You might be cleaning your windows regularly, but how often do you clean the blinds that cover them? Although window blinds are excellent at blocking out light, providing privacy, and keeping a room cool, they also collect a lot of pet hair and dust; therefore, you must clean them regularly.
Cleaning dirty blinds shouldn’t be a hassle because you don’t have to take the entire thing off the window or clean a slat at a time. However, if you want to have clean blinds, you should dedicate a few minutes to cleaning them using simple and readily available tools. Here is how you can clean blinds easily and quickly:
What Is the Best Way to Clean Blinds Without Taking Them Down?
You shouldn’t fret if you want to clean blinds without taking them down. Dirty or dusty blinds can still become clean even if you don’t want to take them down. Here is what you need to get you started:
What You Need
- Warm water
- Microfiber cloths
- Baking soda
- A vacuum cleaner that has a soft brush attachment
- Dishwashing liquid
Procedure
- Begin the cleaning process by closing the blinds. Faux-wood and wood blinds can be completely closed. If you have aluminum or vinyl blinds, tilt them downwards but do not close them completely.
- Dust the blinds: If you have vertical blinds, use one hand to hold the bottom to stabilize it and wipe using a microfiber cloth. The best way to wipe is to start from the top and gently work your way down. Wiping in a downward motion will prevent unhooking from occurring.
- If the blinds are too dusty, use the vacuum cleaner with the soft brush attachment to remove dust.
- If you have horizontal blinds, the process is similar to the vertical blinds above. The only difference is that you’ll wipe from side to side. Also, wipe from the top to the bottom slat to prevent dust from falling on areas you’ve cleaned.
- If you want excessively clean blinds, flip the blinds to ensure that the side you haven’t cleaned is facing you. Then, repeat the cleaning process above using the vacuum or the microfiber cloth.
- Sometimes you might have heavily dirty blinds. In such a scenario, dusting alone may not be enough to clean the blinds. Instead, dampen a microfiber cloth with warm water and clean the blinds. Be extra careful if you have wooden blinds because you don’t want to get them too wet during this process.
- Remember to open your blinds and let them air-dry after running a damp cloth over them. Additionally, vacuum any remaining dust that fell on the floor or windowsill while you were dusting.
When Should You Deep-Clean Your Blinds?
If you have aluminum or vinyl blinds, you might have to deep clean them, especially if they are exposed to stubborn dust, residue, or grease in the kitchen. Here is how to go about it:
- Take the blinds off the window and put them in a bathtub that has warm water.
- Add a cup of baking soda and a few squirts of dish soap.
- Leave the blinds to soak for at least an hour, and then rinse them off with warm water.
- Finish cleaning them by wiping off any excess dust or dirt.
How Can I Make My Blinds White Again?
You may often ask yourself, “How can I make my blinds white again?” especially if you have deep cleaned them, and they are still looking yellowed and dingy. The yellowed and dingy look might be because they were stained by the sun. You can fix that by doing the following:
- Put the blinds into a bathtub containing cold water and add three cups of liquid bleach.
- Soak the blinds for at least ten minutes, rinse them thoroughly and dry them.
- The bleach should help your blinds become bright, new, and white.
How Do You Remove Stubborn Stains From Blinds?
Sometimes your blinds might get stained and may need a deeper cleaning to eliminate the stains. You can use a stain remover to eliminate stubborn stains, as long as it’s safe to use on your blinds’ fabric type.
You can also use a homemade mixture to help you remove the stubborn stains from the blinds.
Removing Stubborn Stains from Fabric Blinds Using Hydrogen peroxide
You can use household strength hydrogen peroxide to remove tough stains from your fabric blinds. However, before using the hydrogen peroxide, do a colorfastness test in an inconspicuous spot. Proceed as follows:
- Pour some hydrogen peroxide into a bowl.
- Dip a microfiber cloth in the bowl and dab the stain.
- Observe whether you dabbed all the stubborn stains.
- Repeat the process if need be.
You don’t have to rinse the hydrogen peroxide because it turns to water when it’s exposed to excessive light.
If you have greasy stains on your fabric blinds, you can remove them safely using a dry cleaning solvent.
Use OxiClean Max Force 4 In Power Laundry Stain Remover Spray
You can use OxiClean Max Force 4 In Power Laundry Stain Remover Spray to remove tough stains from your fabric blinds. It has four types of stain fighters, which help in eradicating the toughest stains. Here is how you can use the product on your fabric blinds:
- Spray the stain remover on the stains until saturated.
- Let it sit for at least 5 minutes, or longer depending on the stain’s severity.
- Dab the spot with warm water and detergent to eradicate the stain.
- Repeat as needed to ensure that you remove all the tough stains.
How to Clean Blind Cords
If you have blinds in your home, you probably understand that the repeated lifting and lowering can leave the pull cord looking pretty gross. Do not fret if you haven’t cleaned your blind cords in a while; here is how to go about it:
Clean Using Bleach
- Fill a small plastic bag with equal parts of bleach and hot water
- Put the blind cord in the plastic bag and close the bag using a clothespin. You can also use a twist tie or a rubber band. The goal is to ensure that the bag is very secure because you don’t want bleach water crashing down all over your space.
- Leave the cord overnight in the plastic bag to have it looking brand new in the morning.
If you don’t want to use bleach, you could use a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and lemon juice.
Use Shaving Cream
You could consider using shaving cream if the blind cords aren’t white. Then, all you have to do is squirt some shaving cream onto a cloth and rub until the cord becomes clean.
How to Clean Fabric Blinds
Cleaning fabric blinds should not be a problem, even though they require a unique approach. Delicacy is crucial when cleaning them, regardless of whether they are made of synthetic or natural fibers. Here is how you can maintain, spot clean, or deep clean your fabric blinds:
Maintenance Tips for Your Blinds
Regular dusting of your blinds is essential because dust attracts dirt. If you do not dust your blinds regularly, they could discolor. It would help if you prioritized cleaning them at least once a month to keep dust away.
When you have chosen the day to clean your blinds, shut each of them entirely, and clean the entire surface in an S-pattern using a vacuum cleaner. Ensure the vacuum cleaner has a soft brush attachment and set it to low suction.
Pleat lines and folds tend to collect more dirt; therefore, you should pay extra attention to these sections. It would be best if you also remembered the backside of the blinds because they are also susceptible to dust.
Spot Cleaning Fabric Blinds
It would help if you spotted clean your fabric blinds as soon as you note any splash or spill on the fabric. It is best to stick to a mild stain remover to avoid weakening the fibers.
When you note a stain on your fabric blinds, blot it with a sponge dampened in a mild stain remover. Repeat the process as needed to help you get rid of the stain. When done, blot the area with a sponge dampened in clean water to remove both the stain and the stain remover.
Allow the blinds to air dry because heat can stain them.
Deep Cleaning the Blinds
If your blinds are too dirty or dusty, deep-cleaning them may be the solution. Start by removing the blinds and vacuum them well. Next, fill your bathtub with warm, soapy water and place the blinds in there. Leave the blinds there for a while, and clean them gently using a sponge.
Rinse the fabric blinds very well and lay them flat in a well-ventilated area to allow them to dry for a day or two.
How to Clean Plastic Blinds
If you have very dirty and sticky plastic blinds, it is best to save yourself the headache of cleaning them without taking them down. Here is what you can do to ensure that you have clean plastic blinds:
- Remove the blinds from your window.
- Fill the bathtub with warm water and add a squeeze of dish soap.
- Let the blinds soak for at least an hour.
- Rinse the blinds and hang them outside to ensure they are completely dry.
Can You Clean Vinyl Blinds With Vinegar?
Cleaning vinyl blinds is not complicated, as long as you use the proper methods. White vinegar is an excellent cleaning product for vinyl blinds; therefore, it’s helpful when cleaning blinds.
Check this too: How to Clean Between Double Pane Windows
If you have stubborn stains on your vinyl blinds, it is best to try spot treatment using a paste made of a splash of white vinegar and a tablespoon of baking soda. Use a toothbrush to apply the mixture gently to the blinds and scrub the stains.
The most important thing to remember when cleaning blinds is that you should never try to deal with water and dust. Instead, deal with the dust first using a microfiber cloth or a vacuum cleaner. When you add water to dusty blinds, you are most likely to create a much bigger mess.