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There is a question I get asked a variation of quite frequently, and that is, “What is the best way to clean blinds?” Mini blinds, vertical blinds, faux wooden blinds, shutters, etc. There are two ways to clean blinds, there is the once a month quick clean, and then there is the once a year deep clean.
For every type of blinds I suggest using a lambs wool duster to wipe them down once a month. It’s easy, fast and the oils in the wool collect dust and leave your blinds clean and shiny.
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However, if you are like me and you hate cleaning the blinds, and purposely put off that “once a month clean” for say… 11 months, then you will need to give the blinds a good “deep cleaning”. Starting with mini blinds and vertical blinds I suggest cleaning them the same way.
A “deep cleaning” is actually much easier than it sounds, so don’t be scared. Simply remove the blinds from the hooks in the window. Then take them outside and lay them on the patio, the driveway, wherever is easiest for you. Spray them down with a little water from the hose and your favorite mild cleanser. I recommend Basic H or a mild dish detergent. If the blinds are really dirty/dusty use a damp cloth or a dish scrub brush to gently scrub them clean. Once you have worked the soap evenly across the blinds use the hose and spray them clean. Turn over and repeat on the other side. Don’t forget to also wash the cords!
Once both sides of the blinds have been washed simple leave them to dry. I recommend doing this in the spring when the temperatures are rising, so that they dry quickly.
To clean any type of wood blinds or faux wood blinds I have a similar solution, minus the water.
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Again, remove the blinds from where they hang in the window frame. You can lay them somewhere in the house because you won’t be using the hose, but if you have kids running around maybe it’s still better to take them outside. Using your favorite dusting products, I recommend Basic H or Pledge, spray the blinds down. Using a dry cloth wipe the blinds clean. The microfiber cleaning cloth from Shaklee is perfect for this job. Once you have cleaned the top side flip the blinds over and repeat the process on the other side. After completing both sides take them back in the house and hang them up.
In our current home we have wooden shutters.
I think they look nice but mostly I’m not a fan because they are a pain in the tushie to clean. Shutters are large and can’t be taken down easily, like other blinds. You’re not going to like this, and believe me I don’t like doing it, but the best way to clean shutters is to wipe down every slat individually. Using your favorite mild cleanser spray the shutters, making sure to get each slat, and then wipe them clean using a damp cloth or the microfiber cleaning cloth. Make sure to turn the shutters up and down so that each side gets cleaned.
So there you have it! Those are all my tips for how to clean the blinds. I do want to say one more thing though that doesn’t really have to do with cleaning the blinds. If you are a renter don’t feel like you have to be stuck with ugly blinds. Before we bought our current home we rented for a year and one of the first things to go, when we moved into our rental, were the vertical blinds in the master bedroom. I asked my husband to take them down and lay them down in the garage behind some other things we were storing. Then I had him put up a curtain rod and hang some beautiful curtains. It’s an easy solution and a way to make your rental feel more like a home. The cheap blinds that are installed, in just about every rental, are easy to remove and easy to re-install when it’s time to move. So don’t hesitate to make your rental your own!
I hope your blinds have been opened today. 🙂
Nice post here. Thanks for sharing these tips!
I have horizontal wood blinds and plantation shutters. I have to disagree and say the shutters are much easier to clean.
THANK YOU! Loved yr post!!!
My mother had told me about a homemade laundry detergent. When I found out where she got it I was interested. Even happier to find other cleaning remedies. This is great!
For plastic blinds I use liquid dishwasher soap. Fill bathtub with hot water add soap. Soak for 5 minutes, agitate by moving blinds up and down in tub. Drain, then add plain water to rinse. Lay on towels to drain, then hang them up, to finish drying.
Thanks, Elaine. Might have to try that!
I have used baby wipes for my blinds and other places that do not need a power washer! They can be cheap, but most of all, easy.