Do you wash your curtains? If so how often?

nanna8

Very rarely though sometimes I vacuum them with that hose thing. Last time I actually washed them they shrank so I had to get new ones. Taught me a lesson. Dry cleaning costs too much, rather buy some more in the sales.

This is all that is necessary.

I did occasionally wash curtains when the children were small and rubbed mucky little hands and faces on them.

I did enquire about having some dry cleaned once but it was so expensive. I just replaced them when we redecorated.

In our old home, I would wash the curtains about once a year, as they were small windows, unlined curtains and simple to wash and dry.
In our present home, the windows are bigger, and all the curtains lined. Some are washable, but big and heavy. When we decorated the sitting room recently, I managed to wash the curtains but had to go to the launderette to tumble dry them.
Others say dry clean only, expensive and I never think as good as washing, but don’t want to risk them shrinking and the lining ending up hanging below the curtain.

I would vacuum them if I thought they needed it....

I don’t have curtains. Just blinds or naked windows.

Very rarely though sometimes I vacuum them with that hose thing. Last time I actually washed them they shrank so I had to get new ones. Taught me a lesson. Dry cleaning costs too much, rather buy some more in the sales.

As rarely as possible. Hate housework. My blackout linings are removable, so I tumble the curtains about annually.

Grandma11, 25 years? Oh dear!

I must be old fashioned - as I still have summer and winter curtains. I wash the lightweight ones on 30 degrees, but the heavy ones are dry cleaned. I steam the creases out when I hang them, no ironing!

We tend to use Blinds rather than Curtains, but the ones we do have get changed every two to three years when we come to change the decor in a room, and we buy new ones to match. My late Step Mother had the same curtains up in her Bungalow for over 25years, and never once took them down to clean or wash them. If anyone mentioned the fact, she would simply compare her home to a stately National Trust property saying that they never took their curtains down to clean them either!
Not True, and her house was a lot smaller and easier to manage than any National Trust place, she just simply did not like housework!

I wash all my curtains once a year when the weather is good and they can dry on the washing line. This includes my 'dry clean only' living room curtains (including patio doors) which are done one at a time in the washing machine. No problems. They all look fresher and cleaner afterwards.

My house is always a bit cluttered with 'projects' and we never seem to get round to a thorough clean, but I do have floor to ceiling summer and winter curtains!

Velvet with thermal linings for the winter, and lighter ones with black out linings for the summer.
I made them years ago, and it was such a faff of a job I'm determined to keep them going for as long as possible

They get a steam clean and a blow through on the line, which is getting a bit difficult as they are heavy.

No I dont wash curtains I have the blackout ones I m sure it wouldn’t do them any good to wash them
Bluebelle if they are the type of fabric with the blackout backing bonded on, then I would not recommend washing them.
DD washed a pair carefully and some of the lining came away so light shines through the little holes.

You can steam clean them yourself if you buy a steam cleaner, it will be easier than taking them down. Steam cleaners really aren't that expensive anymore

I'm glad the hear so many of you don't smoke in the house

In the year I got married, 1971, I was astonished to see a shop selling only ready-made curtains. I couldn't believe people would pay those prices rather than make their own.

All the ones I have now, except one set in the living room, are from charity shops - excellent bargains they were.

I never thought of vacuuming them. Sounds like a good idea.
I wash all the curtains every year. The living room ones need it because of the coal fire, and the rest all get done too.
Apart from that, I'm very sloppy at housework

Curtains are taken down and dry-cleaned once a year and I vacuum them about once a month. We’re non smokers.
I saw a programme about Buck Palace and the cleaners vacuum the curtains there, so what’s good enough for the Palace is good enough for my house. ?

Oopsadaisy1

Wash curtains???

What new kind of hell is this?

My thought exactly!!

I give them a good shake every so often. I had the living room ones dry cleaned 2 years ago.

I'm glad to hear I'm not unusual. I couldn't handle doing such a big job regularly. The house is very clean. If they looked dirty I would send them to the cleaners.

No curtains to faff about with as blinds at every window but I do occasionally get the duster out.

Are there really people who wash their curtains all the time? What are they doing - smoking kippers in the lounge? I do mine when they need it.

Wash the short curtains annually, the full length curtains and the pair my Ma in law hand embroidered are steamed twice a year and yes, we do have summer and winter curtains . Just in the living room. Why? Because I like a change.

My sister in law told me that the woman opposite moved in two weeks ago and hadn’t washed her curtains once!

I didn’t know whether to look suitably shocked or to laugh!

Oh thank God. I loved MN for many reasons, but if you asked this question on MN you would more than likely get the answer well at least fortnightly but I feel guilty it's not more often. I would be left looking round the house thinking I should have an immediate appointment with Kim and Aggie.

GagaJo

I made all of my curtains, so I know they are all washable. I always preshrink any fabric before using it. Got caught out once, over 30 years ago. Never again.

I've decided I preferred my old curtains, which I made, to the ones I have now. The old ones hung much better.

Unfortunately, I cut the old ones up for various other projects and really can't summon up the energy to tackle huge curtains now.

Oopsadaisy1 another domestic box I’ve failed to tick ?