This article was co-authored by Filip Boksa. Filip Boksa is the CEO and Founder of King of Maids, a U.S. based home cleaning service that helps clients with cleaning and organization.
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Blinds of all kinds gather dust just like the rest of the inside of the house. That dust often hardens on blinds due to their exposure to the sun. Try cleaning them at home with some simple cleaners and a little ingenuity to avoid the cost and hassle involved in sending them to the cleaners.
Steps
Cleaning Your Blinds While They’re Hanging
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1
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2Dust them. Avoid using a feather duster, which will just push the dust into the air. Instead, use a microfiber cloth, rag, or even an old sock. Hold them securely in one hand and with the other, gently grasp each blind and rub the cloth along the front and back of the blind.[3]
- Dust them every week or two to keep them clean.
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3Rub them down with water and vinegar. Combine equal parts warm water and vinegar in a bowl. Wet a rag, sock, or microfiber cloth in the vinegar and water solution and wring it out. Gently squeeze each blind between the cloth in your other hand, wiping the front and back simultaneously. You can also put the sock on your hand and rub each slat between your thumb and fingers.[4]
- This works with metal, plastic, faux and real wood blinds.
- Avoid getting wooden blinds too wet and dry them gently with a clean towel if they are damp after cleaning.
Soaking Your Blinds in the Bathtub
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1Take down your blinds. Close your blinds before you take them down to make it easier. If you have several sets that you will be cleaning on the same day, label them lightly on the bottom with a pencil. Wipe off the pencil after you’ve hung them back up.
- Don’t ever soak cloth or wooden blinds.
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2Get your tub ready. Fill the tub until there are about six inches (15.24 cm) of water covering the bottom. Add three to six drops of liquid dish soap. You can also add about one cup (240 mL) of vinegar if your blinds are really dirty.
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3Try using hot water and bleach to clean white blinds. Add 3-4 tablespoons (44.36-59.14 mL) of bleach to the hot water in your tub. Don’t add dish soap or vinegar. Wear gloves when working with bleach and keep children and pets safely away from the tub.
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4Lay one set of blinds in the tub. Swish the water around your blinds to agitate the soap and water. Use a soft brush, sponge, or rag to rub down the blinds if they are especially dirty. Let them soak for about an hour. After an hour, drain the tub and thoroughly rinse all soap from your blinds.[5]
- This will work with faux wood and metal blinds.
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5Dry your blinds. After rinsing the blinds, give them a gentle shake to remove extra water. Lay them on clean towels and pat them dry. Next, carefully hang them back up and let them thoroughly air dry while they are open.
- Repeat the soaking and drying methods for all sets of blinds you need to clean.
Washing Your Blinds Outside
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1Take down your blinds. Follow the directions for doing this above. Next, bring your blinds outside and lay them on a tarp or old shower curtain. You can put them on the grass or your driveway.
- Choose this method if your blinds are too big for your tub.
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2Spray the blinds with your hose. Be gentle when you spray and try not to soak the blinds. If you have the blinds open, you only need to spray them once. If they are closed for stability, turn them over after spraying one side.
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3Rub them down with your vinegar and water solution. Put the water and vinegar solution on a rag, old sock, or other cleaning cloth and rub down both sides of each slat. Use biodegradable soap if you don’t want to use vinegar outside. Rinse the blinds with the hose.
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4Dry your blinds. Lay your blinds on some towels to blot out the extra water. Lay them on a clean part of your lawn, preferably on dry towels to let them air dry. You can also carefully drape them over a deck railing or fence to let them air dry. Carefully hang them back in your house once they are dry.[6]
Expert Q&A
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QuestionWhat is the easiest way to clean mini blinds?
Filip BoksaFilip Boksa is the CEO and Founder of King of Maids, a U.S. based home cleaning service that helps clients with cleaning and organization.
House Cleaning ProfessionalIn most cases, you can just dust them. However, if your blinds are particularly dirty, you can use a multipurpose cleaner to wipe them down.
Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.
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QuestionThe blinds are in a trailer (park model) and do not come down. What is the simplest way to clean them while they are hanging?
Community AnswerNever soak them as you could make the finish bubble. Vacuum them first - running the soft vacuum attachment over each blind and making sure to open the air flow valve on your vacuum so you don't put too much pressure on the mini blinds. Then close them and Windex (I usually work with 12" at a time) then wipe each blind with a microfiber cloth. Note that you will have more dirt on the top and bottom blinds where dust collects. Also, if you have any bug residue (little black dots) that the Windex doesn't melt off, use a Magic Eraser. -
QuestionHow do I take down a blind with a metal bracket in the middle?
Community AnswerYou should have one bracket at each end as well. The end may fold up to allow the blind to slide out and the middle bracket should snap away from the blind with a gentle tug.
References
- ↑ Filip Boksa. House Cleaning Professional. Expert Interview. 20 August 2019.
- ↑ http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2014/10/clean-window-blinds.html
- ↑ http://cleanmyspace.com/how-to-clean-blinds-wood-plastic-aluminum-blinds/
- ↑ http://www.today.com/series/shortcuts/cleaning-hack-helps-clean-your-blinds-1-minute-or-less-t42561
- ↑ http://www.imperfecthomemaking.com/2011/03/cleaning-mini-blinds.html
- ↑ http://www.sensible-house-cleaning-solutions.com/clean-mini-blinds.html
About This Article
To clean mini blinds, first close the blinds and go over them with the brush attachment of a vacuum cleaner to remove loose dust. Then, open the blinds all the way, so that the undersides of the slats are facing you, and vacuum them again. To remove stubborn dust, wipe the slats down firmly with a clean microfiber dust rag. For a deeper clean, wipe the blinds with a rag dampened in a solution of equal parts vinegar and water. If you have wooden blinds, be careful not to get them soaking wet, and wipe them dry with a clean towel when you’re done. If your blinds are really dirty, take them down and soak them in a bathtub filled with about 6 inches (15.24 cm) of water and 3 to 6 drops of dish soap. Just don’t try this technique with wooden or fabric blinds, since soaking them would damage the material. For extra stubborn dirt, add 1 cup (240 mL) of white vinegar to the water. You can also brighten white blinds by soaking them in hot water and 3-4 tablespoons (44-60 mL) of bleach. However, if you use bleach, don’t add soap, vinegar, or any other cleaning chemicals to the water. Swish the blinds around in the tub or use a rag or sponge to loosen the dirt, then let them soak for about an hour. Remove the blinds and shake them to remove the excess water, then pat them dry with a clean towel. Hang the blinds and open them so that they can air dry the rest of the way. For tips on how to clean blinds in your bathtub, read on!
