Window coverings are often overlooked in regular cleaning routines simply because homeowners do not know how to effectively and quickly clean them.
In lieu of this, we’ve brought you some easy and effective ways to clean all the blinds, shades and shutters in your home with minimal effort! When maintained on a regular basis, you’ll see a positive reduction in the amount of dust and other airborne allergens present in your home.
Tips:
Aluminum Blinds
Use an ordinary soft duster, dust cloth, treated dust cloth or even vacuum cleaner brush to wipe dust off of the aluminum slats. If cleaned on a fairly regular basis, dust should be easy to brush off.
If using a vacuum, use the brush head attachment and tilt slats first facing up to vacuum the bottom surface and then tilt them to face down to reach the top surface of the slats.
If you’re just using a soft dusting cloth or soft duster, tilt the slats the same way as above and proceed to clean.
If you need to wash the blinds, use a damp cloth/sponge and a very mild detergent. Use warm or cold water but do NOT use hot water. Tilt the slats the same way as above and clean. Make sure to protect your floor/window sill from the excess water!
Wood Blinds
Relative care must be taken into account when cleaning real-wood blinds. Although they are usually sealed, it’s still not recommended to wash or wet real wood blinds as the dampness or water could cause warpage or discoloration.
Instead, tilt the slats the same was as above and use a soft cloth duster or dusting tool to remove surface dust from the smooth surfaces of the slats!
Fabric/Cellular Shades
Most cellular shades, are anti-static, and usually require little to no cleaning! All that’s needed is a light duster sweep to remove any surface dust on the shade. Furthermore, if you’ve got dead bugs or dust inside of the cells, try using a can of compressed air to blast internal debris out of each cell!
If you really need to wash them, they should be spot washed with a very mild detergent and dried while hung up to preserve the cell shape.
Vinyl Shutters
Vinyl shutters, also referred to as PVC or faux-wood shutters, can be quickly dusted with a soft dust cloth or duster.
To wash them, use a non-abrasive sponge or soft fiber cloth. Then simply spray them with a mild cleaning solution (NOT bleach) and wipe down for clean shutters.
Wood Shutters
Simply use a soft dusting cloth or duster to clean off accumulated dust. Most wood surfaces are sealed so damp cloths can be used without fear of damaging the wood or surface.
So next time you’re spring cleaning, don’t hesitate to add window coverings to your cleaning list! Just follow our tips for cleaning your window coverings and you’ll be happy with the results.
Got un-cleanable, broken or old window coverings? Contact us and we’ll book you a free consultation to help you choose your next window covering!
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