Curtains- to Clean or not to Clean?

Many of us will rarely clean/wash our curtains- well every-now and-again. But It's not as often as you would clean your carpets furnishings etc. Most people are loath to put them into the washing machine because it can ruin them-dependent on the fabric and dry cleaning is expensive. So, you give them the odd vacuum, which is ok, but if you live in a polluted area (smokey etc) they will collect the dirt. Also they can harbour dust mites which will contribute to allegies.

I had a call to clean a set of curtains that had not been cleaned in 50 years- yes 50! In all honesty, they were not that dirty as you would think. And a quick and simple process was all that was needed; a good hoovering and, due to the type of fabric, a sponging down with a 'Dry Foam' cleaning solution - a soapy foam that is sponged/brushed onto the fabric, and is then hoovered again when dry to remove any residue dirt - easy cheap and effective. The customer was well satisfied with the result and on this occasion the customer had taken them down, but they can just as easily be done in situ and is, for me, preferable.