How To Clean Window Blinds - The Right Way

After Budget Blinds installs your window coverings and leaves, the care and upkeep falls to you! Will you shirk this responsibility? Of course not! And we won’t leave you out to dry either! This time on the Budget Blinds of Scottsdale blog we are talking about how to clean window blinds, the best way. After all, you take care of your blinds, they will take care of you!

Blinds are a wonderful window covering but to keep them looking their best you need to keep up with the regular care they need.

How To Clean Window Blinds the Right Way

If you have spent any time looking at our products, you know that there are a lot of different blinds out there. Materials ranging from wood (both real and faux), cloth, vinyl, and more - for each of which you should take a different tact to ensure you are doing the best job cleaning possible, without any possible damage to the window coverings.

1 - Assume the Position

Lower your blinds completely. If the slats are made to overlap, don’t close the blinds fully, instead leaving a bit of room between each slat to allow for easier access.

2 - Bust that Dust

Dusting is a crucial step in proper blind maintenance, especially here in the Valley! Use a feather duster, microfiber duster, or soft cloth to remove as much dust as possible. Dust lightly at first, moving in the same direction as the slats. Afterwards til the slats again and  continue dusting. If you seem to need a more heavy duty dusting, use a vacuum cleaner with a special attachment.

Once you have done one side, manipulate the controls to reverse the blinds and bust that dust again!

Note: Make sure your vacuum is set to a reasonable level of suction! If it is too strong you can warp or damage the blinds and cords.

3 - Spot Clean as Needed

If your blinds have a particularly bad mess, a spill or spot that needs more than dusting it’s time to step it up a notch. Now you want to take a cloth, warm water, and soap and dab the stain with the damp cloth. The soap and warm water will help break up and remove any grease or residue.

4 - Wipe Dry

Leaving any excess moisture on your blinds is a surefire way to have a bad time, no matter what material they are made of. Once you’ve finished spot cleaning as necessary, be sure to give your blinds a good drying.

Material Matters

With some materials you will want to take somewhat different approaches for. Read on to see what specific things you should keep in mind for your specific kind of blinds.

Wood

Most wood blinds (that includes faux wood) are treated with a special finish to protect from dirt and stains as well as lock in that great wood finish. To properly clean your blinds make sure you aren’t using any cleaner that is harsh enough to strip this protective coat. You may be able to get away with just using water, but again make sure you give it a good drying

Fabric

Fabric blinds can hold stains a lot worse than other, harder blinds (go figure). When you attempt to clean the stains, try sponging warm water or a mild soap. Make sure to blot, not rub as the friction can damage the fabric blinds. 

Vinyl or Metal Blinds

Vinyl and metal blinds have a more rigid structure to them, obviously, which makes it much harder (or impossible) for them to bounce back if they get bent or warped. So take exceptional care when servicing those blinds.

So there you have it! A basic how to clean window blinds guide! Of course we didn’t get to cover everything, and there are plenty of other custom window solutions available out there. When you schedule your free in-home consultation with Larry or Steve they will give you the full run down on your options and are more than happy to help you understand how best to care for your window coverings.