How To Clean Your Blinds

So you may be thinking to yourself, "Why on earth is there an entire article dedicated to cleaning blinds? How hard could it really be?" The truth is that nowadays, blinds are made out of so many different materials and fabrics that cleaning them incorrectly could possibly damage them forever.

We at Budget Blinds of Snohomish County want your blinds to last for a good, long while, so we're here to give you some cleaning tips that will help make cleaning your blinds a breeze.

There are basically five main materials that blinds are made of: wood, plastic, metal, vinyl and fabric. You can also choose from different styles of blinds such as Roman, vertical, or basic horizontal blinds. Whichever you choose, these tips will be useful in helping you keep your blinds in tip-top condition.

Vacuum Blinds Regularly

One thing you want to try to avoid is dust build up. Once dust has built up on your blinds it can be incredibly difficult to remove and will cost you a lot more time and effort to clean. Instead, get into the habit of vacuuming your blinds regularly. Be sure to vacuum across the slats of the blinds and not up and down. Use the soft brush attachment that came with your vacuum for best results.

Use The Right Duster

If you're just doing some light cleaning, you may want to just give your blinds a quick dusting. Keep in mind that all dusters are not created equal. Choose a lamb's wool duster for best results and avoid plastic dusters at all costs. Plastic dusters can scratch your blinds and damage them permanently.

Dusting Vertical Blinds

If you have ever dusted vertical blinds, you know that if you try to dust them from bottom to top they usually end up coming unhooked and falling on your head. Remember to only dust from top to bottom and not bottom to top to prevent the slats from becoming unhooked.

Use a Dry Sponge

A dry sponge is a rubber-like sponge you can usually find at hardware or painting supply stores. These are great for cleaning blinds. Just wipe your fabric or vinyl blinds firmly with the sponge and it quickly removes dust and grime.

All-Purpose Cleaner

For those "tough to clean" blinds, you may need to call in the big guns. All-purpose cleaner is great to use on blinds but remember, never spray the cleaner directly onto the blinds. It is best to spray the cleaner onto a clean cotton rag, then wipe down your blinds. This keeps the blinds from becoming saturated with cleaner and keeps the cleaner exactly where you want it rather than all over your blinds.

Dry Cleaning

Some fabric blinds can be easily cleaned by your local dry cleaner. Call and ask if they will accept blinds for cleaning before you take them in. Most places do a great job at dry cleaning fabric blinds and don't charge too much for this service.

Cleaning Metal and Vinyl Blinds

The best way to clean metal and vinyl blinds is to follow these simple steps:

• Lay your blinds out on a small rug on your patio or driveway
• Place a few drops of dishwashing liquid into a bucket of water
• Using a car washing brush, gently scrub your blinds from side to side; be sure to flip the blinds over and clean them on the other side as well
• Rinse the blinds gently with a hose or bucket of clean water
• Gently run your fingers over each slat to remove any excess water
• Lay blinds out to air dry in the beautiful Snohomish County breeze

We hope you found these cleaning tips helpful and would love to know if you have any tips of your own. Feel free to leave a comment and tell us your favorite way to clean blinds!