Florida humidity, mildew and sun: what they do to drapes

Mildew starts behind the drape

The coolest surface in a Florida room is often the window glass, especially with the air conditioning running. Warm, humid air meets it, condenses, and the lining that hangs against the glass stays damp. Dust in the fabric feeds mildew, which shows up as gray or black speckling on the back of the lining, a musty smell when the drapes move, or brown spotting near the hem.

What helps: keep drapes an inch or two off the glass where the hardware allows, run the air handler's fan rather than shutting the house up, and have the drapes cleaned so there's less dust for mildew to live on. Light mildew staining usually lifts; heavy growth that has eaten into the fibers leaves a mark.

Sun rot shows up on the leading edges

The vertical edge where two panels meet, and the outermost folds, take the most sun. Silk and cotton are weakened first. Faded stripes, fabric that feels papery, or small splits along a fold all point to UV damage.

Cleaning can't put back strength or dye the sun has taken, and agitating rotted fabric can split it. That's why we test and inspect the edges before cleaning, and tell you which panels are safe to clean and which are near the end of their life.

Linings fail before the face fabric

Linings, especially foam-backed blackout linings, take the heat between the glass and the drapery. They crack, flake and go brittle years before the decorative face shows wear. If you see crumbs of white or gray coating on the sill, the lining is breaking down. Drapes can be relined by a workroom, and we can point you to one.

How often to clean in Florida

• Most homes: every 18 months to two years
• North-facing rooms, homes near water, or houses closed for the summer: every year
• Vacation homes: before the season you arrive

Between cleanings, vacuum the pleats and header with a soft brush attachment every few months. It's the single best thing you can do for drapes.

How on-site drapery cleaning works