How to clean curtains and drapes in a coastal home in Spain
Summer sun, sea air and dust leave curtains tired. How to dust, wash and refresh curtains and drapes on the Costa del Sol before the damp autumn months.
· 2 min read
Why curtains need attention after summer
Curtains quietly collect everything in the air: fine dust, pollen, cooking smells and, near the sea, a light film of salt. After a summer of open windows and strong sun, fabric also fades and weakens along the folds that face the glass.
Autumn is a good moment to deal with them. The weather is still dry enough to air fabric properly, and you will not be shutting the windows against damp until later.
Start with a dry clean: dust and vacuum
Before any washing, take the dust out. Shake the curtains outdoors or on a terrace if you can, then vacuum them with the soft brush attachment on a low setting, working from top to bottom. Do the pelmet, the rail and the window sill too, otherwise the dust simply falls back onto clean fabric.
For heavy lined drapes that cannot be washed, this regular vacuuming is often the most useful care you can give them.
Read the label before you wash
Cotton and polyester curtains can often go in the machine on a cool, gentle cycle with a mild detergent, ideally with the drum only half full so they can move freely. Remove hooks and rings first.
Linen, silk, velvet, anything lined or with a thermal backing is a different story: follow the care label, or have them professionally cleaned. If a curtain has no label, treat it as delicate and test a hidden corner before using any product.
Dry and rehang with care
Do not tumble dry unless the label allows it, because heat shrinks many fabrics. Shake out the curtain, hang it back up while still slightly damp and let its own weight pull out the creases. In our dry climate this often takes only a few hours.
Make sure the fabric is completely dry before closing the room up for the night. Damp curtains next to cold glass are exactly where mildew starts.
Keep them fresher through the year
Rotate curtains that get strong afternoon sun, or use a sheer layer to protect the main fabric. Open windows for a few minutes each day in winter so curtains do not sit in stagnant, humid air, and check the bottom hem near windows prone to condensation.
If you look after a villa with many large windows, or a rental that needs to look perfect between guests, Lavanda can include curtains in a deep clean. We will tell you honestly when a fabric is better sent to a specialist.
