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Do you wash your curtains? If so how often?

(116 Posts)
kircubbin2000 Thu 18-Mar-21 19:29:29

In my last house I used to wash the curtains every couple of years.I never did the ones in the large sitting room as they were enormous.
In my new house I have bigger windows and heavy,lined Laura Ashley curtains.There is no way I could manage these but I'm thinking I might wash the light cotton bedroom ones.

GagaJo Thu 18-Mar-21 19:32:29

The same as you I think. No more than annually but since I don't smoke, probably every other year.

Treebee Thu 18-Mar-21 19:32:57

I aim to wash my curtains once a year but some years I don’t manage it. None of mine are particularly big or heavy though. So many are dry clean only; I try not to buy these.

lemongrove Thu 18-Mar-21 19:39:15

All ours ( bar one pair) say dry clean only. We don’t smoke or have pets anymore, so they do stay clean, but a few years ago decided ‘to hell with dry cleaning’ and I washed each curtain separately on a 30 min gentle wash, and took it out when the cycle ended and draped it to dry naturally, then hung it up when still very slightly damp.They looked perfect, and the scent was wonderful ( thanks Lenor!) There was little if any shrinkage.Since then I do them all about every three years.

Oopsadaisy1 Thu 18-Mar-21 19:44:10

Wash curtains???

What new kind of hell is this?

EllanVannin Thu 18-Mar-21 19:49:09

Once a year for the patio curtains because they're heavy-----or rather my D takes them to wash in her machine because it has a large drum and she does them one at a time, bedspreads too.

Callistemon Thu 18-Mar-21 19:54:50

Oopsadaisy1

Wash curtains???

What new kind of hell is this?

grin
My mother used to wash hers every six months! She had winter and summer curtains.

Visgir1 Thu 18-Mar-21 19:59:37

Callistemon my MoL in Scotland the same. Winter ones (washed) then Summer ones up.
Dry clean once in a blue moon me. As she would say " Dirty Midden '

Kate1949 Thu 18-Mar-21 19:59:38

Never. We've got all blinds. I give em a wipe every now and then blush

Callistemon Thu 18-Mar-21 20:00:52

I'm just looking at mine, perhaps I'll give them a vacuum tomorrow.

Whitewavemark2 Thu 18-Mar-21 20:15:08

Callistemon

Oopsadaisy1

Wash curtains???

What new kind of hell is this?

grin
My mother used to wash hers every six months! She had winter and summer curtains.

oopsadaisy ?

yes I remember people who had summer and winter curtains. Blimey what a faff.

In the interests of comfort and warmth, I have floor to ceiling curtains in all the main rooms including the bedrooms. The warmth bit certainly works as the room warms up by degrees when we pull the curtains on cold winter nights, but they all have to be cleaned, which is an absolute bugger. Mind you I wouldn’t fancy washing them.

tanith Thu 18-Mar-21 20:16:45

I have blinds no curtain washing for me

PamelaJ1 Thu 18-Mar-21 20:24:21

OMG I did a pair today. Can’t remember when I did it last time. They are only small bedroom ones. I checked the care label to assure myself that they are dry clean only then popped them in the machine.
Our sitting room curtains are the proper job. An extravagance when we moved here 15 years ago. They look clean enough to me?. No pets, no smoking and no wood burning stove.

GagaJo Thu 18-Mar-21 20:25:45

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.

BlueBelle Thu 18-Mar-21 20:29:47

No I dont wash curtains I have the blackout ones I m sure it wouldn’t do them any good to wash them I only wash nets I don’t smoke don’t have an pets
My mum used to have winter and summer curtains I just have the same all year round

GrandmaKT Thu 18-Mar-21 20:32:15

I was just this earlier this week! We've been decorating, so I took a pair of curtains down. All our windows are full-height and room-width french windows, so the curtains are full-length and massive! There were a few spider webs and insects caught in the folds, so I just gave them a good vacuum and put them back up again.

Jaxjacky Thu 18-Mar-21 20:48:43

Oopsadaisy1 another domestic box I’ve failed to tick ?

Callistemon Thu 18-Mar-21 20:51:18

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.

Galaxy Thu 18-Mar-21 20:54:55

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.

Kamiso Thu 18-Mar-21 20:56:44

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!

cornergran Thu 18-Mar-21 21:08:56

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 grin. Just in the living room. Why? Because I like a change.

NellG Thu 18-Mar-21 21:09:31

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.

Millie22 Thu 18-Mar-21 21:20:26

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

nadateturbe Thu 18-Mar-21 21:32:23

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.

Juliet27 Thu 18-Mar-21 21:36:04

Oopsadaisy1

Wash curtains???

What new kind of hell is this?

My thought exactly!!