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How to Clean Mini Blinds

Contributor
By C.M. Mackenzie
eHow Contributing Writer
(0 Ratings)

Mini-blinds are a popular, convenient, inexpensive window dressing and can last for many years. Unfortunately, mini-blinds also collect dust and must be cleaned occasionally to remove potential allergens and for general cleanliness of your home. Whether your mini-blinds are made of metal, plastic or bamboo, you should take them down, after dusting them, in order to clean them most thoroughly. Placing mini-blinds in a bath of soapy water is not necessary, but is ideal—immersing the blinds in water helps wash dirt away from the harder to reach areas.

Difficulty: Easy
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Dust rags
  • Sponge or wash cloth
  • Pencil or other similar item with a small piece of sponge attached (for cleaning crevices)
  • Dish detergent or other soap
  • Water in a bathtub or a bucket
  • Clean dry hand towels
  1. Step 1

    Gather your supplies and fill the bathtub partway with warm water and dish detergent (or soap or even shampoo). If you don't want to use the bathtub, fill a large bucket with clean water and dish detergent.

  2. Step 2

    Dust the blinds with a dust rag or any suitable tool made for dusting and then remove the mini-blinds from the window.

  3. Step 3

    Place the entire set of mini-blinds in the bathtub (or on a large towel near the bucket of water). Let these soak for a few minutes in the warm, soapy water.

  4. Step 4

    Clean the grime off the top layer of the blinds. Turn the mini-blinds over in the tub and clean the other side. For crevices, use a small section of sponge stuck to the tip of a pencil. Rinse the sponge frequently or you will just be moving dirt around, rather than wiping it away.

  5. Step 5

    Drain the soapy water and rinse the blinds. If you have a handheld shower head, pull it down and spray water directly over the mini-blinds. The blinds should be rinsed thoroughly so that no soap residue remains.

  6. Step 6

    Dry both sides of the mini-blinds with clean hand towels and then hang them up to finish drying thoroughly.

Tips & Warnings
  • Dish detergent or regular shampoos both do a great job of cleaning mini-blinds. Dish detergent is my first choice for cleaning mini-blinds because the detergent rinses easily.
  • Frequent dusting will cut down on how often mini-blinds must be washed.
  • If the mini-blind cords are dingy, add a small amount of bleach to the water.
  • If you use bleach in the water, do not use ammonia with it or anything containing ammonia.
  • Use bleach sparingly and avoid getting it on your skin or splashing it into your eyes.
  • If your mini-blinds are Bamboo, don't use bleach and don't leave them to soak in water for more than a few minutes or so.

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