We spend a lot of time testing products, tips and tricks to find the easiest, quickest and most effective ways to keep everything inside and outside your home clean. We have tips for cleaning your windows, a step-by-step guide to keep walls looking freshly painted and more. Before you try any of the cleaning methods below, it\u2019s a good idea to check your blind manufacturer\u2019s website for instructions and precautions. Then, follow the simple steps below depending on the material of your blinds and just how deep of a cleaning they need.<\/p>\n
How to Clean Blinds Without Taking Them Down
\nThe best way to deep clean your blinds is by taking them down and laying them on a flat surface. It makes it easier to clean both sides and the top and bottom rails thoroughly, but you may not always have the time or energy for this. There are two ways you can remove dust from blinds while they are still hanging: dusting with a microfiber tool like a cloth, glove or duster and vacuuming with a soft, dusting brush attachment. Vacuuming is also the only way we recommend cleaning real wood and fabric blinds or cellular shades.<\/p>\n
What You\u2019ll Need
\nMicrofiber cloths, duster or dusting gloves
\nVacuum cleaner with attachments
\nWarm water
\nDishwashing liquid
\nCleaning Your Blinds with a Microfiber Cloth, Glove or Duster<\/p>\n
Open the blind and wrap the microfiber cloth tightly around both sides of a slat or grab both sides with your glove.
\nFor horizontal blinds (sometimes called venetian blinds), start at the top-most slat and work your way down. Starting from top to bottom ensures that you won\u2019t have to clean the same slat a second time when dust from a slat above settles on one below. Wipe the slat from left to right. If you are using a double-sided duster, like this GH Seal star double-sided duster from Swiffer, you\u2019ll clean the topside of one slat and bottom side of the one above it as you pass the duster in between.
\nFor vertical blinds, wrap your microfiber cloth tightly around both sides of the blind and wipe from top to bottom. No need to worry about depositing dust on other slats here, but working from the left-most slat to the right (or vice versa) will allow you to more easily keep track of the slats you\u2019ve already cleaned.
\nDip a microfiber cloth in a mixture of dish soap and water. To remove stubborn stains and sticky residue from metal, vinyl or faux wood blinds while they are hanging, dip a microfiber cloth in a bowl of warm water mixed with a few drops of dishwashing liquid.Wipe slats with the damp microfiber cloth. Squeeze out the excess water and wipe the blinds from left to right (or top to bottom if they\u2019re vertical blinds).Wipe slats dry with a clean microfiber cloth. Make sure to wipe both sides of each slat to buff away any water spots or streaks. Use water sparingly, if at all, on real wood blinds.<\/p>\n
Expert Tip: Be sure to shake your microfiber tool outside as you start to notice it collecting dust to avoid depositing dust back on to your blinds as you clean.<\/p>\n
Cleaning Your Blinds with a Vacuum
\nTurn down your vacuum\u2019s suction to the lowest setting. Attach your vacuum\u2019s soft dusting brush attachment and turn the suction down to the lowest setting available. If your vacuum only has one suction mode, make sure it isn\u2019t strong enough to damage your blinds. You want the vacuum to pick up dust, not vacuum seal itself to the blinds\u2019 slats.
\nClose the blind, hold the slats taut and vacuum slowly. Keep the blinds taut and move across horizontal blinds slowly from left to right. If you have vertical blinds, grab each slat and vacuum a small section working your way from top to bottom.
\nGo over each blind again. Vacuum along each slat again in the opposite direction to pick up any dust that might have been left behind on the first pass.
\nOpen and close the slats in the opposite direction. When you finish, reverse the slats, closing them the other way and vacuum each slat again.
\nHow to Clean Blinds in a Tub
\nIf you want to give metal, vinyl or faux wood blinds a deeper clean, your best bet is in the bathtub. It\u2019s important to note that if you are using this method to clean your blinds, you should pay special attention to the manufacturer\u2019s care instructions. Submerging blinds for extended periods of time in water can cause metal to rust. We don\u2019t recommend this method for cellular shades or real wood blinds as these materials become damaged when immersed in water. If cellular shades become stained, reach out to your manufacturer with questions on how best to remove them or about the warranty offered on your product.What You\u2019ll Need
\nTowels
\nWarm water
\nDishwashing liquid
\nMicrofiber cloth
\nLine the tub with towels and fill it with warm water and dish soap. The towels will keep the blinds from scratching the tub. Use warm water and just a squeeze or two of dish soap. Swish to make sure the detergent is dissolved.
\nExtend the blind and open the slats before submerging the blind into the tub. Keep the top rail draped over the side of the tub and only place one blind into the water at a time.
\nSoak for up to 20 minutes. Use a cloth to remove any stuck-on stains or dirt.
\nRinse the blinds. Drain the tub and use clean water to rinse the soapy water from the blinds. A handheld shower sprayer, if you have one, makes rinsing easier.
\nAllow blinds to dry completely before replacing. Dry them with a clean microfiber cloth to remove as much water as you can and lay the blinds out flat to dry.
\nBlind Cleaning Dos & Don\u2019ts
\nDo your blind cleaning before you sweep or vacuum your floor. You\u2019ll have to re-do your floor cleaning after if you don\u2019t!
\nDo rehang your blinds only after they are completely dry.
\nDon\u2019t use water on your blinds without first clearing dust from them with a dry microfiber cloth. For wood blinds and cellular shades, don\u2019t use water at all.
\nDo check your blind manufacturer\u2019s instructions before cleaning any blinds with water.
\nCan You Clean Blinds with Dryer Sheets?
\nYou can, but it isn\u2019t ideal. First, you\u2019ll only want to use dryer sheets that have already been through a dryer cycle. When you wipe your blind\u2019s slats with a new dryer sheet, the static attraction will pick up some of the dust, but you\u2019ll be depositing the fabric softener that is built into the sheet onto the slats too. If you want to use old, used dryer sheets to clean your blinds you can, but it won\u2019t do as good of a job as a microfiber cloth or vacuum.<\/p>\n
When Do You Have to Replace Your Blinds?
\nWindow blinds and shades are a usually long-lasting investment for a home. Most do not need to be replaced for up to 10 years.<\/p>\n
There are a few signs you can look out for when deciding if it is time to replace your blinds:<\/p>\n
The blind slats are bent out of shape, broken or warped from humidity or heat damage. If it\u2019s only a few slats, some blind manufacturers will fix just the damaged slats.
\nThe opening and closing of your shades has become a near impossible task. With time and regular use, it\u2019s expected that the cords on your blinds will start to loosen, making it difficult to let light in during the day or close your shades at night.
\nThe blinds and blind cords are discolored, yellowing or are fraying. With time, our home products\u2019 quality will start to decline \u2014 especially products that are in near constant direct sunlight like blinds are!
\nYour blinds are out of style or ill-fitting on new windows. Windows are not made in one universal size. Different windows will require different shades that fit the size of the new window, plus some styles just don\u2019t look right on all windows.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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