Cleaning Tips For Window Blinds And Shutters

Window blinds are seen as a great way to beautify homes, but they can quickly become a major nuisance. Like any other surface, dirty window coverings can decrease the curb appeal of your home. When you’re cleaning blinds, you’ll often find that the dust doesn’t always come off easily. However, if you know a few simple tips and tricks, then your cleaning experience can be much more pleasant, particularly if you have removable window covers that you can take outside to clean. However, not all blinds will give you a hard time during cleaning. For this type of blinds, you can check out the catalog of the local business Blinds By Design.

Before You Can Start Cleaning

To save your time and effort in cleaning your window coverings, it is important not to delay or procrastinate cleaning them until it’s a mass of tangled mess. Your first instinct may be to wash them with soap and water before they get that way, right?

Wrong! Don’t do it. Soap will build up a layer of film or residue on the fibers of your window dressings over time. When you go to clean them again, that film has to be removed, or it will cause drag and hinder the cleaning process.

Clean wood surfaces with a soft cloth dampened in a detergent solution or with a sponge dampened in water. Do not use an abrasive brush, as the wood may become rough or ugly. Wipe away the dust that has accumulated on the surface of closed wooden blinds and shutters using a dry cloth.

Cleaning Fabric Surfaces

Fabric is susceptible to dirt, stains, and damage from heat exposure resulting in discoloration and a mottled appearance. Dirt can accumulate easily between the fabric threads causing grime marks to appear. Use a soft brush or a clean cloth if necessary.

Cleaning Dark-Colored Blinds And Shutters

Dirt on the surface of dark-colored blinds or shutters is easy to spot. However, simply wiping them with a cloth dampened in water or a mild detergent solution is enough to clean them. If necessary, wipe the blinds using a soft cloth dampened in water or a mild detergent solution that is mixed with a small amount of alcohol.

Cleaning Blinds

Window blinds can be a hotbed for bacteria, so it’s smart to invest in a proper cleaning schedule.

Give your window blinds a good vacuuming before you begin cleaning them to remove loose dust and dirt. You may find a brush attachment useful for this. Clean the window slats first by removing them one at a time. If you have blinds with fabric slats, take them off and wash them in your washing machine on a warm, gentle cycle with only mild detergent and tumble dry on low. Drying them in the sun will help fade any stains that have been set in by dirt or mold.

Cleaning the metal track is the next step, starting from one end to the other. Spray it down with an anti-rust paint cleaner and allow it to dry. If you have a lot of dust on the tracks, you can vacuum them too. For blinds with wooden slats, use a damp sponge to wipe them down. Put on rubber gloves if you are worried about the finish being damaged. 

Cleaning Window Shutters

Window shutters can be difficult to clean because they are made up of a lot of crevices and corners. When cleaning window shutters, start by scrubbing the bottom of the slats and then work up. Your goal is to get in on all of the nooks and corners and get them clean. 

Once you have gotten all the bottom area clean, use a flexible bristled brush to scrub off any dirt or grime that might be stuck on there after they’ve been closed up for a while.

Should You Replace Your Window Coverings?

There are many reasons to change window coverings, including seasonal changes like finishing up holiday decor or bringing new plants indoors during wintertime. But if your primary reason is something other than a seasonal change, then you should consider why your old window coverings are outdated. 

Sometimes cleaning just isn’t enough, and a complete overhaul might be necessary. Make sure you do research on the window coverings that you intend to buy. If you love your home but hate the way it looks due to old, outdated window coverings, there’s never been a better time to change them!