Cleaning curtains is easy, isn't it? Especially net curtains. Take them down, throw them in the washing machine, one-hour wash and dry - job done! What's so complicated about that?

Nothing.

However, it is a bit more complicated than that if you have curtains that close over your windows at night, or at any other time, because they are made of heavier materials. There is a huge choice of curtain materials out there, and you may very well have chosen yours simply because you liked the colour or pattern of the material, without giving a moment's thought to how they should be cleaned a few months down the line. And why should you? You looked through the brochure or went to your local drapery and materials shop (yes, they do still exist), or perhaps went online.

You might have searched for some time until you found the perfect curtains for your lounge/bedroom/kitchen/conservatory/or whatever windows. Then suddenly you found a pattern and material that you both agreed on and placed the order.

Great. They arrive. You hang them on the curtain rail, and they look absolutely fabulous. Everybody is over the moon.

However, here's the tricky bit. As with anything else in the home, the curtains will get dirty. No, they don't show it as fast as the coffee table-top, the TV screen (boy - don't they gather dust!), and the other furniture, but nonetheless they gather the same amount of dust. It is just that, unless they are of a very light-coloured material, they don't really show it. However, there comes a point when you suddenly think "Oh heck! Those curtains really need a clean!" Suddenly, it is curtain cleaning time, but how do you go about it?

Look, washing the bath towels, shirts, underwear, and so on is easy. You chuck it all in the washing machine, select the correct programme, and switch it on.

But curtains are a bit different. To begin with, they are a lot bigger than your average shirt or blouse and may be of very much heavier material. Do you wash them, or do you have them dry cleaned? (You DID read the manufacturer's instructions, didn't you?). OK, you read the manufacturer's instructions, but that was 18 months ago, and you can't remember where you put them anyway.

Aaaarrrggghh! Curtain cleaning and drapery cleaning can be a real pain.

It is a fairly safe bet that, if the curtains are of a heavy material, you might be taking a risk putting them in the washing machine. They might not even fit in it anyway, which is more likely to be the case than not. In that instance, it is best to trot them down to your local dry cleaners. Yes, it will cost a bit more, but at least you know that they are in the hands of a professional who knows what he or she is doing.

So, unless you live in a stately home with a huge hall and windows from floor to ceiling, you can probably manage one way or another. But give a thought for the poor people who run the theatre in your town. They have curtains too. Great big curtains. HUGE curtains that cover the front of the stage at the beginning and end of the performance, and in the intervals as well. They are very often made of very heavy materials - so heavy that they can only be installed by trained professionals - yet they also get just as dirty as those in your living room. In fact, they probably get dirtier, because there are audiences trooping in off the street every night of the week bringing dust and dirt with them. It can't be helped.

So those theatre curtains also need to be cleaned. But how do you clean curtains with a 20' drop that may be 25' wide and made of a heavy velvet? Oh, and they also have to be flame-retardant as well, in order to comply with legislation. It ain't easy!

Fortunately, there are a few companies in the UK who not only manufacture theatre curtains but also provide curtain cleaning services for them. Whatever size curtains you have, whether they are theatre curtains, conference hall curtains, college lecture room curtains, or more, they will be able to clean them and also re-flameproof them as well where that is required.