Cleaning window blinds

At first, you might wonder why this article is written because this pertains to cleaning of window treatments and consider it a very practical no-need-to-explain task. Believe it or not, while some window blinds are easy to clean, others can be tricky and can damage your blinds if you are not careful enough.

There are different cleaning approaches to different types of window blinds. The cleaning method for a wood blinds, for instance, is different from those of vinyl or aluminum blinds. Keep in mind that you can minimize your expenses if you regularly clean your window treatments with feather duster, cloth or soft vacuum attachment. Below are the general tips and procedures in cleaning some types of blinds and preserving it.

Wood Blinds

Regardless of the type of wood applied on each slat of the blinds, you must take extreme caution when cleaning it. Avoid using water or water-based solutions on them. Water, excessive moisture and related cleaning products can permanently damage your wooden blinds. The recommended way in cleaning wooden blinds is to use a feather duster, a soft head vacuum attachment, or a clean but dry cloth. If you are using a cleaning product, make sure that it is made for cleaning wood and it is not water-based. If you regularly clean your wooden blinds with the recommended methods, you would not need to use a cleaning product.

Aluminum and Vinyl Blinds

For aluminum and vinyl blinds, the first recommended cleaning option is similar to the wooden blinds: feather dusting. If you clean your blinds in a regular basis, you do not need to have a heavy cleaning and use of other cleaning products become unnecessary. To clean the blinds, first turn the slats downward in a sloped position. Work your way from the upper portion to the lower part and dust them briskly using a feather duster (a dry cloth and soft vacuum attachment can also be used). Be sure to brush them gently to prevent the slats from acquiring damage. If your blinds are heavily dusted, you may use cloth and warm water or a mild detergent to clean over them.

Vertical Blinds

Compared to other blinds, vertical blinds are the easiest to clean. The vertical position of slats prevents dusts from being collected unlike blinds with horizontal slats. You can simply get a feather duster and gently brush the slats from top to bottom.

Fabric Shades

Fabric shades can be cleaned with a duster or with a soft vacuum attachment. Cleaning this blinds type is usually minimal. If your fabric blinds have stains, you can use sponge blotting or use a cleaning solution. But make sure that the cleaning product are made especially for fabrics.

Faux Wood Shutters

Faux wood shutters require only a mild detergent or warm water to preserve its new look for years. Get a piece of clean cloth and wipe over the panels and louvers to remove the dust, dirt and grease. Do not use paint thinner or petroleum-based products to clean faux wood shutters as this may surely damage the blinds. Feather duster and soft vacuum attachment is fine for regular cleaning.

Also check out spring cleaning window blinds