How to clean Venetian blinds

But if you happen to be unaware of how they are cleaned, you stumbled across the right page as Reynolds Blinds have over 25 years of experience and have learned all sorts of tips over the years.

Regular cleaning is recommended all the time in order to prevent layers and layers of dust from settling. Dust is known to ruin the colour of blinds and also cause stains. This can especially be frustrating when the colour for your Venetian blinds is unique and preferred by you.

There are different cleaning processes depending on the material the blinds are made from. Some blinds are produced with waterproof material while others are not. It also depends on how dirty they are. It can also depend on whether they are vertical blinds or horizontal.

Light Regular Cleaning

This is a habit you can get into to clean your Venetian blinds. Light cleaning does not involve drenching the blind slats in a huge amount of water. Each of the blind slats is either dusted or wiped clean. Light cleaning does not take up a lot of time.

Gloves allow you to reach around the Venetian blinds by hand, but there are numerous more options. Many folks like to use old socks. A sock is approximately as simple to use as a glove if you don't mind placing your hand in something that was on your feet. Alternatively, a clean, soft cloth or similar piece of fabric might be used.

Dusting mitts are widely available at general shops. They are essentially built for blinds, and there is no better tool for cleaning light fixtures. Look for it among any other cleaning goods that you require.

Feather dusters are excellent for performing routine maintenance on your blinds. They're fantastic for easily reaching higher locations on the blinds, but they're not as good at cleaning out individual slats.

Paper towels and dryer sheets are two other alternatives. Dryer sheets are useful because they help to avoid static electricity, which draws dust. These items must be replaced when they become clogged with gunk.

Clearing Dust off Blinds

When cleaning vertical blinds, hold the bottom to stabilize it and to minimise tugging. Beginning from the very top going downwards, wipe with a microfiber cloth. Besides using a microfiber cloth, you can alternatively use a vacuum cleaner be used with an attached soft brush at the end. Make sure it has the low suction power to prevent damaging blinds.

To clean your Venetian blinds that are in a horizontal blind, you also hold it at the bottom for stability, however, instead of wiping downwards, you wipe left to right. Work from the most top slat to the bottom in order to let the dust fall downwards. Then flip the blinds over and repeat the same process on the new side.

Vacuuming Tough Grime off Blinds

Over time, grime can build up on Venetian blinds. Here is how to get rid of them using a vacuum cleaner.

1. Insert a brush attachment into the nozzle of the vacuum cleaner hose. If your vacuum came with a duster brush, use that instead due to its softness and effectiveness on delicate surfaces. Upholstery brushes can do the trick as well, except they are ae larger. Ensure that you do not use the hose without the brush because the suction power as well as the edges of the hose can scratch or chip the blinds.
2. As you begin to vacuum, hold the blinds to minimise movements. One end of the slat is held for vacuuming and to keep it steady, you shift to the other side.
3. Begin from the middle and vacuum in a sideways motion, from right to left and from left to right. Go over each slat until you know it is fully clean. The vacuuming power should be at its lowest power level to prevent ruining the blinds.
4. Be sure to get both sides when cleaning your blinds. So, you may begin with closing the blinds and working with that side until all slats are clean. Then you can open them up in order to get to the other side.

Scrubbing Light Stains off of Blinds

This requires different types of cleaning solutions depending on the type of material they are made from.

Wooden Blinds

If the blinds are made from wood, it is advisable to not get them drenched in water. Rather, use furniture polish on each slat or spray a special kind of wood cleaner. You can use a clean cloth made from cotton or a sock in order to rub the cleaning agent thoroughly over the stain.

In cases where a wood cleaner is not available, you can still remove the stain by using small amounts of clean water. Moisten the cloth but make sure not to make it dripping wet. It may be a good idea to have a separate cotton cloth for drying the wooden slats once you have finished. In general, though, most wooden blinds are made with a finish to resist stains so dry wiping with a clean cotton cloth is satisfactory for polishing them.

Non-wooden Blinds

Equipment needed

A bucket

Measuring cup

White vinegar

Water

Mild detergent

Cotton cloth/sponge/old sock

Fill a bucket of water then mix in a quarter cup (59 ml) of white vinegar. To get a much stronger solution, the water and vinegar should be of equal amounts. Some liquid mild detergent of equal amount (59 ml) can be added into it instead of adding a lot more vinegar.

It is recommended to use a mild detergent because it is designed for general use instead of cutting through tough grease. Once scrubbing is done, rinse off with clean water.

Next, find a soft cotton cloth or sponge or old socks for scrubbing during the cleaning process. Dip the cloth into the water/soap solution but make sure not to soak it. Just moisten it. If a sock is being used, you could use individual slats as you scrub across them. Areas that are difficult to reach can be reached with cotton buds.

A horizontal, side to side movement should be employed to remove the dust. Press down with a light amount of pressure so you do not bend or damage the slats. Be sure to scrub the accessories such as the headrails and pulling cord.

Then take a completely dry cotton cloth to soak up the moisture, especially when working on wooden Venetian blinds, and check if the stain has been removed. Regular cleaning with this process will usually get rid of stubborn stains but deep cleaning would be more suitable.

Giving Dirty Blinds a Deep Cleaning

Deep cleaning is usually recommended for metal and synthetic blinds mainly as well as those that have stubborn stains. Here are the steps for cleaning them using the deep cleaning method.

Equipment needed

A towel

Screwdriver

Bathtub

Detergent

Soft scrub brush

Hairdryer

Remove the blinds by undoing the brackets at the end of the headrail.

These brackets are on the sides of the headrail the slats hang from. The brackets can be easily opened with a flat head screwdriver. Once the bracket is opened, pull the rail towards yourself to take the blinds down.

Although, not all blinds have the same locking mechanism. So, it would be advisable to check the manual for instructions.

Spread the blinds on the floor of a bathtub.

A towel can be laid in the bathtub to prevent the blinds from being scratched. You can put the blinds into the tub making sure they are extremely flat and the headrail is kept out of the water.

Fill the tub with warm water and add a liquid detergent.

Begin to fill the bath with warm water, allowing the water to cover the blinds. Add in a quarter cup of detergent and an equal quarter cup of vinegar. Although there isn't a lot of water, have some extra towels on hand to cope with any splashes or drips when cleaning. Attach a garden hose to a nearby faucet if you're washing your blinds outside. Spray the blinds down many times until they are clean.

Leave the blinds to soak for at least half an hour.

The dirtier the Venetian blind is, the longer they are left to soak in the bath. Blinds that are relatively clean can be left to soak for as little as 30 minutes. Those with a lot of grime and dirt can be left for 3 hours or even a whole night. If you need to get it done quickly, try swishing the blinds around in the water. To assist lift the dirt, use a light scrub brush.

Scrub stains with a soft brush or sponge to remove them.

Sometimes the soaking is not enough to get rid of stubborn stains. Get a soft scrub brush such as a nylon kitchen brush or a non-abrasive sponge and scrub along each slat with gentle pressure until they are clean. The scrubbing technique is useful for blinds done outdoors since soaking may not happen. The key is to keep scrubbing spraying until clean.

Rinse the blinds with clean water to remove the soap.

Then drain the bath and turn on clean water. You can use a bucket to slosh the water onto the Venetian blinds until the soap is gone. If at all possible, maintain the Venetian blinds as motionless as possible to prevent damaging them during this method. If you must move them, do it carefully and with a cloth beneath them.

Hang the blinds in the air until they dry.

The Venetian blinds air dried outside if there is good weather. Leave the blind over a fence or railing, where they are exposed to sunlight good air circulation. If the weather is not so favourable, wipe the blinds down and get a hairdryer. Put it on very low heat and use that to dry each slat.

Can you wash the Venetian blind in the bath?

Yes, it is very possible. It does not require too much skill, just a simple guide on how to clean Venetian blinds. Scroll up to see that guide.

How do you clean Venetian blinds without taking them down?

You simply use a light cleaning process. A light cleaning method is different from a deep cleaning one.

First of all, pour some warm water into a bucket or a bowl and add some dish liquid. Thereafter, get a microfiber cloth in the soapy mixture, making sure o wring it out and wipe each slat one at a time, starting from the top working your way downwards.

Do Venetian blinds collect dust?

All the time, every day. Venetian blinds collect dust on a regular basis. Especially, horizontal blinds as compared to the vertical Venetian blinds. This is because they have a wider surface area so the dust has me area to settle on a slat. Vertical blinds still collect dust but less so because of their smaller surface area for dust to settle.

How do you clean Venetian blinds with vinegar?

In most cases, the vinegar is added to a cleaning solution of clean water (it can be warm water) and liquid soap. Usually, a quarter cup of each component of the cleaning solution is added to the water and then a sock is dipped in.

Vinegar is used to clean your blinds because it has great cleaning and disinfecting properties due to the acetic acid present. The acidic nature allows for the dissolving of mineral components of grease, dirt and grime.

How much does it cost to clean Venetian blinds?

Generally, if you want to get your Venetian blinds cleaned professionally, you can call a local cleaning company to do that. It will come at a cost so be ready to bear that.

The cost is measured according to the width of the blinds. Those at 3 feet wide can range between $18 and $30. Those at 4 feet wide can cost around $23 and $35.

Sometimes it depends on the condition of the blinds. So, the more grime and dirt present, the higher the cost.