If you have children and pets, you know how difficult it is to keep everything clean and organized. Even if you don’t, it still takes a ton of work to clean your home just the way you like it.
What you do depends on the type of blinds and shades you have. There’s a lot to know, so let’s get to it:
Non-Fabric Blinds
1. Use a microfiber cloth (or vacuum with brush attachment at the lowest suction setting) and get as much dust off your blinds as possible
2. Work top to bottom on horizontal blinds
3. Go from left to right with vertical blinds
4. Many blinds are not hung properly, so be ready for them to fall out of their brackets halfway through your cleaning process
5. To wash, add 3 drops of dish detergent to a bucket of warm water
6. Dunk your microfiber cloth in the bucket, and wring it out until it’s just slightly damp
7. If your blinds are heavily stained, add a tablespoon of baking soda to your bucket of dish detergent and water
8. You can also try to grab the middle of the slat, clean to the end, come back in to the middle, and clean out the other end
Fabric Blinds
1. Prevention helps a ton – vacuum them regularly with your brush attachment at the lowest setting (this also helps prevent discoloration)
2. Like you did with non-fabric blinds, vacuum them with a brush first or wipe them down with a microfiber cloth dipped in warm water with dish detergent
3. Place your sponge in a mixture of 3 drops dish detergent/water and lightly wipe the stained areas of your fabric blinds (test this mixture out in a hidden area first if you’re worried about damaging your blinds)
4. Follow that up with a towel to soak up as much moisture as possible
Wooden/Faux Wood Blinds
1. Treat these like you would furniture!
2. Lower the blind fully and tilt the slats so they are almost closed
3. Use a microfiber cloth to remove dust
4. Reverse the slats and repeat
5. Open the slats and let them dry
Roman Shades
1. Vacuum them weekly with your brush attachment as a preventative measure (up to 3 times weekly if you live in a dry, dusty climate)
2. Do not vacuum them if they have decorative stitching, as this loosens that stitching
3. Spray fabric shades with a fabric freshener every week and rinse clean with water
4. For deep cleaning or stain removal (ideally done immediately), try upholstery cleaner or carpet cleaning foam (make sure you try this on a hidden area of these shades first)
5. You can also wash Roman shades in your washing machine. Make sure you disassemble them properly, coiling each cord and tying up the coils with twist ties. For flat Roman shades, pull out all dowels. Use a mild detergent and cool water on a gentle cycle for 15 minutes. Dry your shades in the dryer for 30 minutes, removing them when they are nearly dry. Reassemble your shades as appropriate, and hang them back up.
6. Use a fabric protectant after cleaning to keep them clean
Keeping Your Shades Clean Isn’t Easy…
But now you at least know the process. And remember, if it’s too much work, you can always hire a professional to do it instead.
