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How Much Does Curtain Cleaning Cost in Melbourne?
Ring around for curtain cleaning quotes and you will notice something: almost nobody will give you a number. You get a form, a callback, and a price at the end of it.
We understand why — curtains genuinely do vary — but it makes it impossible to work out whether you are looking at a hundred dollars or a thousand before you have committed to a home visit. So here is our actual price list, and then an honest explanation of what moves it.
How curtains are priced
Curtains are priced per metre of track width, not per panel.
That surprises people, so it is worth explaining. A pair of curtains on a three metre track is three metres of fabric whether it hangs as two panels or four. Charging per panel would mean a narrow window with two skinny curtains cost the same as a wide one — which is not how the work goes. Measuring the track is simply the honest way to do it.
The rate then steps up with the drop, because a long curtain carries more fabric and takes more handling.
Standard curtains and drapes
| Drop | Price |
|---|---|
| Up to 2.4m | $80 per metre of track |
| 2.4m to 3.8m | $95 per metre of track |
| Over 3.8m | $130 per metre of track |
Sheers
| Drop | Price |
|---|---|
| Up to 3m | $80 per metre of track |
| Over 3m | $100 per metre of track |
Velvet, silk, linen and satin
| Drop | Price |
|---|---|
| Up to 2.4m | $115 per metre of track |
| 2.4m to 3.8m | $155 per metre of track |
| Over 3.8m | $200 per metre of track |
Those prices cover the whole job: taking the curtains down, cleaning them at our own plant in Melton, bringing them back and rehanging them properly. No separate labour charge, no callout fee.
How blinds are priced
Blinds are priced per square metre — width multiplied by drop — because a blind is a flat surface rather than gathered fabric.
| Blind | Price |
|---|---|
| Roller — sunscreen | $35 per m² |
| Roller — blockout | $40 per m² |
| Venetian | $45 per m² |
| Roman | $45 per m² |
| Austrian | $45 per m² |
Take-down and rehanging are included here too.
Pelmets, swags and valances
Priced per metre of width, since there is no drop to speak of.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Pelmet | $50 per metre |
| Swags and tails | $60 per metre |
| Valance on hooks | $40 per metre |
Mould treatment
Mould along a hem needs treating before cleaning rather than instead of it, so it is a separate line: $10 per metre on curtains, $10 per m² on blinds. It is only added where there is actually mould to treat, and we will show you what we found.
Repairs and hardware
Curtains come down and things get noticed — a dropped hook, a track that has never run properly, a cord on its last legs. Repairs are quoted per item and are entirely optional, from $15 for a hook replacement and $18 for a ring, through cord replacement at $45, seam and heading repairs from $35, track repair at $65 and track replacement at $130, up to $280 for a replacement motor on a powered track.
Nothing gets repaired without you agreeing to it first.
What else moves the price
The drop. Already in the tables above, but it is the single biggest factor. A café curtain over a kitchen sink and a four metre drop in a double-height lounge are not the same job. Long drops need more handling, more space on the finishing equipment, and two people rather than one on the ladder.
Lining. An unlined panel is one layer of fabric. A lined curtain is two, and an interlined one is three, with a soft cotton bump in the middle for weight and insulation. Each layer has to be treated so it comes back matched to the others, which is more work than cleaning three separate things.
Fabric. Sheers are light and quick to handle but need a gentler process and careful drying so the hem stays true. Blockout fabric is heavy and carries a coating on the back that has to be treated so it does not crack or lift. Velvet, silk and linen sit in their own band because the pile and the weave both have to be protected.
Condition. Curtains that have not been touched in a decade take more work than curtains cleaned on a sensible cycle. Heavy smoke or damp odour may need a second pass. We will also tell you when a curtain is not worth cleaning at all — sun-damaged fabric that is going to split is better replaced than paid for twice.
How we compare on price
Most curtain cleaners in Melbourne will not publish anything at all, so comparing is harder than it should be. Two things worth asking whoever else you speak to.
Ask whether take-down and rehanging are included or quoted separately. A cleaning price that looks lower often lands higher once the labour is added, and the labour is the part involving ladders and two visits to your house.
Ask where the cleaning actually happens. A general dry cleaner sends curtains through equipment built for garments. We clean them at our own plant, on machines set up for long lengths of drapery, which is the difference between curtains that come back right and curtains that come back creased.
Why we still look before quoting
The rates above are the real ones, and if you know your track widths you can do the sums yourself. What you cannot see from a tape measure is how the curtain is constructed, what the lining is doing, whether the track is sound, or how the fabric has aged — and those are the things that decide whether a job is straightforward.
A number given over the phone without seeing the curtains is a number that changes later, and nobody enjoys that conversation. So we come and look, quote properly against the prices above, and you decide from there. The quote costs nothing.
Common questions
Why per metre and not per curtain? Because a metre of fabric is a metre of work regardless of how many panels it is split into. Pricing per panel would penalise narrow windows and undercharge wide ones.
Which measurement do you use? Track width for curtains, pelmets, swags and valances. Width times drop for blinds. We measure at the quote, so you do not have to.
Is take-down and rehanging really included? Yes. It is part of the job rather than an add-on, which is worth checking when you compare quotes — a lower cleaning price with labour on top often lands higher.
Do you charge more for a long drop? Yes, and the tables above show exactly where the steps are. It is built into the rate rather than added as a surcharge.
Can you clean just one room? Yes, and it is a sensible way to start if you are not sure about the whole house, or you want privacy in the bedrooms while the rest are away.
Will everything come out? General soiling and odour usually improve a great deal. Old sun fade, water marks and set-in stains may not lift completely, and we would rather tell you that at the quote than afterwards.
Get a proper number
Tell us what you have and we will measure it up and quote against the prices on this page. Cleaning Melbourne’s curtains since 1983, from our own plant in Melton.
