How to Wash Plastic Mini Blinds

Value and versatility make plastic mini blinds popular window treatments in kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms. Blinds typically get dirtier during the winter months when the dry air increases static electricity, which causes dust, hair and other tidbits to cling to the surface of the slats. You can make washing them come summertime easier by vacuuming them regularly with a brush attachment. Since mini blinds are easily removed from their brackets, washing them somewhere other than the window enclosure is possible.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic mini blinds
• Water
• Heavy-duty detergent
• All-purpose cleaner
• Do-it-yourself car wash
• Garden hose
• Bucket
• Sponge
• Bathtub
• Shower
• Dry cotton gloves

Instructions

1. Extend your plastic mini blinds fully and partially close the slats either toward you or away from you. Raise the binds to the top and lock.

2. Remove the blind headrail from the open brackets in which it sits, supporting the now raised blinds with your free hand.

3. Take your blinds to a do-it-yourself car wash, lower the blinds and either hang them on the wall or lay them on the car wash floor. Using the pressure washer, spray them down with soapy water and rinse them with clean water. Take them home to air dry by hanging them from a clothesline or laying them on a deck, patio, driveway or sheet on the ground.

4. Clean your blinds at home outside by opening them and laying them on your patio, deck or driveway. Fill a bucket with ¼ cup heavy-duty detergent (or favorite all-purpose cleaner like Pine Sol) for every gallon of water, and sponge the solution onto the blinds. Rise with a garden hose or pour another bucket of clean water on the blinds. Allow them to air dry.

5. Clean your plastic mini blinds at home inside by filling your bathtub 1/3 of the way full and adding 1 cup of heavy-duty detergent or, again, your favorite all-purpose cleaner. Open the blinds and lay them in the tub, allowing them to soak for up to 30 minutes. Open the bathtub drain and turn on the shower to rinse your blinds. Allow them to air dry there or elsewhere in or outside your home.

6. Rehang your dry blinds. You'll notice that they still look kind of dirty--that is because washing them only gets the really obvious dirt off your blinds. Also, some of the slats may have become stuck together while drying. This is to be expected.

7. Put on a pair of dry cotton gloves and spray the fingers of your right hand (if right-handed; if left-handed, spray fingers of your left hand) with all-purpose cleaner. Now run your fingers across each slat to get the gunk that washing left behind and to separate joined slats.

Tips & Warnings

• Rub each slat of your cleaned mini blinds with a dryer sheet to help your blinds repel dust, hair and other tidbits.

References

• Mary Ellen's Complete Home Reference Book; Mary Ellen Pinkham; 1993
• Source for affordable and modern mini blinds