Window blinds play an important role in blocking out light, keeping your home cool and providing privacy. However, they are not among the home furnishings that you clean every day. Most people will only clean them when they have an energy burst, or when they’ve started to notice dust on the blind’s surface. But cleaning blinds is not as easy as it sounds.
Though they have a simple look, blinds have numerous small pieces that attract pet hair, dust and other forms of dirt more easily than almost any other household fixture. This means that for each part of the blind, there’s likely a specific cleaning method that will work well.
While cleaning your window blinds regularly restores their attractive look, this isn’t the only reason why you should spend time maintaining them. Dusty and poorly maintained blinds tend to wear out faster, and often fail to open or close well. But this shouldn’t worry you anymore.
Below, we explore five tips for keeping blinds looking and operating just like new:
- Replace Worn Out Window Treatments
You can’t afford to leave broken or worn-out treatments intact after giving the blinds a clean. But replacement of broken window treatments is not just about enhancing the appearance of your blinds, it’s also about keeping dust and other elements out of your living space. If you decide to replace worn out or broken treatments, make sure to shop for quality ones from Make My Blinds. This will give your blinds a new look for an extended period of time.
- Clean Your Blinds Regularly
One of the most effective ways to keep your blinds looking new is to clean them on a regular basis. The best way to do this is to have a blind-cleaning schedule. Blinds accumulate a lot of dirt as they protect your home from dust. They also get fingermarks where they’re touched every day during opening and closing. Vacuuming and brushing your blinds on a weekly basis will ensure that they remain clean throughout.
Even so, the weekly vacuuming process should be done using a brush attachment to avoid denting or scratching the blinds. To ensure that the dirt is vacuumed effectively, consider closing the slates. After vacuuming your blinds, wipe the sections that have dirt buildup or finger marks using a damp sponge. Dry them gently with an old or microfiber towel to prevent water spots.
If your blinds have not been cleaned for a long time and must be deep-cleaned, consider vacuuming them first to remove loose dirt. For plastic, painted or metal blinds, take the slats out and dip them in soapy water to remove the remaining dirt. Use a dry towel to wipe each slat on the front and back. Don’t immerse wooden blinds or those with decorative tapes in water. Instead, wipe them with a damp cloth to remove any dirt that may have stuck to the surface.
- Get The Right Cleaning Tools
Using the wrong cleaning tools can easily damage your blinds and cause them to look old as opposed to new. To keep your blinds clean and looking new, ensure that you have the right tools for cleaning them each week. Some important tools to have include a vacuum cleaner with varying attachments, a cleaning detergent – usually dishwashing soap will do, and microfiber cloths.
The microfiber cloth and vacuum cleaner are useful for removing dust from the blind’s shutters. Even so, the method you use to clean blinds will depend on the material that they’re made of. If you have wooden blinds, you can’t use wet cleaning method or harsh detergents when cleaning, as they will cause them to spoil.
Another tool that’s a must-have is the window deodorizer for use with the vacuum cleaner. The deodorizer reaches the tiniest crevices of your blinds and causes the dirt to fall off. This leaves your blinds clean and looking new.
- Apply Paint To Stubborn Stains
If your blinds have stains or spots that are difficult to remove even after using detergents to scrub them off, painting them off can prove a great way of getting rid of them. Before you apply paint to your blinds, take the time to understand the material that you’re working with. For instance, if your blinds are made from vinyl, it’ll be easier to paint them than it would be to paint fabric.
Vinyl blinds come with a frame that has a roll-down feature or a zipper, which makes them less prone to paint stains. Fabric blinds, on the other hand, are prone to paint stains because the material can absorb it. If you decide to apply paint to stubborn stains, consider the material that your blinds are made of when buying the paint. For vinyl blinds, consider using acrylic paint, and textile paint if you’re working with fabric blinds.
Also, choose the right method of applying the paint. You can either use the traditional paint-brush method or the spray-can method. While using a spray-can enables you to work on a wide area in a short period of time, a paint brush gives more control when it comes to preventing stains.
- Work On The White Cords Too
Most blinds come with white cords, taped areas and ropes that pose a challenge when it comes to cleaning. If you’ve tried washing them with little success, consider whitening them to give them that clean, new look. The best way to do this is to cover the dinginess on white sections with a touch of white shoe polish. Though it may sound like a temporary fix, it’s a great way of restoring the new look to your blinds.
Final Thoughts
Keeping your blinds looking new seems like a daunting task, but it’s not entirely impossible. By cleaning your window blinds regularly, you prevent dirt from accumulating on the surface. During cleaning, identify worn out or broken window treatments and replace them immediately. This will keep your blinds can looking fresh and new all the time.
