Quick Tips for Cleaning Shades and Blinds
When cleaning your house, shades or blinds are mostly the last to clean even though they only take about a half an hour to cleanse them. However, before getting down to the fundamentals of cleaning, it's vital to know what you own. Shades are made of fabric while blinds are made using metal, composite or wood. Note that the fabrics used to make shades are delicate, such as silk, so it's advisable to clean them professionally. Everything else is easy to clean, and here is how it's done.
Vinyl and aluminium blinds
These types of blinds are cleaned using a vacuum cleaner, but a soft dusting-brush tool has to be attached to the vacuum cleaner. Lower the blind then tilt the slants; ensure they are not completely closed or some slants won't be cleaned well. Vacuum clean them using a top-to-bottom or side-to-side motion. If they are too dirty, consider dampening the microfiber cloth using water and start wiping the slants again. Finally, open the slats to air dry them.
Wood/faux wood blinds
These types of blinds are usually treated like wooden furniture. Simply dust them with a soft and clean piece of cloth or buy a chemically treated dusting cloth. Lower the blinds to the full length, and hold the lowest part of the rail, then dust them. To make the work easier, consider tilting the slats and after dusting one side, reverse them and dust again. In case there are stubborn stains, use warm water to dampen a microfiber cloth and wipe the slate. Be sure to air dry them after they are wiped with a wet cloth.
Roman shades
If you have installed pleated, flat or draped Roman shades, make sure you clean them well. Using a vacuum cleaner that has an attached soft dusting brush, go over the shades gently. If there are some stubborn stains, spot clean them with a damp cloth (use water and a mild washing detergent). Don't saturate the cloth. After scrubbing, rinse the shades and blot dry.
Roller shades
If you've installed roller shades made of vinyl, consider using a squeegee or soft cloth. In lukewarm water containing mild dishwashing detergent, dip in the scrubber, then use it to wipe the shades in sections, starting at the bottom part. Allow the shades to dry. Another option would be to give the shades a bath. Place them in a bathtub that contains soapy warm water, then scrub using a soft brush. Hang them to dry.