How to Properly Clean Your Home’s Blinds
You probably clean your windows regularly, but what about the blinds or shades that cover them? They, too, require care, which is why you should know how to clean blinds. Window blinds, whether vinyl, wood, fabric, or aluminum, are fantastic for keeping a room cool, blocking out light, and offering privacy from nosy neighbors, but they can accumulate dust, pet hair, and other debris.
But don’t worry—you don’t have to wipe each slat individually or remove everything from the window. To change your perspective, all you need are a few straightforward tools and a few minutes. Learn how to clean blinds fast and efficiently, and incorporate this easy procedure into your daily cleaning routine.
Cleaning Your Blinds – Quick Step Process
- Gather your supplies.
First and foremost: To handle the blinds, you’ll need to acquire the following cleaning supplies:
- Soft brush attachment for vacuum cleaner
- Washcloths made of microfiber
- Dishwashing detergent
- Warm water
- Baking powder
- Draw the blinds.
Begin by lowering the blinds completely. Wood and faux-wood blinds can be entirely closed; the overlapping slats of vinyl and aluminum blinds should be slanted downward but not closed.
- Clean the blinds
To support vertical blinds, grip the bottom of the blind in one hand. Wipe the blinds with a microfiber cloth, working your way down from the top. Wipe in a downward motion to avoid them becoming unhooked. To eliminate dust, use a vacuum cleaner with a soft dusting brush attachment and a low suction setting.
The procedure for horizontal blinds is the same, except that you are cleaning from side to side. Work from top to bottom slat to avoid getting dust on places you’ve previously cleared.
Repeat the process with your microfiber cloth or vacuum on the other side of the blinds.
- For highly filthy blinds, use a moist towel.
If dusting isn’t enough, use a microfiber cloth wet with warm water to clean your blinds. If you have wooden blinds, avoid getting them too damp.
- If required, thoroughly clean
If your vinyl or aluminum blinds are in the kitchen and are subject to grease, residue, or obstinate dust, they may require a thorough cleaning. First, remove the blinds and soak them in a bathtub filled with warm water, a couple of large squirts of dish soap, and a cup of baking soda (a natural stain fighter). Allow the blinds to soak for about an hour before rinsing with warm water. Finish by wiping away any remaining dirt or dust.
- Remove any excess dust using a vacuum.
If you just wiped your blinds with a moist towel, open them and let them air dry. Vacuum any dust that may have fallen onto the windowsill or the floor while you dust.
Extra Hints & Tips
Here are a few more cleaning recommendations for your window blinds.
- Keep your blinds clean regularly.
If you clean your blinds once a month, the dust will never accumulate. Blinds that are well-maintained should last for decades (even though most only have a warranty of five years).
- Is there no microfiber cloth? Not an issue.
Cloths are excellent, but an old (clean!) sock can suffice. Put the sock over your hand, dunk it in water, and you’ll be able to clean all of your house’s window coverings.
- You may also clean the shutters and cloth blinds.
If you have shutters, you may clean them just as described above. Fabric shades, such as Roman or honeycomb, may also be cleaned at home, albeit the technique is slightly different. First, lower the shades, then use your vacuum cleaner’s soft brush attachment and a low suction setting to go over them from top to bottom. When you’ve finished one side, move behind the cloth shade and vacuum the other. Next, vacuum the cloth shade’s back as well.
If there are any stains, spot-treat them in a basin with a clear liquid dish detergent and warm water (and a teaspoon of baking soda for a heavy stain). Wet a microfiber cloth with the solution and wring it out so that it is moist but not soaked. With a moist towel, dab at the discoloration. Depending on how tenacious the stain is, repeat this process several times.
Repeat with a clean towel dampened with plain water and air-dry the shade. If spot washing does not remove the stain, take the fabric blinds to a dry cleaner for complete cleaning.
Contact Us for Professional Blind Cleaning
Window blinds and shades are essential components of your home’s décor and should be kept clean just like the rest of your space.
Unfortunately, dust, allergens, pet hair, and other dirt can build up over time and make them difficult to operate. Not to mention, dirty window blinds can impact your health. That’s why it’s important to understand how to clean them easily and effectively.
If you need help cleaning your window blinds or any other part of your home, contact Clean Heart Maids for our deep cleaning services. We will take care of every nook and cranny so you can relax and enjoy your clean home worry-free.
For more details of properly cleaning your home’s blinds, check out our article on how easy it can be to clean your blinds, regardless of the style of blind.