27
Aug

How to clean your blinds

          

There are two methods we usually use when it comes to cleaning our blinds. Firstly we grab a cloth, a splash of dish washing liquid, water and a bucket of water, or we try the extreme alternative by taking down the window fitment, place them in the tub, scrub & dry them and thereafter hanging them back up again.

The following method is great to clean , plastic and even wooden blinds. Thereafter I will recommend a cleaning method for fabric blinds.

Non-fabric blinds

Get the dust off the blind. This can be done in a simple manner such as using a blind duster, using an old sock, microfiber cloth or even the vacuum cleaner. Avoid feather dusters as they throw too much dust around when used. With horizontal blinds work from top to bottom and with vertical blinds from left to right. Just remember that not all blinds are properly fixed into their brackets and may fall out during the cleaning process, be prepared.

Add a few drops of dishwashing liquid into a bucket of warm water, dunk your cloth into the water and rinse it, until damp. For scummy build up like nicotine, add a tablespoon of baking soda to the mix. Close your blinds so that they are completely flat with a slight tilt towards you, big enough to fit your hand into. Now following the top down (for vertical blinds) and the left to right (for horizontal) approach to start cleaning. “Pinch” the cloth around each individual slate and pull to the other end of the slate to wipe away any dirt or dust. Be sure to rinse your cloth in between.

Fabric blinds

Fabric blinds should be vacuumed regularly to avoid any dirt build up or discoloration. Keep in mind that dust attracts dirt. By dusting regularly you will be fine.

Flat roller blinds can be washed by completely unrolling them. Firstly vacuum; thereafter wash each side of the blind with a warm-soapy well wrung out sponge. Leave the blind unrolled for a day or more to dry. It is important to always test the cleaning process on a small area first to avoid damage to the entire blind.

Tips & tricks

  • If you don’t have a microfiber cloth at home, use an old (but clean) acrylic or polyester sock.
  • If your aluminum blinds are in the kitchen, where there is a large grease exposure, they may need more attention. Time for a deep clean! This time the blinds need to be taken off and placed in the bath tub with warm water and dish washing liquid. You should allow the blind to soak for about an hour; thereafter they should be rinsed with warm water and left to dry.
  • Start from the top when you clean, otherwise dirt will fall on already cleaned areas.