How to Clean Mini Blinds in a Dishwasher

Cleaning mini blinds can be one of the most frustrating and difficult household tasks that a person can undertake. Though there are special brushes designed for mini blinds, it seems that not even those can get all the dust and dirt out of the cracks and crevices. More often than not, taking the blinds down and washing them either in the sink or the tub is the only way to get them sparkling clean. However, you can also put your blinds in the dishwasher, which can make the daunting task much easier.

Things You'll Need

• Mini blinds
• Screwdriver (optional)
• Cloth or duster
• Dishwasher
• Dishwasher detergent

Instructions

1. Remove the plastic square pieces holding the blinds in place, so that you can take them down. Once this has been accomplished, the blinds should slide out with ease. If for some reason the pieces don't slide out, you may have to use a flat-head screwdriver to pop the pieces out.

2. Take down the blinds by sliding the entire metal (or plastic) piece out of its brackets. Take the blinds outside and using the duster or a cloth, remove any visible, loose dust or dirt that you see on the blinds. Removing this will reduce the amount of dirt or dust that goes into your dishwasher.

3. Empty your dishwasher before you put the mini blinds in it. You definitely will not want to have anything in there if you intend on washing filthy blinds in the dishwasher. There's no need to do anything to the dishwasher before you put the blinds in; just clear it out.

4. Place the mini blinds in the dishwasher. Make sure that you put them on the top rack of the dishwasher. Spread them out as much as possible when you lay them in the top rack so that the water can get through to all of the slats while the cycle is running. Make sure that you don't bunch up the blinds up, as some spots may be missed during the cycle.

5. Put the amount of dishwasher detergent in the cup that you'd normally use for a load of dishes. Set the dishwasher for a wash and rinse cycle only. Remove the blinds from the dishwasher after the rinse cycle. Make sure you do not allow the drying cycle to run, as this may cause your blinds to be damaged. Run the empty dishwasher through an entire cycle again, after you have cleaned the blinds, to make sure that any remaining debris has been washed away before putting dishes in there. Hang the blinds outside to dry, or hang them in your bathroom, over the tub.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't put ammonia or any other cleaning solvents in the dishwasher.