Venetian blinds make very attractive window coverings in any home or office, and are manufactured in aluminium, plastic and wood – some are even made from a combination of materials (plaswood, Alu-wood). Although they’re stylish and elegant, dust and dirt tends to builds up surprisingly quickly, so they need to be cleaned regularly.
It’s a finicky job because of the slats and can be tricky to get the best results. So, in this article, we’ve put together some useful tips to help you clean your Venetian blinds. Whether you give them a quick once over or a thorough deep clean, these tips inspired by AQ Blinds should help you get the job done properly and quickly.
- Light cleaning
- Feather duster and a cloth
For the most effective light clean, you need to first dust the blinds gently with a feather duster, then carefully wipe each individual slat with a dry cloth. Some people use white cotton gloves, or old socks (slipping their hand into them), or even anti-static cloths. You can also buy Venetian blind slat cleaners that have felt pads, designed to clean three slats at a time.
- Water and washing up liquid, or a spray
If there are any marks, grease, or stains on the slats, then you should use a small amount of water with washing up liquid, or window cleaner. You can also buy a Venetian blind spray that contains an anti-static solution. This helps to reduce the build up of dust once you’ve finished cleaning. If you’re using water and a cleaning solution, then apply a little onto one cloth, and use another cloth to wipe and dry the slats.
- Vacuum cleaner
You can also use a vacuum cleaner to clean the slats as long as you’re very careful. It’s a good idea to use an upholstery attachment and make sure the suction isn’t too strong as blinds are fragile and are easily be damaged.
- Deep cleaning
- Using the bathtub
Fill a bathtub with water and add some cleaning solution (washing up liquid or a blind cleaner recommended by your blind supplier). Unclip the blinds from the window, then lower them into the water and leave to soak overnight. The water and cleaning solution will lift most of the dirt, not only from the slats but also from the cords and the headrail.
Now, using a soft brush, gently remove any dirt or stubborn stains that still remain. Do this on both sides of the slats. If you have a shower attachment use this to rinse the blinds, or else empty the bath, refill with water and rinse. Hang the blind on the shower rail in the bathroom, or outside on the washing line, and leave to dry before replacing it on the window.
- Cleaning outside
If you’d rather not make a mess in your bathroom, you can always clean the blinds outside on the driveway or on the lawn. Lay a tarpaulin on the ground and place the dirty blind onto it. Using a soft brush and a bowl of water with washing up liquid, or Venetian blind cleaner, gently brush off all the dirt and grime. When you’re done, spray the blind with water from the hosepipe (on a fine spray) so that all the dirt comes away. Finally, hang the blind from a garage beam, or the washing line, until it’s completely dry before fitting it back on the window.
Cleaning Venetian blinds can be a fiddly and time-consuming job, so you could always hire a professional Venetian blind cleaning company to do it for you. They normally take the blinds away for cleaning and then replace them a few days later – what’s useful is that they can also make any repairs that may be necessary.
Warning – cleaning wooden Venetian blinds
Most wooden Venetian blinds and faux wooden blinds are made from an absorbent type of wood, and should NOT be cleaned with water or any other liquid. This is because the timber slats absorb liquids so that they warp while drying out. Also, if the varnishes and stains used on wooden blinds are cleaned with water or some other form of liquid, the stain will run and streak and the varnish will peel away from the wood surface … and there go your lovely blinds!
When cleaning wooden blinds, only use the light cleaning and dusting methods. Oh, and you’ll be pleased to know that dust and dirt comes away more easily on wooden blinds than it does on plastic or aluminium.
