The Easiest Way To Clean Window Blinds

Everyone likes to be thorough when they clean their homes but most people forget to clean window blinds when they do.  To make sure you have clean window blinds that last a long time and stay in good condition it is important to make sure they don’t gather too much dust and grime.  Cleaning blinds is a simple and easy thing to do but you need to make sure you attend to them regularly to keep them looking as good as new. Below we have detailed the steps you can follow to keep your blinds looking great. You Will Need:

• Feather duster.
• Vacuum cleaner, with upholstery attachment.
• Microfiber cloth.
• Warm soapy water.

Step 1: Remove Surface Dust

The first step to getting clean window blinds is to take your feather duster and remove any dust sitting on the surface of the blinds.  If you are cleaning a fabric Roman blind use the vacuum blind cleaner with an upholstery attachment. Some vacuum cleaners allow you to set the suction speed, ensure it is on the lowest setting should you be able to.  The feather is the best duster for blinds, Venetian blinds, or mini blinds. Opening the slats to run the feather duster between them to remove the dust on both the top and the bottom of each slat. Be careful not to apply too much pressure to the slats as that might cause them to bend or break.  If you are cleaning  roller blinds, simply roll the blind down and dust both the front and back of the blind. Vertical blinds happily do not attract much dust, but it is still good practice to run your duster over each side of the slats regularly.

Step 2: Remove Grime

The first step should be sufficient to keep your blinds clean if done regularly.  But we know that sometimes grime starts to develop that a simple feather dusting won’t remove, especially blinds that are in the kitchen.  Using the microfibre cloth and some soapy water suffices to remove the more stubborn grime. Simply make one end of the cloth damp and gently wipe off the grime.  Do not use too much detergent in your water as we don’t want the blind to become too soapy. If the stains are particularly stubborn adding some bicarbonate of soda to the soapy water will aid your cleaning.  You do not want to have your cloth too wet so wring it out as much as you can this will prevent the slats from warping. A particular problem with cleaning wooden Venetian blinds. If you are cleaning roller blinds you want to wipe them down in much the same way as a Venetian blind.  Putting them in the bath with mild soapy water can often play havoc with the roller mechanisms, so it’s best not to. For fabric blinds, spot cleaning in this way may work well, but you may also wish to consider getting them professionally dry cleaned; putting them in the washing machine is an option, but may damage the fabric. Remember to clean the mountings and side tracks as well.

Step 3: Dry Your Blinds

The last step is to use the dry side of the microfibre cloth, or another dry cloth if you happen to have one, to remove any excess water and detergent on the slats.  As with the dusting blinds, you need to be very gentle to remove any excess water being careful not to use excessive force that might damage the slats. Then open your window to allow any water left to evaporate off.

Cleaning Cellular Shades

If you have cellular shades or honeycomb blinds, then you will need a can of compressed air, available in most hardware shops, to get dust, spider webs and insects out from the inside the cells.  If you can’t find a can of compressed air, a hairdryer set to very cool and on the lowest setting can also be used. The front and back of the cellular shades are cleaned the same way as the blinds discussed in Steps 1, 2 and 3 – that is to say with a feather duster and an almost-dry-damp cloth To clean window blinds is a relatively simple task. Regular feather dusting should keep your blinds looking great. For more stubborn dirt, a microfiber cloth with some soapy water will do the trick, but you should only need to do this twice a year.  Remember not to make the Venetian blind slats too wet or to use too much detergent. The gentle approach works best here.