpju wrote
Use push pins to attach to the wall instead of a rod. You have to get ties to pull the curtains open if you want them to stay open, but works like a charm.
WendyBNoy t1_j8sg1dn wrote
I did something that was cost-effective, but only partially worked. Bought two-inch wide black ribbon and draped it over the curtain rod holders and down the sides - then I pulled it tight and clamped it so it wouldn’t move at the top. I weighted the ribbon at the bottom sides. It kept out more of the light, but wasn’t perfect.
New_Engine_7237 t1_j8uolv2 wrote
My son just used a black plastic garbage bag with double stick tape on the window casing. Put it up in the baby’s room to help him sleep.
Good-Gain4220 t1_j8vlajs wrote
get an inside mount blackout accordion shade
LadyCiani t1_j8x0urb wrote
Well, setting expectations first: they're unlikely to give you complete light blocking because that takes multiple layers. You would want to have blinds mounted inside the window frame, and then a layer of curtains around the window.
And if your windows face the sun you'll of course be fighting more than if your windows don't face the sun.
So: yeah there are limitations since you can't (or won't be able to) install blinds, and can't (or won't be able to) change which room you are in and which direction the windows face.
Overall guidance is to eliminate the gaps.
You will get less light bleed if you can use some small thumbtacks or pushpins and push them through the edges of the fabric and into the wall surrounding the curtains. Basically stapling the fabric to the walls.
On the top and bottom you try a couple of things.
On the top you can drape extra fabric across the gap - like a valence.
On the bottom you can lean something across the bottom of the fabric to make the curtains close the gap. An extra pillow for example.
Finally: invest in a comfortable eye mask.
The better eye masks are extremely comfortable and have foam surrounding the "eye wells" and they won't press on your eyelids and eyelashes.
Oiseau_Noir t1_j8qwmgb wrote
The curtains need to be 2x the width of the window, so that it creates drape (example if your window is 3 feet wide, get two panels that are 3 feet each). Hang the curtain rod high and wide enough that it covers several inches of wall in each direction, not just the window. Also, darker colored curtains will block more light.