Cleaning Blinds

Is there an easy way to cleaning blinds?

Thanks for your tips, Jean

Answers:

Cleaning Blinds

Pour some OxzyClean in the bath tub with hot water and place the blinds in the water for a few minutes. Dip blinds in and out of the water a few times and even the string will come clean. (06/03/2004)

By RENEE

Cleaning Blinds

I tried Renee's suggestion, it took the finish off my bronze aluminum blind. (08/15/2005)

By Cecilia

Cleaning Blinds

I have mini blinds on almost every window in my house, so I've tried numerous ways to clean them. It's a messy job that I wouldn't call "easy", but the best way I have found to thoroughly clean blinds is to completely remove the blinds from the brackets that hold them in the window.

Before you remove them from the brackets, you want to be sure the blinds are open and pulled up tightly. Take the blinds outside, let the blinds "down" and swivel the slats so that the dirtiest side faces you; lay blinds on a clean, flat surface like a picnic table that's at a height easy to work at. Using a gentle spray, hose off loose dust from the blinds; then, spray liberally w/cleaning solution.

(I've found the best cleaner to be 1/4 c. Pinesol and 1 gallon hot water put into a sprayer - the kind of sprayer used to apply insecticides and that has a pump. If you don't have one of these, just use regular spray cleaner like 409, Fantastik, etc.)

IMPORTANT: After you spray on the cleaning solution, allow it to sit and do it's work for about 5 min. Then, using a wide soft-bristled brush, stroke down the blinds from top to bottom with one hand while you hold the slats with the other. Rinse well with clean water.

If you discover you've missed some spots, spray on more cleaner, wipe it clean and rinse again. Once you've gotten them thoroughly clean, pivot the slats to open them and drape across a lawn chair, porch/deck railing, or whatever to dry completely.

Before replacing blinds in the window brackets, pull the blinds up tightly. They're MUCH easier to control if they're pulled up! This is quite a messy job, but your blinds will look brand new! Becky in Arkansas(b)(/b)(u)(/u) (06/03/2004)

By Becky

Cleaning Blinds

I leave the blinds hanging up and using a sock or rag, wipe each slat, cleaning both the front and back side of the slat at the same time. It depends on how dirty they are as to what solution to use on your sock/rag. If they are really dirty, use a solution like Mr. Clean and your sock/rag wet with the solution. If they aren't all that dirty, just spray your sock/rag with a glass cleaner. It doesn't take that long at all and it saves having to take them down. (06/03/2004)

By Kathy

Cleaning Blinds

After dusting the blinds on your windows, wipe each slat with a fabric-softener sheet. This will help keep them stay cleaner longer because the sheet helps to repel dust.

Taken from http://www.dusteroo.com/tips_19.html (06/04/2004)

By LaVerne

Cleaning Blinds

When the blinds get really dirty I take them outside lay them out flat on the grass, wet with the garden hose then wash with a soapy wet washrag, flipping to get both sides. hold up the blind like it's on a window and rinse off. shake off water excess and take back inside to hang up. can even hang over porch railing if it doesn't get dry quick enough. (06/04/2004)

By Anna

Cleaning Blinds

I don't know if this is the right place to post or not, but in regard to blinds, I've noticed input on taking blinds down and saturating them in a tub or hosing them down. Whoa! That might be all right for the old fashioned metalic blinds, but we must remember that most of today's blinds are wooden and they would be ruined if we did that to them. I would recommend that you dust them along with your weekly dusting and about twice a year, give them a cleaning by wetting a terry towel type cleaning rag (I find this to be the best for me), ring it out good and spray with a good cleaner and wipe blinds clean on both sides.

Dry with dry rag after every few slats. Yes... It takes a little work; but I guess that's why they call it: "Spring Cleaning". Good luck and God bless.
(06/05/2004)

By Mary

Cleaning Blinds

For that room that you don't really use and has cheap really dirty blinds. We just purchased a new blind at about $5 it was well worth it. You can only imagine how old that original blind was. (06/07/2004)

By Jean

Cleaning Blinds

I take my blinds and put them in the bath tub with soapy water. After I put in clean water to rinse and add Jet Dry. This prevents water marks. Hope this helps. (10/13/2004)

By Sandy McCallum

Cleaning Blinds

Take them down and take them to a self serve car wash, hang them up with the mat claps and spray away the dirt and grime, take back home and hang. (10/13/2004)

By owenmohrbucks

Cleaning Blinds

I've had to move twice in the past 6 months, and have tried a number of tips concerning the most efficient way to clean blinds. What worked for me was using a paper towel with rubbing alcohol on it and rubbing it across each blind, with the blinds closed. Granted, it's not a quick fix, but it works for those like me who cannot take the blinds outside to clean them. Don't forget to test on an inconspicuous area first- and this is only for the inexpensive white plastic blinds. (02/10/2005)

By Leanna

Cleaning Blinds

I just leave my blinds hanging where they are and close them so the dustiest side is facing me. Then I take my vacuum cleaner out,put the brush on the hose and vacuum them clean. I have fond this to be the easiet way to clean them without too much trouble. (02/12/2005)

By Moni

Cleaning Blinds

We had a similar problem in a home we were selling. Having the blinds professionally cleaned cost $8 PER BLIND. Replacing them at the discount store cost $3-5 per window! For us it was a no brainer (especially since the originals were metal and bent). (02/20/2005)

By Kerri

Cleaning Blinds

I have the wood look white plantation blinds on all my windows. I am a smoker so the white turns dirty fast. I take mine outside spray w/a bleach water combination and let sit. If necessary i use a scrub brush. Rinse, let dry, bring them in, and hang them up. (03/23/2005)

By luvmy4grandkids

Venetian Blinds

To clean venetian blinds. Fill bath tub with enough warm water to cover blinds. Add equal amounts of Tide and Spic & Span. About 1/2 cup of each. Soak blinds for a short time (10 to 15 minutes). Blinds & cords come out clean without any scrubbing. Re-hang the blinds and put towels on the window sill to catch any drips until dry. There is no danger in combining the two cleaning agents.
(04/01/2005)

By Helen G.

Cleaning Blinds

We moved to our house 7 months ago, and yucky blinds! I had to leave mine hanging so I vacuumed all the dust off, then got a bucket full of hot water with Murphy's and my microfiber cloth, and went through each blind between my fingers (barely any scrubbing required and they had never been cleaned before!) Then I used the cloth to clean the windows and all around. I just rinsed after each window, and changed water for each room. They looked awesome! I am doing them again in the next couple of weeks but when it is dry and dusty, I run the vacuum over the blinds once a month to avoid build-up. (03/14/2006)

By Kelly