Blinds have a reputation for being tricky to clean, but that’s really not the case. To prove it, here are our 5 favourite cleaning tips that will save you time and money.
Dryer Sheets
Inexpensive tumble dryer sheets will make a good job of cleaning wooden, vinyl, or metal blinds.
Whether your blinds are Vertical or Venetian, ensure they’re fully lowered or extended before you begin. Then simply wipe the dryer sheet across or down each slat of the blind.
The dryer sheet will pick up the dust as you go, rather than redistributing it around the room, and remove static at the same time. This means that further dust isn’t attracted back to the blind as quickly.
Give this method a go, and see if you still need to dust your blinds as regularly.
Socks
Use a sock as a glove - it’s another effective way to clean Venetian Blinds.
Because Venetian blind slats are slim and close together, it can be difficult to get to them with a cloth effectively. However, your fingers should be slim enough to slip between and underneath each slat, so cover them with a sock dampened with diluted fabric conditioner.
The fabric conditioner will behave in the same way as the dryer sheets, attracting the dust and stopping it from flying around the rest of the room. And deterring it from coming back too quickly.
The Bath
A very soiled Roller blind can be cleaned easily in the bath tub.
Be aware that this method could lead to some slight fading, but an unmarked, sweet-smelling blind that is a little faded is still better than the alternative.
Remove the blind from its fixture. This is very straightforward. Go to the mechanism side of the barrel (the side to which the chain is attached) and push it up to remove it from its bracket. This will allow you to push the barrel towards the bracket at the other end to depress the spring and give you enough room to remove the barrel from both brackets.
Roll out/unravel the blind as much as you can and place it in a lukewarm bath with 2-3 capfuls of laundry detergent for up to an hour, depending on soiled it is.
The beauty of using the bath tub is that you can drain and refill it with cool water as many times as you need to, to rinse away the dirt and detergent.
Remove the blind from the bath tub and drape it over a towel-covered ironing board. This way, it will dry as flat as possible, but if you need to run over it with the iron (on a cool setting) you can.
Alcohol
Absolutely! Inexpensive rubbing alcohol or surgical spirit can be used to remove stubborn marks and stains from many different materials.
Simply put a small amount onto a clean, dry cloth and locate the stain. Dab the stain gently and the dirt will transfer from the blind to the cloth. The alcohol eveaporates quickly so with careful use it shouldn’t permeate and damage the fabric.
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Vacuum Cleaner
Your trusty vacuum cleaner isn’t just for floors. Remember the bag of attachments it came with? Find the soft brush attachment which will enable you to reach all the crevices and it will make cleaning any type of blind a breeze!
Ensure the blind is fully lowered or extended before you begin, and then gently move the brush across each blind slat, working downwards on Vertical, Roller, and Roman blinds.
If the blinds are very dusty, the dust will fall to floor, and you can vacuum it up before you put the vacuum cleaner away. Job done!
Talking of floors, carpet cleaner or carpet stain remover will take stubborn marks of vertical blinds. Spray it on, rub it in, and then soak it off with a clean, wet cloth.
Don’t forget the headrails….
Headrails need as much care as blinds themselves. If you don’t look after them they’ll stop working properly or at all.
Remove the blind from the headrail and simply wipe it clean with a damp cloth.
Tip: While you are cleaning your headrail, you can also squirt a drop of silicone spray into the side rail which is where the winding mechanism sits. Silicone spray will keep the mechanism well lubricated and ensure its smooth operation. Use the spray sparingly and avoid contact with the blind fabric so that it does not become stained.
If you’re not sure how to effectively clean your blinds without damaging them, just get in touch with us. We’re happy to help!