If you’re like most people, cleaning the blinds is one of those chores you keep putting off until you forget about it entirely. Well, it looks harder than it is. A few short minutes and a bit of effort are all you need to enhance the atmosphere of your home.

Why Should You Clean Your Blinds?

Cleaning blinds isn’t just about making your home look polished, though clean blinds do definitely spruce up the place! Blinds easily trap allergens within the folds, such as dust, pet dander, skin cells, and bacteria. These harmful allergens accumulate and get into the air that you breathe, which can lead to illness and allergies. 

Another reason to clean your blinds is that dusty and grungy blinds wear out more quickly and don’t open and close properly.

How Often Should Blinds Be Cleaned?

The question is, how long can you keep looking at those stained, grimy blinds? And if you suffer from asthma or allergies, it’s important to keep your blinds and window sills washed on a regular basis.

Unless you have allergies, blind cleaning needs to be done at least yearly. Regular vacuuming and spot cleaning will extend the amount of time between deep cleaning.

What Tools Work Best for Blind Cleaning?

Keep these tools and supplies handy for regular blind cleaning:

  • A vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment
  • Microfiber cloths
  • Microfiber mini blind duster 
  • An old, clean sock (preferably acrylic or polyester, if no microfiber cloths on hand)
  • Mild dishwashing soap
  • Wood cleanser
  • Shoe polish
  • Sponge 
  • Glass cleaner

How Should You Remove Blinds?

Removing your window dressing every so often to do a deep clean can give them a new life. With these tips, you can easily take down any type of blinds.

To remove horizontal blinds, follow these simple steps.

  1. Remove the valance (if there is one) on the blinds. Most valances are mounted with a clip that will attach at the top of the headrail. The valance usually can be removed by simply lifting if off the blinds.
  2. Open the brackets. After the valance is removed you should have access to the headrail of the blinds and the mounting brackets. You will find a bracket at each end of the headrail. The brackets are opened by lifting the door or hinged side of the bracket. Most brackets have a tab that keeps the hinged side closed. You may need to use a screwdriver to gently lift the hinged side off the tab.
  3. Once the brackets are open, simply remove the window blinds from the brackets.

Easy Tips for Cleaning Blinds

There are many types of blinds such as wood, plastic, vinyl, metal, fabric, vertical, mini, etc. How you clean blinds depends on what type you have. 

No matter the type, always begin by lowering the shades completely and remove dust first because dust plus water equals a muddy mess.

It is also important to start cleaning at the top of the blinds, otherwise, dust will fall on areas you have already cleaned. 

Vacuuming Blinds— Use the soft brush attachment and the low suction setting on your vacuum cleaner to clean the shades starting from the top. Don’t forget to vacuum the back of the fabric shade too.

Using a Sponge— Try wiping small dirty sections with a damp sponge. To avoid water spotting, gently wipe dry with a clean microfiber cloth.

Cleaning with a microfiber cloth— Follow these simple steps: 

  1. Close the blinds so that the concave side is facing you.
  2. Wipe away the dust (working down from top to bottom). 
  3. Turn the tilt wand (the rod that opens and closes the blinds) until the blinds are closed with the convex side facing you. 
  4. Dust this side from top to bottom.
  5. Vacuum any fallen dust on the windowsill and floor using the vacuum cleaner attachment.

Cleaning Vertical Blinds— Vertical blinds can be cleaned using the same method described above. Wipe vertical blinds in a downward motion or they could come unhooked.

Cleaning Wood Blinds— After dusting, clean wooden blinds with a wood cleanser and a microfiber cloth. Be careful not to get wood blinds too wet. 

How Should You Clean Soiled Plastic Blinds?

If dusting isn’t enough to clean your blinds, you can use a microfiber cloth dampened with warm water. Use a damp towel for stained or soiled blinds. 

When Should You Use Dish Soap And Glass Cleaner? 

Use a mild dish soap to spot clean blinds by adding a few drops to a half-gallon of water. You can also use dish soap to wash blinds in the bathtub. 

To help the blinds dry streak-free add a few teaspoons of glass cleaner to the mix. Don’t spray glass cleaner directly on the blinds.

Give Your Blinds a Bath!

Your blinds may need a deep clean. For instance, your kitchen blinds are constantly exposed to grease, liquids, and food. A bath of water and dish soap can also be used if the blinds have stubborn dust or residue. Follow these steps to bathe your blinds:

  1. After removing the dust (using a method from above), fill your bathtub with warm water and dish soap.
  2. Remove the blinds from the window 
  3. Place them in the bathtub
  4. Soak the blinds in the tub for about an hour
  5. Rinse off any excess dirt or dust with warm water or wipe off with a microfiber cloth.
  6. Remove the blinds from the tub
  7. Wipe your blinds dry completely before reinstalling. You can also hang them outside to dry.

How Can You Clean Fabric Blinds?

  1. Start by lowering the shades completely.
  2. Vacuum the blinds from top to bottom, front and back.
  3. Spot clean any stains. Soak a microfiber cloth with a mixture of dish soap and warm water and wring it out, leaving the cloth damp but not soaking wet. Dab the stain with the damp cloth. Do this multiple times until the stain is removed. Repeat with a clean cloth moistened with plain water and let the shade air dry.
  4. If your fabric blinds need more than dusting or spot cleaning, you can take them to the dry cleaner.

What About Ultrasonic Blind Cleaning?

While ultrasonic blind cleaning isn’t an option for every company, it’s the best way to thoroughly and safely clean your blinds. High-frequency sound waves generate microscopic bubbles that burst upon contact with water; these implosions create minute vibrations, effectively cleaning the blinds. 

This process requires specialized ultrasonic equipment— it’s definitely not a DIY project!

We Can Clean Your Blinds and More!

At Clean My Space CT, we believe you deserve the best. We provide professional house cleaning services to the central Connecticut area. See why everyone loves Clean My Space CT. Request a free quote today and be sure to ask about our referral program!

cleaning blinds