How to Clean Your Vertical Vinyl Blinds
Vinyl vertical blinds are an affordable and attractive way to cover your windows, but the vinyl material collects more visible dust than fabric blinds. Proper routine care and cleaning of vinyl blinds will make them last longer and look better. Whether vertical or horizontal, vinyl blinds can easily be cleaned in a variety of ways. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Soft brush vacuum attachment
- Vacuum
- Lamb's wool duster
- Rubber gloves (optional)
- Cotton gloves (optional)
- Bucket(s)
- Warm water
- Ammonia
- Mild cleaner or dish soap
- Blind cleaning tool (optional)
- Barbecue tongs (optional)
- Cellulose sponges
- Waterproof glue (optional)
- Clamps (optional)
Instructions
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Vacuum the blinds weekly with a soft brush attachment. Start at the top and move down. A duster made of lamb's wool or one that eliminates static can also be used.
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Wear rubber gloves topped with cotton gloves for a more thorough cleaning. Quickly dampen the gloves in a bucket of 1 quart warm water and 1 teaspoon ammonia. With the gloves on, rub your fingers and thumbs along the blinds, with the slats between your fingers.
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Use a vinyl-blind cleaning tool as an alternative to the glove method. These can be found at a janitor supply store or you can make your own with a pair of long-handled tongs. Use waterproof glue to attach two pieces of a cellulose sponge to the inside edges of the tongs. Clamp the sponges to hold the glue until dried (overnight is best). Fill a bucket with slightly soapy water and another bucket with clean warm water. Wet the sponges on the tongs in the soapy water, wring out slightly, and slide the sponges along both sides of each vinyl slat, starting from the top. Rinse the sponges in the clean water and slide along the cleaned slats.
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Remove blinds from hooks if they are extremely dirty. Hang blinds in a waterproof area, such as the shower, or in a basement or garage, or lay flat on the driveway. Wash each slat with a gentle cleaner, such as diluted dish soap, or make a solution of warm water with a few teaspoons of ammonia and a few drops of dish soap. Dip a sponge into the solution and gently wash each slat. Then, using a clean sponge and bucket of clean warm water, rinse the blinds. If you are outdoors, you can gently rinse the blinds with a garden hose. Don't worry about any residue of dish soap that might be left on the vinyl since it will actually help eliminate static and reduce dust. Hang blinds to dry before reinstalling.
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Tips & Warnings
Extremely dirty vinyl blinds, or those coated with heavy grease, smoke or other residues, might need to be professionally cleaned or even replaced. Blinds that have been exposed to high temperatures may have a permanent curl or warping that cannot be fixed.
References
- Photo Credit window blind image by mark humphreys from Fotolia.com
