It’s likely that you clean your windows regularly, but what about your window blinds? Do they receive enough care and attention?
Giving your window furnishings some good-old fashioned TLC includes a healthy cleaning routine. And as is most commonly the case, this is something typically left for ‘spring cleaning’. By changing the gears a little bit and making it more frequent, you’ll be able to ensure your blinds look and feel their best all year round. Trust, even the best DIY blinds need maintenance.
We love window blinds for the way they help us elevate our lifestyles on a daily basis. With exceptional light and privacy control, we can customise any space to suit the way we want. However, they’re also hotbeds for dust, insects, and pet hair to name a few; those dust bunnies aren’t as cute as they sound. In order to maintain a clean and hygienic environment, it’s important to keep them fresh. Seeing as how blinds come in varying materials such as wood, fabric and polyester, it’s critical to ensure you clean them the right way. This can include technique, and of course the cleaning supplies used. The good news is that it isn’t complicated at all, and you’ll be adding to your repertoire effortlessly.
Here, we cover everything you need to know about cleaning your window blinds at home. No professional cleaners or technicalities needed.
1. What You’ll Need
Let’s start off by going over a list of items you’ll need. It’s a good idea to have these stocked and ready to go, so you’ll never be out of products when you need to clean. It just makes life so much easier when dealing with the unexpected, like last-minute guests.
- Vacuum cleaner (complete with soft-brush attachment)
- Microfibre cloth (keep a few on-hand)
- Cleaning solution/ detergent (something mild)
- Warm water
- Duster
- Gloves
2. Cleaning Your Blinds With a Microfiber Cloth, Glove or Duster
Before getting into the cleaning process, you should know that your window blinds should always be cleaned from the top down. This is because any dust/ debris dislodged will fall down, and likely settle on the bottom half of your blind. If you start from the bottom, you won’t be able to get a thorough clean in.
When you start, ensure you have a good grip of the blind. If any blinds are rolled up, open them fully. Hold one end of the blind in one hand to maintain stability. Turn any slats/ panels accordingly, so you can reach them at the back as well. Then take your duster, and start working your way layer by layer. If you see dust accumulating, shake out your duster so you’re not spreading more dust as you clean. Once done, follow this up with your microfibre cloth. You can also slightly dampen it to gather the last remnants.
3. Cleaning Your Blinds With a Vacuum
If your window blinds are excessively dusty, turn to your vacuum’s soft-brush attachment. This is a better bet than using dusters/ cloths as the motion can spread dust around the space. The brush head will be far more precise, and achieve a deeper clean. Just remember to turn the suction power down to the lowest possible setting. It’s always best to avoid higher settings as this can be too much for your blinds. Again, you want to be working from the top down.
4. Or, Take Them Down and Wash Your Blinds in a Tub
This is for when you have more time and effort to spare. If you feel like your window blinds are too soiled for words, then a dunk in the tub could help. However, bear in mind that this doesn’t work for all blinds, so always check the care instructions. Wooden blinds for instance, will not do well after being submerged in water. Metal blinds can also rust if left too long. So precision is key. If any of your blinds have stained, we recommend spot-treating them with a gentle cleaning solution.
All you need to do is line your tub with fabric to prevent any scratching from the blinds. Then fill with warm water, and dissolve some detergent. Ensure the detergent is fully integrated before starting. Then only place one blind at a time, and have the top rail over the side of the tub.
When soaking, don’t exceed 20 minutes; it might be a good idea to time this. Any stubborn stains can be gently removed with a cloth at this point as well. Once done, drain the dirty water and run the blinds under clean water.
Last but not least, ensure any blinds washed this way are thoroughly dried. A clean, dry microfibre cloth will work well. Before you hang them up, lay them flat so they can dry out completely. Only when they’re fully dry should you hang them back up.
5. Blind Cleaning Dos & Don’ts
Still with us? Fabulous! Here are a few handy window blind cleaning dos and don’ts that’ll further help you along.
DOs
- Clean your blinds at least twice a month for upkeep
- Clean your blinds before cleaning your floors
- Use gentle cloths and cleaning solutions
- Let them dry out fully when any kind of liquid is used to clean
DONTs
- Don’t clean your blinds with water without first removing dust. Blinds like wooden Venetian blinds and DIY motorised blinds (because of technical components), shouldn’t be using water at all.
6. When Do You Have to Replace Your Blinds?
There’s no rule set in stone that tells you when you should replace your window blinds. It’s really a matter of personal needs and circumstances. Seeing as how blinds are a long-term investment, good quality ones should last you at least 10 years with no issues. There are a few ways to know whether your blinds are due for a replacement. So here’s a list of questions to ask yourself as below:
- Are any blind slats/ panels twisted, warped, broken, fading or peeling? If it’s just a couple, then they can be individually replaced. If it’s more, you’ll likely need to replace the blind.
- Has the functionality of your blinds deteriorated? Are you having trouble opening and closing them smoothly like you once did?
- Are any cords/ strings discoloured or fraying? If your blinds are exposed to the sun a lot, this is a very common scenario. They can deteriorate faster than other blinds.
- Have you upgraded your home and interiors? Your old blinds probably don’t suit your new digs anymore. The theme is likely outdated and not matching with anything else.
We hope that was insightful and useful for cleaning and maintaining your window blinds. After all, as mentioned above, they’re more a long-term investment than anything else. So you want to be sure that you get out of them as much as you possibly can. And like everything else in life, the right care and attention needs to be given in order to achieve this.
If you’re unsure about the right way to clean your blinds, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We do it all, from sharing advice on how to buy roller blinds online to how to take care of them. No question is too big or small, so go on, send them through. Our doors and ears are always open!
