Let’s be honest for a second: you’re probably not cleaning your blinds properly or nearly enough. And, it’s understandable: it can be an off-putting chore. Venetian blinds especially gather a lot of dust because of all those hard to reach surfaces can take a lot of time to clean thoroughly. But dust can be harmful to your health and exacerbate your allergies or asthma.

Let’s go through some general tips and tricks from the experts at Budget Blinds, that will teach you how to clean your blinds before we see how to maintain blinds of different materials.

Use the Sock Method

You might laugh at the retro, grandma-style trick we start our guide with, but it is one of the most efficient ways to clean each slat of the blinds efficiently and relatively fast. Grandma knows what she’s doing!

Just take an old sock and pull it on your hand after soaking it in a cleaning agent and squeezing the excess liquid. To keep it retro, you can use diluted white vinegar, although you should keep in mind that it might be too harsh on some materials. With the sock now on your hand, grab each slat with your fingers and slide the sock on the length of the slat. It’s best to use a
pair of socks, so you can switch between them and let them soak.

Dust the Blinds Regularly

With blinds, the best trick to keep them sparkling is to prevent dirt from building up. The fabric of most blinds doesn’t allow regular cleaning as it deteriorates them. So, make sure you go over them with a dusting rag, vacuum brush or feather duster.

Pro tip: when doing the maintenance dusting, you can save some time and clean them from top to bottom after turning the slats parallel to the window surface. Make sure you turn and dust them on the other side, too.

Get Clever about Removing Stains

If your blinds are more than just a little dusty and you have to remove some difficult stains, get a powerful or abrasive cleaning product. For plastic and metal, you can try chemical cleaners. For wood, choose something milder, like baking powder mixed with water to form a paste. If your fabric blinds are stained, it’s best to take them to a dry cleaner.

Wooden Blinds

Wooden blinds are harder to maintain than metal, plastic or even fabric ones, but it doesn’t have to be a burden. You have to use the proper products to clean them. Wood will bend and crack if it’s exposed to excess moisture, so stay away from water-based cleaners or harsh solutions, like vinegar. Instead, give them some love by wiping them with oil (lemon oil works great) or special wood cleaners.

Plastic Blinds

If you want blinds that are especially easy to maintain,choose polycarbonate sheet plastic. It might not look luxurious, but it comes in a huge variety of colors, and it can liven up any space. You can
clean plastic blinds with soapy water, vinegar or even with plain water. For a deep clean, try soaking them in the bathtub with some mild detergent and rinse them thoroughly. Apply the same methods for metallic blinds.

Fabric Blinds

With fabric blinds, it’s best to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If they are not available, apply the proper cleaning method depending on the fabric and color of the blinds.

A time consuming, but thorough cleaning requires disassembling them, washing them by hand or on a very gentle cycle in the washing machine, and then hanging them flat. It’s important to keep their shape while drying them by attaching weights to the bottom of the slates.

For difficult dirt, it’s best to leave it to the professionals to dry clean them safely.

Blinds are excellent choices for keeping your house shaded and cool. Make sure to dust them regularly, and you will always have nice looking blinds.