Cleaning blinds on a regular basis will keep them from becoming disgusting dust traps. Luckily, it’s fairly easy to keep them in clean and in good shape. Here are some tips on cleaning your blinds.
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- You should vacuum your blinds frequently with a brush attachment. You will want to vacuum across the slots, and not up or down (unless they are vertical blinds).
- A soft duster, such as one made of lamb’s wool, can also be used in a similar manner to using a vacuum cleaner. Work from the top to bottom.
- Remember when you’re either vacuuming or dusting to only brush in a downward motion, as the slats can become unhooked if you brush upwards.
- Using a rubber sponge, which is also known as a dry sponge, you can remove dust and residue from both vinyl and fabric blinds. To do so, simply wipe the dry sponge firmly, but gently, across the blinds. Dry sponges can be found at hardware and paint stores.
- If you just need to spot clean your blinds, an all-purpose cleaner can be sprayed onto a dry cloth and be used to wipe the dirty area of the blinds. You should not spray the cleaner directly onto the blinds.
- If your fabric blinds become excessively dirty, you can take them to a dry cleaner for a thorough cleaning.
- You can clean your metal or vinyl blinds by taking them outside for a thorough cleaning. Lay them on a rug or piece of carpet. Put a little bit of dish washing soap (just a few drops, really) into a bucket of water. Wet a car-washing brush with this mixture and brush the blinds from side to side. Turn them over and repeat. Gently rinse the blinds with a garden hose while tilting them so that the water can run off. You can prevent water spots from forming by running your finger down the slats a couple of times to remove water. When you’re done cleaning them, you can drape the blinds over a fence for drying.
- Wooden blinds can become wet while you’re cleaning them, but be sure not to soak them. You should clean them in place, rather than removing them as you would for other blinds.
- Do not attempt to clean blinds by spraying them with a high pressure hose or dunking them in a tub. These methods could damage your blinds.
