How to clean venetian blinds is a common question among window lovers. Cleaning blinds is not as difficult as what we think. In fact, cleaning them once a week is not impossible. The most difficult part is keeping the streaks from building up, but with a few tips, this becomes much easier. It all begins with prevention, and the following steps will help you make it.
For wooden, vinyl, aluminum and many other waterproof blinds, you basically need to use water and dry cloths to get rid of heavy dirt and debris build-up. However, water can damage solid wood blinds, causing the slats to bend and warp. The only way is to wipe the blinds with a damp cloth or paper towels, rinsing them thoroughly afterwards. You shouldn’t use steel wool on any type of fabric blind. As it will leave scratches in the material. The best thing to do is using a hair dryer to heat it up over the material briefly, which will lift the dirt off.
If vinegar or fruit juices have already caused some damage. The best thing you can do is to clean Venetian blinds with vinegar and water. This is one of the oldest tricks in the book when it comes to removing stains. Simply mix about a cup of vinegar with a quart of water in a spray bottle. Next, spray the mixture on the stained area, and let it sit for at least an hour, doing it several times a day if possible.
Once vinegar has done its job, you simply need to rinse it off with water. Do not forget to soak your blinds in the same solution, so that the residual cleaning power is still there. Actually, this is probably the most important part of the whole process. Please don’t skip this step! Vinegar and water both can remove stains. But if they are soaked in water for too long, they will actually start to deteriorate.
After applying vinegar and water, simply soaking the blinds in the tub or shower around twenty minutes. It should be a couple of times a week. Be very careful when soaking, especially when using harsh detergents or scouring powders. When the cleaning solution has dried, wiping it off with a soft, damp cloth. If the dirty cloth is soaked with too much cleaner, just throw it away, and replace it with a new one.
The key is to act fast and not to stop until all of the stains have been removed. The longer you leave things, the more likely streaks or holes appear. If you let a stain set for too long, it will be impossible to get it out. So, after applying the cleaning solution, wiping it off with a wet rag or paper towel. And then rinsing with warm water.
Well, just following these rules, you will find it is easy to get your venetian blinds clean.