tips to clean your blinds

wHAT YOU'LL NEED

First, gather up the supplies you’ll need. For a deep clean, gather supplies for both the basic and the deep clean, as you need both. 
For a basic cleaning, you’ll need:

•  A soft, microfiber cloth or Swifter duster
•  A vacuum with an upholstery hose attachment

For a deeper clean, you’ll need:

•  A mild soap
•  Two soft, microfiber cloths (one to apply your solution and one for drying)

For polishing wood blinds, you’ll need:

• Wood polish or oil
• A soft, microfiber cloth

what type of material?

Make sure that you consider the type of material that your blinds are made of. Metal, plastic and faux wood blinds are more durable and can handle more moisture and certain cleaning solutions better than real wood and fabric. Avoid washing fabric blinds and only do spot treatments to remove heavier grime, or have them professionally cleaned. Wood blinds and woven wood shades also cannot handle high moisture and should be immediately wiped dry and never submersed in water. 

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basic cleaning

Most of the build-up on your blinds is dust and can be cleaned with a dry cloth, duster or upholstery attachment on your vacuum. 

Metal, Plastic, Faux Wood and Wood Blinds: Close your blinds so that the back side is facing you. Working from the top to the bottom, run your cloth or duster along the slats. Then tilt your blinds closed so the other side is facing you and again wipe the surface of the slats with your cloth. Once you have cleaned all the slats front and back with a cloth, use your upholstery attachment on your vacuum to remove any dust that has fallen and to remove dust from other parts of the blinds. 
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Fabric Blinds: For fabric blinds, you’ll use much the same technique as above; however, instead of running a cloth over the front and back of the slats, use the upholstery attachment on your vacuum to go back and forth on the front and back of the slats.

deeper cleaning

To do a deep clean your blinds to first start with a basic cleaning of your blinds to remove as much dust as possible. 

For metal, faux wood, plastic blinds: Create a cleaning solution by mixing mild soap with water. Wet down a soft cloth and squeeze out the excess water until it is damp. First run your cloth along the back side of your blind slats and then along the front side of your blind slats. 

Real wood blinds:  Wood blinds don’t like moisture. This is because any excess moisture is absorbed by the dry wood and can cause real wooden blinds to swell or warp. If your blinds need more than just a dust you should use a very slightly moist (not wet) cloth. Your cloth should be moist enough to remove grime or dirt, but should not leave any standing water or excess moisture on the surface of the blind. You should take particular care of the ends of the real wooden blinds, as usually these are exposed wood and absorb water really quickly. Remember not to rub the slats too hard or aggressively as this could ruin the paint or wood stain used.

Fabric blinds: Avoid washing fabric blinds. To remove stubborn dirt and grime, spot treat with a simple cleaning solution of mild soap and water. Be sure to first test this solution in an inconspicuous spot to make sure that your solution does not discolor or damage the fabric.  Or contact a professional cleaning company.
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Are your blinds too old and dirty and in need of replacement?  The knowledgeable owners of LC Window Treatments can help you choose the perfect window treatment for your style and budget and install them right the first time. We can bring samples right into your home, helping you find the perfect match!  Give us a call today for a free estimate (628) 400-1665