Whether your blinds are wooden, fabric, horizontal or vertical, regular cleaning will keep them looking great and reduce the need for future maintenance:
• Don’t use a plastic duster. Bristles may scratch or chip the finishing on a slat. A wool or feather duster is your best friend. Swiffer Sweeper Dry Pad Refills work great.
• Use a rubber sponge, also known as a dry sponge (found at hardware and paint stores), to remove dust and residue from fabric and vinyl blinds. Simply wipe the dry sponge firmly across the blinds.
• When dusting or vacuuming vertical blinds, brush downward to avoid having the slats become unhooked from the top component.
• Vacuum blinds with the brush attachment across the slats, not up and down.
• For spot cleaning, spray an all-purpose cleaner and degreaser onto a clean, dry cloth and wipe the soiled area. Never spray cleaner directly onto the blind.
• You can wet wooden blinds when cleaning, but don’t soak them. Clean them in place instead of removing them as you would for other types of blinds.
• If fabric blinds become very dirty, take them to a dry cleaner or hire a professional to come to your home.
• Don’t clean blinds by spraying them with a car-wash hose or immersing them in the tub.
• To clean metal and vinyl blinds, take the blinds outside to your patio or driveway and lay them on a small rug or piece of carpet. Put a few drops of dish washing soap in a bucket of water. Wet a car-washing brush and brush the blinds from side to side, and then turn them over and rush the other side. Rinse the blinds gently with a garden hose while tilting them so the water runs off. To prevent water spots from forming, quickly run your finger down the slats a couple of times to remove excess water. When done, drape the blinds over a fence or a couch to dry.
By Sonata Window Fashions