Curtain Cleaning in Melbourne

Curtain Cleaning Services in Melbourne

Washing blockout curtains usually ruins them. Curtain cleaning in Melbourne happens on the rail for that reason, with nothing taken down. The fabric never goes through a wash, so the backing is not soaked.

A small set is $65 and a large set $120. Blockout and heavy lined sets start at $150. We work hardest on the bottom of the drop. That is where condensation runs down the glass on winter mornings and mould takes hold.

  • Cleaned on the rail, nothing comes down
  • Never washed, never re-hung
  • Mould treated at the hem, not covered over
6am to 10pm
Seven days, plus a 24-hour emergency line
We stay until you're happy
Our guarantee on every clean
$10M
Public liability insurance
Free quotes
Fixed before we start

Why do we clean curtains on the rail?

Because taking them down is where the damage happens. Washing shrinks natural fibres and dry cleaning costs more than the curtains are usually worth.

On-rail steam cleaning lifts dust, odour and surface mould without wetting the fabric through. The drop stays exactly the length it was.

Blockout curtains are the real reason. The backing is a coating, and washing it makes it crack and flake off the fabric.

If mould has spread to the walls or reveals, see mould cleaning in Melbourne. For the glass itself, see window cleaning.

Which curtains can be cleaned this way?

Most of them, and the ones that cannot get told to you first.

Blockout and lined

The best case for on-rail work. The coated backing never gets wet, so it cannot crack or separate from the face fabric.

Sheers and voiles

They go grey against the glass rather than dirty. Light steam and low moisture brings the colour back without stressing the weave.

Heavy drapery

Velvet, brocade and lined pinch pleat. Priced as a large or heavy set because the fabric holds far more dust.

What happens on the day?

Four stages, and the hem gets most of the attention.

Inspect and test

  • Fabric and lining identified
  • Backing checked for existing damage
  • Colourfastness tested out of sight
  • Hem checked for mould
  • Realistic result explained

Dry soil first

  • Full length vacuumed both sides
  • Heading and pleats worked into
  • Rail and track cleared
  • Pelmet and hardware wiped
  • Loose dust removed before steam

Steam on the rail

  • Worked top to bottom
  • Low moisture on coated linings
  • Both faces treated
  • Folds opened and steamed out
  • Creasing relaxed as we go

The bottom 30 centimetres

  • Mould treated at the source
  • Hem and weighting checked
  • Both faces done, not just the front
  • Sill and reveal checked too
  • Cause explained to you

If the sill underneath is wet every morning, cleaning the curtain is only half the job. We will tell you what is causing it rather than leave you to book us again in six months.

What can go wrong if curtains are washed?

Three outcomes, and none of them can be reversed.

Contact us
  1. Step 01

    The backing flakes

    Blockout lining is a coating. Washing cracks it and it comes away in patches.

  2. Step 02

    The drop shortens

    Cotton and linen shrink. A few per cent on a long drop leaves the hem well off the floor.

  3. Step 03

    Sun damage shows up

    Years of Australian sun weaken fibres quietly. Washing is often what finally tears them.

  4. Step 04

    They stay on the rail

    Steam and extraction rather than water through the whole fabric, and nothing to re-hang.

Why do Melbourne curtains go mouldy at the bottom?

It is the window behind them, not the curtain itself.

  • Single glazing. Plenty of older Melbourne homes have it. Warm indoor air hits cold glass and condensation runs down every winter morning
  • The sill collects it. Water pools there and the curtain hem sits in it, wicking moisture up into the fabric
  • Closed rooms. Bedrooms stay shut through winter, so the hem never dries out between mornings
  • Sheers take it worst. They hang closest to the glass and go grey and spotted long before the heavy curtain does

The bottom thirty centimetres tell you everything about a Melbourne bedroom.

Why do people replace curtains instead of cleaning them?

Four things worth knowing before you buy new ones.

Curtain cleaning in Melbourne without taking anything down

Dropping curtains, cleaning them and re-hanging is most of the cost and all of the risk. Hooks get lost, pleats never sit the same, and the room has bare windows for a week.

On-rail steam cleaning skips every part of that. A small set is $65, which is less than the labour alone of taking one set down and putting it back up again.

Washing blockout curtains is how they get ruined

The blockout layer is a coating fixed to the back of the fabric, not a woven lining. Put it through water and it cracks, then lifts away in patches.

Once that starts there is no repair and no way to disguise it. We keep moisture off the backing entirely, which is the whole reason this work happens on the rail rather than in a machine.

The bottom of the drop is where Melbourne curtains fail

Plenty of older Melbourne homes are single glazed. Condensation runs down the inside of the glass every winter morning and pools on the sill.

The hem sits in that water and wicks it upward. Mould starts at the bottom and works its way north. That bottom thirty centimetres gets the most attention on every Melbourne job we do.

A shortened curtain cannot be made longer again

Cotton and linen shrink when washed. A few per cent on a two and a half metre drop leaves the hem hanging clear of the floor.

There is no fixing that short of buying new curtains, for a set that only ever needed a proper clean.

A curtain that only needed a clean should not end up in the bin because it went through the wash.

What backs steam going near your curtains?

Curtains are expensive to replace. Here is what sits behind the job.

Lining checked first

Coated backings get low moisture only.

Published prices per set

Small, medium, large and blockout.

Colourfastness tested

A hidden fold before anything visible.

Floors protected

Sheeting under every drop before we start.

We name the real cause

If the window is the problem, we say so.

A Shining Services cleaner working through a hotel corridor after hours

Happy before we leave

Our cleaners don't leave until you're happy with the work.

What do Melbourne customers say about us?

How much does curtain cleaning cost in Melbourne?

These published rates include GST and are priced per set.

Small curtain set

$65

Medium curtain set

$89

Large curtain set

$120

Blockout or heavy lined set

From $150

A set means one window. Heavy mould at the hem is quoted on inspection, since it needs treating rather than steaming. Blinds are quoted separately once we have seen them.

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What gets booked on the same visit?

The crew is already at the window. These cost less together.

Blinds and pelmets

Quoted once we have seen the type.

Where do we clean curtains in Melbourne?

Houses, townhouses and apartments across metropolitan Melbourne. Not sure we reach your suburb? Request a quote and tell us the address.

Inner north and west

  • Fitzroy
  • Collingwood
  • Brunswick
  • Northcote
  • Preston
  • Coburg
  • Footscray
  • Yarraville

Victorian and Edwardian terraces, weatherboards, and converted warehouses where winter condensation and older timber floors shape the work.

CBD, inner east and bayside

  • Melbourne CBD
  • Docklands
  • Southbank
  • Richmond
  • Camberwell
  • Box Hill
  • St Kilda
  • Brighton

High-rise apartment towers alongside heritage family homes where building access windows and owners corporation rules decide the schedule.

Outer south east and western corridors

  • Dandenong
  • Glen Waverley
  • Frankston
  • Werribee
  • Point Cook
  • Cranbourne
  • Narre Warren
  • Tarneit

Family homes on large blocks where ducted heating registers, large floor plans, and outdoor paving are regularly booked together.

What do Melbourne customers ask about curtain cleaning?

How much does curtain cleaning cost in Melbourne?

A small set is $65, a medium set $89 and a large set $120, including GST. Blockout and heavy lined sets start at $150 because the fabric holds far more. A set means one window.

Do you take the curtains down?

No, everything is done on the rail. Taking curtains down is where most of the damage and nearly all of the cost comes from. Hooks go missing, fabric shrinks and pleats never sit right again, and your windows sit bare for a week.

Can blockout curtains be cleaned safely?

Yes, but only without washing them. The blockout layer is a coating fixed to the back of the fabric, and water makes it crack and lift away in patches. We keep moisture off the backing, which is the whole reason this happens on the rail.

Will my curtains shrink?

Washing is what shrinks curtains, and ours never go through a wash. Cotton and linen shrink in water, and a few per cent on a long drop leaves the hem above the floor. On the rail we keep moisture low and check the fabric first.

How long do they take to dry?

Usually a few hours, though it varies with the fabric and runs longer in winter. Low moisture means the fabric is barely damp rather than wet. In a cold room we bring airflow so it does not sit damp into the night.

Can you remove mould from the bottom of the curtains?

Often yes, if it is surface growth on the fabric. Mould that has been there for years can leave staining behind even after the growth is lifted. We check the hem at the start and tell you what to expect before we quote.

Do you clean blinds as well?

Fabric and vertical blinds are quoted separately once we have seen the type, since they behave nothing like curtains. Venetians and timber need a different approach again. Mention them when you enquire and we will price it together.

How often should curtains be cleaned?

Every 12 to 24 months for most rooms, and yearly for bedrooms with single glazing. Fabric holds dust long before it looks dirty, and hem mould starts in one winter rather than several. Sheers usually need it sooner than heavy curtains.

We stay until it's right

Our cleaners don't leave until you're happy with the work. For end of lease cleans, if you're not satisfied and tell us within 72 hours, we come back and re-clean.

Ready to book curtain cleaning in Melbourne?

Tell us how many windows and whether they are blockout or sheer. We send a fixed price back.

  • Reply within 2 hours
  • No lock-in contracts
  • Open 6am to 10pm, 7 days
Call 0483 982 111

Monday to Sunday: 6:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Level 12, 123 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

How many curtains need cleaning?

What type of curtains?

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