Sure, you clean your windows regularly, but what about the blinds or shades that cover them? They also need some tender loving care. But don't worry - you don't have to clean one slat at a time or take the whole thing off the window. All you need is a few simple tools and a few minutes to improve your view. Learn how to quickly and easily clean your blinds and add this easy method to your list of regular cleaning tasks.
How to Clean Your Blinds – Follow These Steps
Whether made of vinyl, wood, fabric, or aluminum, blinds are great for regulating room temperature, blocking out light, and protecting privacy from nosy neighbors, but they're also great for collecting dust, pet hair, and other debris. This means you can easily and easily clean your blinds.
Step 1: Gather your materials
First things first: you need these cleaning supplies:
- Vacuum cleaner with soft brush attachment
- Microfiber cloths
- Dishwashing detergent
- Warm water
- Sodium bicarbonate
Step 2: Close the blinds and dust
First, lower it completely. Wood and imitation wood blinds can be completely closed. The slats of vinyl and aluminum blinds, which often overlap, should be tilted down but not completely closed.
For vertical blinds, hold the bottom with one hand to stabilize it. Wipe them with a microfiber cloth, starting at the top and working your way down. Swipe in a downward motion or they may become unhooked. You can also use your vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment and a low suction setting to remove dust.
For horizontal models, the process is exactly the same, except you swipe from side to side. Work from the upper slat to the lower slat so that the dust does not fall on the already cleaned areas.
Then turn the blinds so the other side is facing you and repeat the process with your microfiber cloth or vacuum cleaner.
Tipp:Use a damp cloth if it is heavily soiled: If dusting is not enough, use a microfiber cloth dampened with warm water. If you have wooden blinds, make sure they are not too wet.
Step 3: Perform a deep clean if necessary
If your vinyl or aluminum blinds are in the kitchen where they are exposed to grease, residue, or stubborn dust, they may need a deep cleaning. Remove them from the window and place them in a bathtub with warm water, a few generous squirts of dish soap, and a cup of baking soda (a natural stain remover). Let them soak for about an hour and then rinse with warm water. Finally, wipe away any excess dirt or dust.
Notice: If your blinds still look dingy and yellowed, they've probably been stained by the sun - and that can be fixed, too. Place them in the tub with cold water and 3 cups (700 ml) of liquid bleach. Don't let them soak for more than 10 minutes, then rinse and dry thoroughly. The bleach should bring the new, bright white to life.
Step 4: Vacuum away the coarse dust
If you've just run a damp cloth over your blinds, open them and let them air dry. Vacuum up any remaining dust that has fallen on the windowsill or floor.
Additional tips and tricks on how to clean blinds
- Clean your blinds regularly: If you do this once a month then the dust will not become too much. Well-maintained blinds should last for decades (although most only come with a five-year warranty).
- No microfiber cloth? No problem:Wipes are great, but an old (clean!) sock works just as well. Slip the sock over your hand, dip it in water and you're ready to clean all the window coverings in your home.
- You can also clean your shutters and fabric blinds:If you have shutters, you can clean them exactly following the procedure described above. If you have fabric blinds, such as Roman blinds or honeycomb blinds, you can also clean them at home - although the process is a little different. Lower the blinds and use your vacuum's soft brush attachment and low suction setting to move from top to bottom. When you're done with one side, move behind the fabric curtain and vacuum the other side. Also vacuum the back of the fabric shade.
If there are stains, treat them with a mixture of plain dish soap and warm water in a bowl (and a teaspoon of baking soda for severe stains). Dampen a microfiber cloth with the solution and wring it out so that the cloth remains damp but not soaked. Blot the stain with the damp cloth. Do this several times depending on the stubbornness of the stain. Repeat the process with a clean cloth dampened with plain water and allow the stain to air dry. If spot cleaning isn't enough to get rid of the stain, you can take the fabric blinds to the dry cleaners for a thorough refresh.
Do you know how to wash your curtains and keep dust away from home textiles? Thefind out here!
