The best way to teach you how to clean blinds is to teach you how to never have to! The best cleaning tip we can give you is to keep up with housekeeping chores by maintaining them consistently so that it never gets overwhelming. Keeping a lamb’s wool duster handy and running it over your closed blinds once a week will keep them dust-free consistently. If you don’t, this housekeeping chore becomes a very tedious and odious process. If this happens, you will want to follow the hints and tricks below to minimize frustration and get your blinds back in order. Then: Maintain, maintain, maintain so you can do more fun things with your Saturdays than cleaning blinds!
Vertical blinds:
Vertical blinds do not collect dust as badly as horizontals but still will need a cleaning now and then. Once a week close the blinds and run a lamb’s wool duster over them to keep them dust and cobweb free. Once per month using a microfiber rag dampened with a water-peroxide mixture (never too wet), carefully and gently fold the rag over the blind slat and from top to bottom wipe clean. Do not pull down roughly or you can easily break the slat off its hanger.
Horizontal Aluminum, Wood or Faux Wood Blinds:
This style of blinds is essential to maintain or they accumulate extensive dust that is difficult to remove. Close the blinds with dusty side facing you. First use a vacuum with a brush attachment and vacuum as much of the dust from the blinds as you can. Next using a DRY microfiber rag (or an old sock works great too) hold the blinds still against the window with one hand and with the other, going section by section and top to bottom, wipe the blinds back and forth and slightly up and down (allowing your socked hand or the rag to get under the upper slat) to be sure you get the entire slat. Once you have completed the entire set of blinds, you can go back with a damp rag to get any stains that might need a wet treatment. If you have very dusty blinds and use a wet rag before following the described process, you will be sorry! The wet rag will create a muddy mess that is even harder to clean.
Fabric Pleated Shades:
Usually vacuuming this type of blind occasionally is going to be sufficient. If more cleaning is needed use a white rag and a little detergent and blot out stains or gently wipe across fabric for a more thorough cleaning.
Roman Shades:
Vacuum this type of blind with an upholstery attachment. If the fabric gets dirty, try spot cleaning using a mild detergent.
Keeping up with all the different house cleaning can seem overwhelming but really the most important thing is to always keep up with it. The maintenance is generally fast and easy if done on a regular basis. If you need a little help with your cleaning chores, click below and our cleaning service can come to the rescue or check out the rest of our How to Clean Series!
