How to clean wooden blinds

Reynold Blinds has over 25 years of experience when it comes to blinds so let's get started.

Unlike the typical plastic, vinyl, or roller blinds, wooden blinds need special care when being cleaned.

Wooden blinds are an excellent addition to your window, they allow you to enjoy the natural sunlight as it slips through. However, the whole experience becomes a nuisance when dust from the wooden blinds enters your nostrils and eyes. Therefore, you need to make sure your blinds are always clean and if you use the right techniques, you won't have to clean them daily.

When cleaning wooden blinds, you need to know the type of material you're dealing with. Are they faux wood blinds or real blinds? Faux wood blinds look like the original wood, especially when in a painted finish. Knowing the type of blinds you're dealing with is very important especially if you've just moved to a new home and are not sure if they are wood or faux wood blinds.

The original wooden blinds have a natural irregular grain pattern per slat, the slats are original wood while faux wood blinds are made of polyvinyl chloride, vinyl, or composite which is a combination of polymers and because they are resilient, they don't warp. Faux wood blinds can be identified by similar and repetitive manufactured grain patterns on each slate. You should avoid using harsh detergents when cleaning both types of wooden blinds, you can use most cleaners with faux wood blinds but not harmful detergents as they can damage them.

Below we have listed effective ways of cleaning wooden blinds without damaging them, if you follow these tips, your blinds will be dust free and clean all the types and you won't have to worry about sneezing each time you stand by the window for some fresh air. Take a look at these ways below to effectively clean your wood blinds.

Dusting Wooden Blinds

Obtain a feather duster or microfiber cloth

When it's time to clean wooden blinds, you should avoid using rough material because they can get scratched and they will not look as nice as they are supposed to be. Using a microfiber cloth or a light feather duster is the best way to remove dust from your blinds without damaging them. A microfiber cloth is excellent because it attaches itself to tiny dirt fibres on the blinds and will pick up small particles that a regular cloth would miss. If you're wondering where to get a microfiber cloth, well, no need to, you can get it from hardware and online stores.

Close your blinds so they sit flat against your window

Wood blinds always come with an adjusting rod or rotating drum for when you want to open or clothe them. Therefore, when it's time to clean wooden blinds, you're supposed to rotate and close them completely so that you can concentrate on one side after the other. Cleaning the blinds while they are open will give you hard time cleaning both sides of the wooden slats. In this stage you should remember not to use harmful detergents and to use soft clothes, this will help your wood blinds to remain in their original form and not look old or scratched.

Wipe or dust each individual slat from left to right

Once you're equipped with your microfiber rag or feather duster, you can start wiping the slats of your wood blinds, make sure you wipe each slat at a time from left to right. When you wipe each slat at a time, it helps you to achieve the best results, in the end, make sure you dust from top to bottom if your wood blinds are vertical. If you follow these tips, you will see how well cleaned your wooden blinds will be at the end of your cleaning session.

Rotate the blinds and dust the other side

The next step involves rotating the adjusting rod in the opposite direction to open the blinds so that you are able to clean the other side of the slats effectively. Do what you did on the other side and fully dust the slats so they remain clean and free from dust. To clean your blinds the best way possible, you will have to be dedicated and patient as it will take you about 10 to 15 minutes to complete. Clean your blinds at least once a month to maintain a clean look, if you're not a busy person, you can clean them twice a month.

Washing Wooden Blinds

Fill a bucket with 1-2 inches of warm water

On the other hand, dusting your blinds will not work if they are too dirty and full of greasy dust. You will have to deep clean them using water but make sure you don't mix the water with any chemicals or cleaners, it should just be plain water. The reason behind this is that cleaners or chemicals can make your blinds have stains and streaks, this will eventually ruin them and you'll be forced to spend more money buying another set of blinds, which is something you wouldn't want of course.

Use a clean sock or soft cotton rag and dab it into the water

Make sure your blinds don't stay in contact with water for a long time as this can cause them to spot and warp. Therefore, you should slightly dap your rag and bring it out quickly to avoid the blinds being in contact with water for a long time. Note, you only need a little bit of water to dampen your cloth and not to actually saturate the blinds.

Angle your wood slats to an almost closed position

After you've dampened your peace of wiping cloth, make sure you put your wooden slats to an almost closed position so that you are able to wipe one slat at a time. This helps remove all the dust completely.

Starting from the top, wipe down each slat individually

Use your wet cloth to wipe one slat at a time from left to right and then you should move to the other side, making sure your wooden blinds are clean and dust-free on both sides. If you notice that your blinds have stains, use your damp cloth to scrub harder and remove the stains. Remember, you shouldn't use any chemicals in this process because they will damage your blinds and as a result, they will make your house not look as pleasant as you want it to be, this usually happens when you have faux wood blinds.

Dry each slat individually with a dry rag

When your blinds stay in contact with water for a long time, the water can discolour, warp, or create spots on the blinds. This is the kind of damage you should avoid, therefore, after cleaning your blinds with a wet cloth, make sure you have your blinds dried up with a dry cloth. For the drying job, you can use a microfiber rag, dry sock, or a soft cotton cloth.

Angle your slats the other way and repeat

Make sure you position or rotate your blinds to the other side so that you can properly clean and dry them as you did with the other side. That's all, you're done cleaning your blinds. but if you're looking for an alternative method to this, continue reading.

Using Alternative Methods

Use a soft vacuum attachment to suck up dust and dirt

A further duster as soft as the front of the vacuum cleaner, therefore you can use the same method you usually would use to dust your blinds but this time it would be the arm attachment on your vacuum cleaner. This method is excellent for when you're in a hurry and don't have the time to dust your blinds each slat at a time with a feather duster.

Use olive oil and warm water to make wood blinds shiny

If you want to create an extra shine to your blinds, you can mix a quarter cup of olive oil in a bowl with warm water. Use the same cleaning method we mentioned above but replace the water with the olive oil and warm water solution. However, you should avoid using this solution if your blinds are cracked as they may seep past the finish and warp the wood. If your blinds are cracked just stick with the warm water cleaning method to avoid damaging them further.

Wipe blinds with lemon oil or wood preservative to increase shine.

Lemon oil can as well clean your wooden blinds without damaging them, it also helps add that extra shine you want your blinds to have. The lemon oil is the oil secreted when the lemon peel is pressed, this is a natural disinfectant and it cannot cause damage to your blinds. Other wood cleaners you can use to have your blinds clean all the time include murphy oil soap, orange Glo, and other wood cleaners.

How to Clean Faux Wooden Blinds?

Faux wood blinds are made of composite wood-like material and vinyl, and they are a lot cheaper than real wood blinds and easier to clean than fabric blinds. However, like all wood blinds, faux wood blinds also get dusty over time and need to be cleaned. The best part about them is that they're easy to clean due to their durability. The best way to clean your faux wooden blinds is when you dust them using a microfiber rag or a vacuum brush attachment. These two types of equipment will help remove the dust effectively but when there's stubborn dust, use a solution of warm water and mild detergent.

Dust The Blinds

To have your faux wooden blinds clean all the time, you should have a routine dusting. begin by closing the blinds completely and then use the feather duster or microfiber rag to clean each slat from the corner all the way down to the last slat. Once done, you should open the blinds and close them in the opposite direction so that you can work on the other side as well, repeating the same process as on the other side. On the other hand, you can as well use a vacuum with a brush attachment to dust the faux wooden blinds. Start by closing the blinds face down and then use one hand to hold the edge of the blinds steady and the other hand should hold the vacuum. begin at the top corner and have the brush attachment from one side of the slat to the other.

How to Wipe Faux Wood Blinds with Cleaning Solution

If your faux wood blinds have some stubborn stains, then you will have to use a cleaning solution. Start by mixing up a cleaning solution of warm water and a mild detergent in a bucket. Then take your microfiber rag and keep it in the solution, squeeze the excess water out of the cloth, close your blinds and then run the wet cloth from one side of the slat to the other. Remember to avoid using harmful detergents or cleaning solutions when cleaning your faux wooden blinds as they can damage the finish or paint hence making your blinds look old and unpleasant.

How do you clean wooden Venetian blinds without taking them down?

The best way to clean wooden Venetian blinds without taking them down involves using a microfiber mitt, or a vacuum with a dust attachment. To remove stubborn dirt, you can use a wood soap cleaner. Make sure you run the fabric on each slat to ensure maximum cleanliness.

How do you keep wooden blinds dust-free?

If you want to keep your wooden blinds dust-free you will need to have a dusting routine whereby you will have to dust them using a microfiber rag or a feather duster to dust them every now and again. To achieve the best results, make sure you dust each and every slat at a time. You can as well use a vacuum cleaner.

How do you rejuvenate wooden blinds?

There are several ways you can use to restore neglected wooden blinds to looking as good as new. You can use olive oil or lemon oil to restore that shine and have them looking good as new.