How you should clean your mini-blinds depends on what type you have. Plastic, aluminum and vinyl blinds can all be dry dusted, wiped down with soapy water or washed in the bathtub -- depending how dirty they are. Wooden blinds can be cleaned with a basic wooden furniture polish, and fabric blinds can be vacuumed and spot treated with hydrogen peroxide when necessary. Be patient when cleaning blinds and accept that you'll have to deal with one slat at a time to get the most effective results.
Light Dusting: Plastic, Vinyl and Metal
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Things You'll Need
Clean rag
Bucket
Warm water
Liquid dish detergent
Premoistened alcohol wipes (optional)
Static duster
Step 1: Close the blinds.
Close the blinds so that the slats are flat in front of you, to make cleaning easier.
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Step 2: A wet cleaning.
Wash the blinds with a clean rag dampened with warm soapy water or with a premoistened alcohol wipe, working from the top of the blinds down. When you're done, turn the blinds so they are closed the other way, and wash the opposite side.
Tip
Though it takes a little longer, your blinds will get much cleaner if you do one slat at a time.
Step 3: Dry dust.
When the blinds have dried, go over them again with a microfiber cloth or static duster to get any dirt you may have missed.
Deep Cleaning: Plastic, Vinyl and Metal
Things You'll Need
Liquid dish detergent
1 gallon distilled white vinegar
Clean, dry rag
Step 1: Take them down.
Roll your blinds up all the way so they're easier to maneuver, and take them down from the window. Place them in the bathtub and fill the tub with just enough warm water to completely cover them.
Step 2: Add your cleansers.
Cleaning expert Mrs. Clean recommends adding 1 capful of liquid dish detergent and 1 gallon of distilled white vinegar to the water in the bathtub to create a blind-cleaning solution. Move the mini-blinds around in the tub to agitate them, and ensure the cleaning mixture thoroughly penetrates the rolled blinds.
Step 3: Drain and rinse.
Drain the bathtub, and then rinse the blinds thoroughly. Stand the rinsed blinds in the corner of the bathtub and let them dry until they are light enough to handle -- they may be heavy while waterlogged.
Step 4: Rehang them.
Rehang your blinds and then unroll them, wiping them down with a clean rag to dry the slats and remove any loosened dirt that may remain. Leave the blinds down for at least 24 hours before rolling them up again, to let them dry completely.
Wooden Blinds
Things You'll Need
Clean rag
Wooden furniture polish
1 cup mineral oil (optional)
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar (optional)
1/4 cup warm water (optional)
Step 1: Close the Blinds
Close the blinds so that the slats are flat and facing you.
Step 2: Polish
Spray wooden furniture polish onto a clean rag, and then wipe down the blinds, working from top to bottom. If you want, make your own wood polish by combining 1 cup of mineral oil, 1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar and 1/4 cup of water in a spray bottle. Remember to turn the blinds the other way and repeat the process so both sides of the blinds are cleaned.
Fabric Blinds
Things You'll Need
Vacuum cleaner with attachments
Hydrogen peroxide
Spray bottle
Clean rag
Step 1: Vacuum
Close the blinds and then vacuum the dust off, using the brush or crevice tool on your vacuum cleaner. Start at the top of the blinds and work your way down.
Step 2: Spot treat.
If there are any stains on your blinds, spray a 3 percent hydrogen peroxide solution on them, and then dab the stain with a clean cloth. Start from the edge of the stain and work your way toward the center. Repeat, as necessary, until the stain disappears.
Tip
- Dab the stain rather than rubbing, because rubbing may spread it around.
- Simply let the hydrogen peroxide air dry, as it will turn into water when exposed to sunlight.
- Always test the hydrogen peroxide on an inconspicuous area first to make sure it won't discolor or bleach the material.