How to Stop White Blinds from Fading

White blinds are a timeless trend and are found in a majority of the homes in the United States! In Arizona, we know how hard it can be to keep whites bright though, thanks to the harsh sunlight. So today, Budget Blinds of North Glendale will be going over how to clean, reduce the risk of yellowing, and what to do when your blinds yellow. 

What Causes White Blinds to Yellow?

A number of other things, including UV exposure, can cause all whte blinds, including aluminum and faux wood blinds, to yellow. 

First of all, only white and other light-coloured faux wood blinds that are ever at risk of yellowing; darker colors don’t yellow, but can potentially fade and discolor in other ways, usually for the same reasons that cause yellowing in light-coloured faux wood blinds, but to different effect.

There are three main culprits that cause yellowing; these are:

• Exposure to UV/ bright sun over the period of several years 

• Tobacco smoke.

• General build-up of dirt and grime

Thankfully, good quality modern faux wood blinds are treated with a specialist coating to prevent this; which means that yellowing caused by UV exposure likely only occurs on lower-end blinds, and potentially older blinds where the protective coating has faded. 

Over time, exposure to UV rays breaks down any protective coating. This can range from 7-8 years for aluminum and faux wood blinds. 

Can you Clean the Yellowing Off Blinds?

Maybe! If the blind has yellowed due to nicotine or general grime, then yes! You can clean them fairly easily. 

However, if your blind has been exposed to heavy nicotine staining, especially if it’s been in that state for years, it has likely compromised the integrity of the slats of the blind so, you may not be able to restore it fully to its original color. That said, you should still be able to achieve a marked improvement from your starting position.

How to Clean Your White Blinds

How to clean faux wood blinds that have yellowed is best approached in terms of a “less is more” approach.

Here’s how to clean faux wood blinds that have yellowed (other than by means of sun exposure, which cannot be fixed):

• Try using a damp cloth soaked in lukewarm water and a mild detergent solution (like washing up liquid), to wipe off the slats.

• Finally, if you’re in last resort territory and your aluminum blinds are (or rather, once were) white and not any other color, you might be able to bring back their color by adding two to three small cups of bleach to a bath half-full of cold water, and soaking the blind’s slats in this for up to ten minutes before washing them and rinsing them off.

We do not recommend using anything abrasive and avoid bleaching faux wood blinds – both will cause damage to your blinds. Finally, a couple of cautions on how to clean faux wood blinds that have yellowed without ruining them:

If your blind has coloured decorative ladder tapes, lemon juice, vinegar, and of course, bleach in any shape or form will potentially discolor these, and so you will need to limit yourself to cleaning the ladder tapes as best you can with just water and a mild detergent, and keeping anything more heavy-duty than this well away from the tapes themselves.

Also, whilst not hugely likely to happen, lemon juice and/or vinegar may affect the paint or finish of your blind as they’re acidic, so start with the baking soda and only move on if needed, starting by experimenting on a small, unobtrusive part of the blind first to make sure it doesn’t cause any damage. The same holds true for bleach solutions as well.

Things that May Lower Risk of Yellowing

You can’t always prevent yellowing, as aging is a big component of it. However, you can prolong your white blinds’ lifespans. You can place them in north-south facing windows to avoid direct sunlight and add exterior protection, such as a cornice or shutters to help block the sun. Additionally, you can add landscaping near your windows that provides shade. 

Or, you may need to replace your blinds and start over. If that’s the case, visit us online at Budget Blinds of North Glendale! We’ll get you set up with the right window treatments for your budget and your style.