How to clean your blinds

When cleaning your home, your blinds can easily be overlooked. However, a layer of thick dust can form over time, not to mention many different marks and stains from food, drinks and even mould growth. Keep reading to learn how to clean your blinds in the most effective manner. 

Why you should clean your blinds regularly

Do you clean your windows regularly yet fail to clean the blinds that cover them? If so, you’re not alone. This is a mistake that many people make when undertaking their household cleaning tasks. It’s important to remember that blinds need care and attention once they’ve been installed. If they’re ignored, they can quickly gather dust and dirt that’s not just unsightly but could cause respiratory symptoms for people with allergies. We recommend making blind cleaning a key part of your regular cleaning regime.  

Steps for cleaning your blinds

Many people don’t clean their blinds as often as they should simply because they’re not sure how to do it effectively. The good news is that cleaning your blinds is a relatively straightforward task that you can do yourself with some basic cleaning equipment. Many types of blinds require minimal maintenance to keep them in optimal condition.

Some people prefer to take their blinds down since this allows them to deep clean them more effectively. However, it’s not necessary, as you can still clean them thoroughly whilst they’re hanging. You can remove dust using a microfibre cloth or duster or by vacuuming them. The easiest way to clean most types of blinds is using a canister vacuum, a handheld vacuum or an upright vacuum with attachments.

Gather up your cleaning materials

The first thing to do when it comes to cleaning your blinds is to gather your cleaning supplies. Along with a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment, make sure you have a microfibre cloth, baking soda, washing up liquid and warm water. 

Dust or hoover the blinds 

Close the blinds before cleaning then. Close wood and faux wood blinds fully, or tilt vinyl and aluminium louvres downwards, without fully closing them. You can now dust them. With vertical blinds, we recommend holding the bottom in one hand to stabilise them. You should then wipe them down with a microfibre cloth, starting at the top of the blinds and then working downwards. If you prefer, you can opt to use a vacuum cleaner with a dusting brush attachment. If you do choose to you a vacuum cleaner, make sure it is set to a low-suction setting.

Use a damp cloth on heavily soiled blinds

For heavily soiled blinds, dusting won’t be adequate. You might need to use a damp cloth to get rid of dirt and grime effectively. Run a microfibre cloth under warm water so that it’s damp and then gently scrub it over the marks or stains. For wooden blinds, make sure you don’t get them too wet since this can cause moisture damage. 

Consider deep cleaning your blinds

If your blinds are particularly dirty, you may need to deep clean them to return them to their former glory. They’re more likely to require a deep clean if they’ve been installed in the kitchen and regularly exposed to food, liquids and other substances that can cause marks and stains. To deep clean blinds, take them down and place them in a tub of warm water. Add some washing up liquid and baking soda to the bath to create a potent solution for stain removal. Allow them to soak for a while before rinsing them thoroughly with warm water.

Many people think that blinds that have turned yellow in the sun can’t be saved. However, there is a way to bring them back to life. You can try putting them in cold water with some bleach. Let them soak for approximately 10 minutes before rinsing and drying them.

How often should blinds be cleaned? 

If you only remember you need to clean your blinds once they’ve gathered a visible layer of dust, you’re not alone. This is a mistake that many people make. However, by cleaning your blinds more regularly, you can ensure that they don’t become too dusty and that marks and stains can be addressed before they get worse. Cleaning your blinds once a month is usually adequate, although you may want to carry out a more thorough deep clean if they become particularly grubby.

Which blind styles are easiest to keep clean? 

Spending hours of your time cleaning your blinds isn’t the most entertaining of tasks. Fortunately, many styles of blinds are very easy to keep clean, requiring minimal maintenance to keep them looking their best over time. Perhaps the easiest blind styles to care for are vertical and roller. Vertical blinds are so easy to clean due to their long slats collecting less dust and dirt. Unlike with horizontal slats, the dust simply falls to the floor instead. 

Roller blinds can simply be vacuumed using a brush attachment every few weeks. Alternatively, you can wipe them down using a damp microfibre cloth. If you’re shopping for low-maintenance blinds in Nottingham or Bingham, look no further than Boyd’s Blinds. We offer a fantastic selection of blinds at prices to suit all budgets.

Contact us 

If you’re still not sure how to clean your blinds, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team at Boyd’s. Call 01157 757 670 or 01636 378 072 to get expert advice on cleaning your blinds to the highest possible standards. You can also reach us by sending a message via the website and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. We’re also on hand to tell you more about our fantastic range of blinds in Nottingham and Bingham.