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How to Clean and Maintain Your Blinds

Plantation Shutters

You can choose from a few different materials when picking out blinds for your Florida home. No matter what type of blinds you decide on, keeping them clean and maintained is essential. This simple guide will help you get a better understanding of how to best take care of blinds that are made from different materials. Then, you can decide which blinds you want to purchase for your home, and you’ll already know how to keep them clean and in good shape.

Wood Blinds

Faux Wood Blinds

Faux wood blinds are the perfect option for many families. They allow you to enjoy the traditional look of hardwood blinds, but they’re lightweight and easy to take care of. Although they’re easy to take care of, they do still require cleaning and maintenance.

Luckily, cleaning your faux wood blinds is pretty easy. About once a week, you can use a duster or clean, dry microfiber cloth to dust the slats on your blinds. You can also use the brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner.

After dusting, consider swiping the slats on your blinds with a dryer sheet. This is great for repelling dust and can add a light scent to your blinds.

If you stay on top of keeping your blinds dusted, then you shouldn’t have to clean them as often. From time to time, though, you can use a bowl of warm water and a little bit of your favorite mild detergent to clean your blinds. Close them, and clean them from top to bottom with a microfiber cloth. Then, dry each slat thoroughly with a dry cloth.

You can clean your faux wood blinds with soap while they’re hanging up. If your blinds need a deeper clean, though, you can take them down and lay them on an old sheet so that you can really scrub them. Allow them to air dry, then hang them back up.

Hardwood Blinds

You can follow many of the same instructions for faux wood blinds when cleaning your hardwood blinds. However, if you want to make them really shine and if you want to protect the wood, consider using a cleaner that is designed for use on wood instead of using a basic detergent.

Also, since wooden blinds can be easily damaged by excess water, it’s important to wring out your cloth well when cleaning so that you don’t use more water than necessary. After you’re finished, take your time thoroughly drying each slat so that no excess moisture will be left behind.

After your blinds have been cleaned and dried, consider adding a little bit of your favorite furniture polish. Of course, you’ll want to make sure that the furniture polish is safe to use on wood, and you may want to test a small amount on a not-so-visible place on your wooden blinds to make sure that it does not discolor them.

Applying a safe, wood-friendly furniture polish will help your hardwood blinds have a beautiful shine, and it will help protect them. Some furniture polish will even help with repelling dust. Plus, applying furniture polish will add a nice, fresh smell. When taking this step, you don’t have to use a lot of the furniture polish. Spraying a small amount on a clean, dry microfiber cloth and then gently rubbing the polish all over each of the slats of your blinds should be worth the effort.

Vertical Blinds

Fabric Blinds

Fabric is a popular material for vertical blinds in particular. Many people like the soft, pretty appearance of vinyl vertical blinds, but they are a little tougher to take care of.

For basic day-to-day cleaning, use a vacuum brush to vacuum off dirt and grime. You’ll want to do this often to prevent staining and dust build-up. If you notice any stains or noticeable dirt, you can spot clean your fabric blinds with a fabric-safe cleaner.

Avoid getting these blinds too wet, and do not submerge them in water. You can take them to be professionally dry cleaned if you want to clean them thoroughly without damaging them.

Vinyl Blinds

Vinyl blinds are one of the more affordable options that you can typically choose from, whether you’re purchasing vertical or horizontal blinds. They also have a classic look. They don’t usually hold up as well or as long as blinds made from some other materials, such as hardwood, but they can still last a long time and look great in your home if you take good care of them.

It’s important to be careful when dusting and cleaning your vinyl blinds so that they don’t bend or break. Like with most blinds, you can dust them off regularly with a feather duster or a clean and dry microfiber cloth.

When it’s time to give your vinyl blinds a more thorough cleaning, you can use a mixture of water and your favorite detergent. Be careful when cleaning to avoid damaging the blinds. You can spot clean your vinyl blinds while they’re still hanging up, but if they’re really dirty, you can remove them and soak them in the bathtub in warm, soapy water. After they have soaked, you can spot clean any areas that didn’t come clean and then rinse the blinds off with clean water.

The good news is that vinyl blinds are not affected by moisture in the same way that wooden blinds are. However, to avoid water spots, you’ll still probably want to dry the slats on your blinds or allow your blinds to air dry before rehanging.

Aluminum Blinds

Although not as popular as vinyl or wooden blinds, aluminum is used to make both horizontal and vertical blinds. Caring for aluminum blinds is similar to caring for vinyl blinds. Just make sure that you use a cleaner that is safe for use on aluminum; otherwise, the cleaner could strip away the metal or cause discoloration or other damage.

Keeping the blinds in your home nice and clean is important. Dirty blinds can make your home look unkempt, and blinds that aren’t properly cared for can wear out more quickly. As long as you follow the cleaning and maintenance tips for the specific type of blinds that you have throughout your home, you should be able to keep them in good shape.