How to make sure your blinds stay clean in Scottsdale, AZ

Window blinds are great choices for decorating windows. They come in different shapes, styles, and colors. They are also made of different products including wood, fake wood, vinyl, aluminum and fabric are just a few. Choosing a blind may be easy but making sure your blinds stay clean is not so easy. They are dust collectors but cleaning them regularly will help them to last longer and function properly.

Keeping your vinyl or aluminum blinds clean may be easier then other blinds. You'll need to vacuum the blinds with a small attachment to get some of the collected dust off. If you just dry dust the blinds then the dust particles will go into the air and may go back onto your blind. After vacuuming use a damp sponge or rag to get some of the stuck on dirt or dust. This should be enough to clean and add the sparkle back. If you require a more severe clean use a soap and water mixture with a sponge and clean each slat one by one. This is time consuming but will restore the blinds to fairly new. Once they are clean it is best to go over them every few weeks with a duster or vacuum attachment. This may add some extra time onto cleaning but in the long run it will reduce how many times you need to deep clean your blinds.

Other ways to clean your aluminum or vinyl blinds would include taking them down and giving them a bath. Before taking down the blinds make sure the slats are in a full open position for easier cleaning. Lay towels or a mat in your tub to prevent scratching. Lay the blinds in the tub with about 6 inches of soapy water. A dish detergent is good for this. Then use a clean sponge or rag to start cleaning. Make sure you get both top and bottom of each slat. When finished drain the soapy water and run cool non-soapy water over the blinds. Make sure all the soap is off before moving the blinds onto a dry towel to finish air drying.  You can hang the blind back up to dry once most of the water is off. Keep the window closed so dust doesn't blow back onto your clean blinds.

Wooden blinds can not get wet so need to be cleaned differently from aluminum or vinyl blinds. Dusting with a dry rag is best followed by regular vacuuming with a circular attachment. Check the manufacturer's directions to see if a damp cloth is acceptable for cleaning. If you are not sure it is best to stay away from any liquid cleaners.

Fabric blinds will collect a lot more dust then other types of blinds. You can soak them in water but be extra careful of staining or the blinds falling apart. Once again it is best to clean these with dry dust cloths or a vacuum. This will maintain their shape and attractiveness.

When cleaning the blinds it is best to work from top to bottom and left to right on the blinds. Stay away from abrasive cleaners or cloths; this could damage the finish of any type of blind. Read the manufacturer warranty that comes with the blinds, it will have the best ways to clean the particular blind. The warranty can also help you decide which cleaning products are safe to use. Once the blinds are clean don't have the windows open when it rains and try to keep moisture to a minimum.

To help keep your blinds clean it is best to invest a little time every week to either a light dusting or vacuuming. This will help them keep their appearance for longer and you may never need to do a deeper clean. You can also use a fabric softener sheet on the blinds to help keep dust away keeping the blinds cleaner for a longer time.

Posted by DF on January 10, 2008 07:04 AM | Permalink Scottsdale, AZ

Hiring a cleaning service to keep these clean is helpful.