Start with the care label. Many curtains can be vacuumed on the rail with a brush attachment and refreshed without being taken down, while others can be washed only if the label allows it. Lined, pleated, blackout and large curtains, and most fabric blinds, are easy to damage in a washing machine. For those, a dry vacuum followed by steam cleans the fabric without the risk of shrinking it.
Why do curtains get so dirty?
Curtains hang right where air comes into a home. They catch fine dust and traffic grime from open windows, cooking residue if they're near the kitchen, and the same allergens that settle on every soft surface. Because they hang out of the way, most people don't notice until the hem has greyed or the fabric smells stale on a humid day.
In a bedroom they matter more than you'd think. They sit a few feet from the bed and shed dust back into the room every time they're opened and closed.
How do you clean curtains at home?
- Read the care label first. It tells you whether the fabric can take water at all, and at what temperature.
- Vacuum them on the rail. Use a brush attachment, work from the top down and do both sides. Pay attention to the pleats and the hem, where dust gathers.
- Shake them out when you open the windows, if they're light enough.
- Spot-clean marks gently. Blot rather than rub, and test on a hidden part of the hem first.
- Only machine-wash if the label says you can. Use a gentle cycle and cool water, and rehang them while slightly damp so they drop straight.
Which curtains shouldn't go in the washing machine?
A washing machine is a rough place for a lot of curtain fabrics. The ones that tend to come off worst are:
- Lined curtains. The lining and the face fabric can shrink by different amounts and pucker.
- Pleated or tailored curtains. The pleats and header tape can lose their shape.
- Blackout curtains. A coated backing can crack or peel.
- Heavy or very long drapes. They're hard to wash evenly and hard to dry indoors in our humidity.
- Fabric blinds. Roller and Roman blinds are usually fixed to a mechanism and aren't meant to be soaked.
If any of these apply, it's safer to clean the fabric without soaking it.
How are curtains and fabric blinds cleaned professionally?
For curtains and fabric blinds we use a dry vacuum followed by steam. The vacuum lifts the embedded dust and pet hair, and the steam cleans and refreshes the fabric without putting it through a wash cycle. We match the method to the fabric, and clean in place or off-site depending on the fabric and fitting.
Curtains and blinds are priced per piece. A standard piece is roughly 2.0 metres wide by 2.5 metres high, and for other sizes you can send a photo or the dimensions for a quote. Indicative rates are on our curtains, rugs and carpets page.
Our solutions are non-toxic and child- and pet-safe. Cleancraft is an NEA-licensed cleaning and sanitisation specialist, licence NEA 200592/1584Z/N01.
Is it worth cleaning the curtains if someone has allergies?
If someone in the home has a dust allergy or asthma, curtains are one of the soft surfaces worth including, along with the mattress and the sofa. They hold dust mite allergen and pet dander the same way other fabrics do. Cleaning them with the rest of the room makes more sense than doing one item and leaving the others to shed back into it.
Our mattress sanitisation and upholstery cleaning are often booked in the same visit. If you have a pet, see our guide to getting pet hair out of sofas, curtains and rugs.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put my curtains in the washing machine?
Only if the care label says so. Lined, pleated, blackout and heavy curtains, and most fabric blinds, can shrink, pucker or lose their backing in a machine. For those, a dry vacuum and steam is safer.
Do you need to take the curtains down to clean them?
Not always. We clean in place or off-site depending on the fabric and fitting, and will tell you which applies when you send us the details.
How are curtains priced?
Per piece. A standard piece is roughly 2.0 metres wide by 2.5 metres high; for other sizes, send a photo or the dimensions and we will quote on WhatsApp.
Do you clean fabric blinds?
Yes. Fabric blinds are cleaned with a dry vacuum and steam, the same as curtains.
Curtains overdue for a clean?
Send us a photo and the rough size of each piece, and we'll quote on WhatsApp. We're an NEA-licensed specialist, owner-operated by Joel and Vanessa for around ten years. Read more about us or browse the rest of the blog.